The High Cost of Primacy Mr Nathan P Freier Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "It is critical that the elected representatives, policymakers, opinion leaders, and population of the United States recognize that the maintenance of our global position comes at a price. We must now acknowledge an historic certainty; a truism ignored in the decade that preceded the War on Terror and the pacification of Iraq. Dominant global power engenders persistent resistance and exposes the United States to enormous costs and burdens. This observation is value neutral. That some actively oppose us and we incur costs as a result should come as no surprise. We must realistically account for both in the formation of grand strategy."

Chinese National Security: Decisionmaking Under Stress Dr Andrew Scobell, Dr Larry M Wortzel Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "If there is one constant in expert analyses of the history of modern China, it is the characterization of a country perpetually in the throes of crises. And in nearly all crises, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has played an instrumental role. While China at the mid-point of the 21st century’s first decade is arguably the most secure and stable it has been in more than a century, crises continue to emerge with apparent frequency. Consequently, the study of China’s behavior in conditions of tension and stress, and particularly how the PLA is a factor in that behavior, is of considerable importance to policymakers and analysts around the world."

Natural Allies? Regional Security in Asia and Prospects for Indo-American Strategic Cooperation Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This book-length monograph seeks to illuminate India’s rising power and capabilities with regard to the key regions on its periphery: the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and South East Asia. The author also considers the major issues pertaining to India’s bilateral defense agenda with the United States. By revealing the dimensions of India’s growing capabilities and interests, he provides a strategic rationale developing the U.S.-India partnership further."

Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Bolivarian Socialism, and Asymmetric Warfare Dr Max G Manwaring Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph comes at a time when the U.S. and Venezuelan governments are intensifying an ongoing series of acrimonious charges and countercharges. Each country has argued repeatedly that the other is engaged in a political-economic-military struggle for Western Hemisphere hegemony. On a more personal level, the United States maintains that President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela is playing a destabilizing role in the region, and is compromising the quality of democracy and the exercise of power in Venezuela and other parts of the Americas. Chávez rebuts that the only destabilizing factor in the hemisphere is President George W. Bush, and that democracy and power long since have been perverted by American capitalists and local elites for their own purposes. And the U.S.-Venezuelan verbal sparing match continues unabated."

Contending Perspectives: Southeast Asia and American Views on a Rising China Ms Corazon S Foley Colloquium Brief by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, with The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, The National Bureau of Asian Research, and The Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies, Singapore "The State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), the National Bureau of Asian Research, the Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies of Singapore, and the U.S. Army War College conducted a colloquium on Southeast Asia and American views of China in August 2005 in Singapore. The event brought together analysts and scholars from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States to examine the economic, diplomatic, and military dimensions of China’s rise from two perspectives. An abbreviated follow-on colloquium conducted by INR was held in Washington, DC, on November 3, 2005. This brief focuses on summarizing Southeast Asian perspectives on China as articulated by participants at the two events."

Honoring, Not Pitying, Our Troops Dr Leonard Wong Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Our perceptions of the military and the current war in Iraq largely are shaped by what we see and hear in the media. On the topic of amputees resulting from Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, a quick Lexis-Nexis search reveals hundreds of media stories in the past 2 years. We’ve all seen segments on television, read stories in newspapers or magazines, or listened to pieces on the radio about Soldier or Marine amputees getting state-of-the-art prostheses, troops courageously learning how to adjust to their injuries, and even how some soldiers are skiing or running races despite their wounds."

Contractors on Deployed Military Operations: United Kingdom Policy and Doctrine Prof Matthew Uttley Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Department of Defense (DoD) initiatives to use contractors on deployed military operations remains a contentious issue in U.S. military transformation. Despite the intense debates surrounding the benefits and costs of DoD outsourcing, little attention has focussed on similar Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiatives underway in the United Kingdom (UK). Since the UK and United States are likely to remain close allies in future expeditionary deployments, the MoD’s approach to contractor support is a salient case study for the DoD and U.S. armed services. This monograph, by Professor Matthew Uttley, examines the controversies surrounding deployed contractor support, the ways that the MoD has harnessed private sector capacity, and the lessons this provides for U.S. policymakers and military planners. In doing so, the author provides important insights into a significant theme in contemporary defense and security policy,"

Balik Terrorism: The Return of the Abu Sayyaf Dr Zachary Abuza Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) has re-emerged as one of the more important terrorist groups confronting the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), the United States, and our allies in Southeast Asia. Founded in 1991 by Abdurrajak Janjalani, a veteran of the Afghan Mujiheddin and colleague of Osama bin Laden, the group quickly rose to prominence as a lethal terrorist organization committed to the establishment of an independent Islamic state. With funds from Saudi charities administered by bin Laden’s brother-in-law, Mohammad Jamal Khalifa, the ASG grew quickly. The group focused its terrorist, assassination, and kidnapping efforts on sectarian targets. Yet, following the plot led by Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to blow up 11 U.S. jetliners and assassinate the Pope, Khalifa’s and the ASG’s roles were uncovered. "

Implications of DoD Directive 3000 Dr Douglas V Johnson II Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 3000: Department of Defense Capabilities for Stability Operations (DRAFT) has now progressed through two or three iterations and appears to be approaching formal publication. The directive could be one of the most important documents of this decade, whether properly or improperly written and interpreted."