Strategic Studies Institute

All Publications By Date

81 Publications Found in 2010

Added December 31, 2010

Type: Book

Nuclear Power's Global Expansion: Weighing Its Costs and Risks

Edited by Mr. Henry D. Sokolski.

Will the global spread of nuclear power programs, which could bring many more countries much closer to acquiring nuclear weapons capabilities, be an inevitable consequence of energy market economics? Or is such an expansion impossible without government subsidies and new policies to support them? This volume showcases the analyses of some of the world’s leading energy experts to shed light on this key 21st century security issue.

Added December 21, 2010

Type: Student (Carlisle) Papers

A Risk-Based Approach to Strategic Balance

Authored by Colonel John A. Mauk.

This paper explores a risk-based approach to a strategically balanced force that assesses alternative postures and the viability of competing force concepts in mitigating national risk in a resource-constrained environment. This assessment also examines alternate definitions of balance and the continued relevance of U.S. conventional capabilities and nuclear deterrence.

Added December 15, 2010

Type: PKSOI Papers

Lessons Learned from U.S. Government Law Enforcement in International Operations

Authored by Ms. Dilshika Jayamaha, Scott Brady, Ben Fitzgerald, Jason Fritz.

The authors investigate how the full range of law enforcement capabilities available to the U.S. Government has been applied in pursuit of U.S. strategic objectives in Panama, Colombia, and Kosovo. This analysis identifies a number of lessons to be learned about the use of such capabilities (in a holistic sense) in current and future international operations.

Added December 13, 2010

Type: Monograph

La Familia Drug Cartel: Implications for U.S.-Mexican Security

Authored by Dr. George W. Grayson.

While claiming to do the “Lord’s work,” the ruthless leaders of La Familia Michoacana have emerged as the dominant exporter of methamphetamines to the United States, even as they control scores of municipalities in Michoacán and neighboring states.

Added December 08, 2010

Type: Monograph

Russia's Prospects in Asia

Edited by Dr. Stephen J. Blank.

To what degree should we take Russia seriously as an important actor in Asia? The three chapters here, taken from an SSI conference in January 2010, actively debate the prospects for Russia as it makes its way in an increasingly complex Asian environment characterized by China’s rising power and multiple threats, such as proliferation in Korea and the Taiwan issue.

Added December 08, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Strangely Silent: The Missing Strategic Debate in the 2010 Mid-Term Elections

Authored by Dr. Robert H. Dorff.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the December 2010 newsletter.

Added November 10, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Deciding to Buy: Civil-Military Relations and Major Weapons Programs

Authored by Mr. Quentin E. Hodgson.

Based on extensive archival research and interviews, the author explores how decisions on major weapons programs have been made and identifies key themes in the relationship between the military services and the civilian leadership in the Department of Defense that promise to endure.

Added November 02, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

America's Most Committed Muslim Ally

Authored by Dr. W. Andrew Terrill.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the November 2010 newsletter.

Added November 01, 2010

Type: Article

Preventing Yemen from Becoming Fallujah

Authored by Dr. W. Andrew Terrill.

Added October 26, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Some of the Best Weapons for Counterinsurgents Do Not Shoot

Authored by Eric T. Olson.

Reconstruction, defined in U.S. Army Field Manual 3-07 as “the process of rebuilding degraded, damaged, or destroyed political, socioeconomic, and physical infrastructure of a country or territory to create the foundation for long-term development” has leapt to the forefront of Army priorities, measured by the important role that it plays in today’s counterinsurgency operations and its prominence in the latest doctrine. This paper examines the history of reconstruction as a part of Army operations, assesses the capabilities of today’s forces to conduct successful reconstruction operations in support of a counterinsurgency campaign, and makes recommendations to build a capability that is commensurate with the demands of our doctrine and the imperatives of the modern battlefield.

Added October 15, 2010

Type: Monograph

Operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA and the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy

Authored by Mr. Bjoern H. Seibert.

In the post-September 11, 2001 security environment, the United States faces a complex combination of threats from state to nonstate actors, many with regional or even global reach. Weak and fragile states have become a U.S. security challenge because they provide breeding grounds for terrorism, weapons proliferation, and trafficking in humans and narcotics. How does the U.S. propose to answer this challenge?

Added October 14, 2010

Type: Article

Response to "America's Flawed Afghanistan Strategy"

Authored by MAJ Peter A. Dvorscak.

Added October 14, 2010

Type: Article

Final Response to "America's Flawed Afghanistan Strategy"

Authored by Dr. Steven Metz.

Added October 13, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

The Coming of Chinese Hawks

Authored by Dr. David Lai.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the October 2010 newsletter.

