Past Publications

Nonstate Actors and Anti-Access/Area Denial Strategies: The Coming Challenge Dr Jean-Loup Samaan Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph explores the emerging challenge of nonstate actors’ anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) strategies and their implications for the United States and its allies. This monograph starts from one major development: the historical monopoly of states over precision-guided munitions has eroded, and this evolution eventually challenges the ability of the most advanced militaries to operate in certain environments. Questioning the type of strategy that nonstate actors may implement as they gain greater access to advanced military technology, the research argues some of these groups increasingly lean toward A2/AD strategies. The analysis focuses on two regions, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, where case studies include Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen, and separatist groups in Ukraine."

Professionalizing the Iraqi Army: US Engagement after the Islamic State Dr C. A. Pfaff Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "While the US intelligence community worries about the emergence of “Da’esh 2.0,” the US security cooperation community has to worry about the development of the “Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) 4.0” that will have to fight Da’esh and meet a broad range of other security and defense requirements. Here, the “4.0” refers to the facts that this is not the United States’ first attempt to assist the Iraqis in building their defense capacity and the United States is not the first security partner to try. Britain and the Soviet Union also took their turns developing Iraqi military capabilities, both with similar results."

Turkey and the United States on the Brink: Implications for NATO and the US-Turkish Strategic and Military Partnership Dr. Kamal A. Beyoghlow Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The US-Turkish strategic partnership established at the end of World War II reached its climax in the late eighties, and is at a dangerous crossroad. Such an outcome has had a devastating effect on Turkey’s relationship with other Western partners, especially NATO, which has been the backbone of America’s defense alliance since the start of the Cold War. This situation, if it continues, is likely to force the unraveling of NATO as a cohesive organization at a time when it is facing a myriad of collective global security challenges, particularly in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan—far beyond its traditional defensive posture on the European continent. All is not lost, however, and with more diligent diplomatic and military-to-military dialogue and compromises, US-Turkish relations can be salvaged."

A Modern Army Reserve for a Multi-Domain World: Structural Realities and Untapped Potential MG Lew Irwin Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Casual readers of this monograph may interpret it as a somewhat fatalistic description of all of the things the Army Reserve cannot be or do, but, in fact, the intent is the opposite. If this invaluable American national security institution is to realize its full potential in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world, we must first make a clear-eyed and honest assessment of the institution’s inherent limitations as well as its untapped potential. The first steps in attacking any problem are to acknowledge it and then define it before proposing ways to solve it. These are the goals of this monograph."

The Russian Military in Contemporary Perspective Dr Stephen J Blank Colloquium Report by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Wherever one looks, Russia is carrying out aggressive military and informational attacks against the West in Europe, North and South America, the Arctic, and the Middle East. This “war against the West” actually began over a decade ago, but its most jarring and shocking event, the one that started to focus Western minds on Russia, was the invasion of Ukraine in 2014. Given this pattern, the National Security Council (NSC) in 2014 invited Stephen Blank to organize a conference on the Russian military. We were able to launch the conference in 2016 and bring together a distinguished international group of experts on the Russian military to produce the papers that were then subsequently updated for presentation here."

Recommendations for Success in Afghanistan Dr M Chris Mason Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The group identified the four most important and challenging issues which the Resolute Support mission grapples with on a daily basis: (1) maintaining the equilibrium of power and control between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban at its current level; (2) bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table to begin peace talks with the Afghan Government; (3) getting Pakistan to curb its 17-year support to the Taliban; and, (4) start to roll back the pernicious dominance of opium production in the Afghan economy and its corrosive influence on national governance and state-building. "

Deterrence in the Nordic-Baltic Region: The Role of the Nordic Countries Together With the U.S. Army Dr Stefan Forss, Juha Pyykönen Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The Russian Federation continues to present a clear and unique security challenge to its European neighbor states all around its Western periphery. To the north, in the Nordic-Baltic region, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its Nordic partner nations are acutely aware of the challenge which Russia’s forceful and at times aggressive behavior can present to their security. The situation has been compounded by internal factors, such as a decade of shrinking defense budgets and a lack of local capacity to deal with potential military threats."

The Return of Deterrence: Credibility and Capabilities in a New Era (KCIS 2018) Prof William G Braun III, Kim Richard Nossal, Stéfanie von Hlatky Colloquium Report by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute From The Kingston Conference on International Security Series, Centre for International and Defence Policy, School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University "Each year, partners from academia and the military join efforts to organize the Kingston Conference on International Security (KCIS). This conference seeks to inform debate and advance knowledge in the field of security and defence, by identifying priorities in military affairs and convening world-class experts to engage with a series of common questions. The partners — the Centre for International and Defence Policy at Queen’s University, the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training Centre, and the NATO Defense College — work together to develop a multifaceted program for what has become one of the leading international security conference in North America."

Extremist Migration: A Foreign Jihadist Fighter Threat Assessment Dr Shima D Keene Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In this monograph, British academic and practitioner Dr. Shima Keene explores the probable movement of foreign fighters as a result of the reduction in territory controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). As part of her analysis, Dr. Keene dissects the jihadist migration process, examining factors such as need, opportunity, possible methods of travel, and support mechanisms that allow jihadist migration to take place. In attempting to combat the problem, she calls for a change in mindset and approach that better exploits the capabilities available within the defense and security stakeholder community."