Added October 04, 2010

Type: Monograph

Harnessing Post-Conflict "Transitions": A Conceptual Primer

Authored by Mr. Nicholas J. Armstrong, Ms. Jacqueline Chura-Beaver.

A widely accepted and understood definition of "transition" is necessary to enable U.S. military, interagency, and multinational planners to foster greater collaboration and unity of effort as operations move toward a “clear, hold, build, transition” strategy.

Added September 23, 2010

Type: Monograph

Preparing for One War and Getting Another?

Authored by Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, II.

The idea that war or strategy is driven by a paradoxical logic is attractive, but a number of questions remain unanswered. If war has its own logic, rather than its own grammar, where does the logic of policy fit in? If the logic of strategy is paradoxical, how can it be taught? What are paradoxes, and can they be useful in guiding our strategic choices?

Added September 21, 2010

Type: Colloquium Brief

A New Chapter in Trans-American Engagement

Authored by Dr. Max G. Manwaring, Eva Silkwood Baker.

The critical need to develop a serious hemispheric partnership for opening “A New Chapter in Trans-American Engagement” was stressed at the 2010 Western Hemisphere Security Colloquium, held on May 25-26, 2010, in Miami, Florida. The issues and recommendations discussed emphasized that building a viable regional security partnership in the Hemisphere is not a strictly short-term, or unilateral, or even bilateral defense effort. Regional security will result only from long-term, multilateral, civil-military partnering efforts. Thus, the generalized results of the colloquium emphasize three highly interrelated needs and an associated recommendation.

Added September 10, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

An Army Transformed: The U.S. Army's Post-Vietnam Recovery and the Dynamics of Change in Military Organizations

Authored by Lieutenant Colonel Suzanne C. Nielsen.

Drawing on the literature on military innovation and reform, the author examines an important case of military change: the transformation of the U.S. Army in the 2 decades preceding the Persian Gulf War of 1991. The findings of this study have significant implications for how the U.S. Army should think about implementing changes needed today to meet new strategic, economic, and technological challenges.

Added September 09, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Somalia: Line in the Sand--Identification of MYM Vulnerabilities

Authored by LTC Eloy E. Cuevas, Madeleine Wells.

Continuing instability in Somalia has increased concern that terrorists who seek to establish a foothold in Africa may use such insecure places as a safe haven and launching pad for future attacks. Several attempts have been made to establish lawful governments in Somalia; however, warlord and clan interests have managed to take center stage among the population. The Somali-based al-Shabaab (also known as the Mujahidin Youth Movement [MYM]) is a militant organization born out of both successive regional turmoil and international salafi-jihadi ideology, which continues to actively undermine the United Nations (UN)-supported African Union (AU) peacekeeping force, the fledging Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), and all UN efforts to support Somalis in creating a stable state.

Added September 02, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

Lessons Learned – 13 Months as the Senior Military Advisor to the Minister of Interior

Authored by COL Kevin J. Palgutt.

In recounting his experiences as a senior advisor to the Afghan Minister of Interior, COL Palgutt indicates that it is a shame that many senior advisors will go on to new duty assignments that will have nothing to do with the experiences that were learned during their 12+ months of senior advisor duty.

Added September 02, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Is the Organizational Culture of the U.S. Army Congruent with the Professional Development of Its Senior Level Officer Corps?

Authored by Dr. James G. Pierce.

In this study of the organizational culture of the U.S. Army, Dr. Pierce has reviewed a previously assumed but unverified connection between organizational culture and professional development. The study has uncovered a lack of congruence between the dominant type of organizational culture of the U.S. Army and the professional managerial/leadership skills of its senior level leaders. This observed lack of congruence may be inhibiting performance and unconsciously perpetuating a cycle of caution and an overreliance on stability and control. The data indicate that the U.S. Army is illustrative of an organization that emphasizes stability and control, and one that attempts to comprehend the ambiguity of the future through an unconscious reliance upon the successful solutions employed in the past.

Added September 02, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Candidly, One Friend to Another

Authored by Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, II.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the September 2010 newsletter.

Added August 31, 2010

Type: Monograph

Dilemmas of Brazilian Grand Strategy

Authored by Dr. Hal Brands.

The author discusses the grand strategy Brazil has pursued under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He argues that Lula’s policies have raised Brazil’s profile and enhanced its diplomatic flexibility, but have also exposed Brazil to several potent strategic dilemmas that could compromise, or at the very least complicate, its geopolitical ascent.

Added August 27, 2010

Type: Book

David Galula: His Life and Intellectual Context

Authored by Ms. Ann Marlowe.

David Galula’s ideas are reflected in U.S. Army Field Manual 3-24, Counterinsurgency, and in nearly every speech that American commanders in Afghanistan and Iraq give, but until now, almost no biographical information was available about him. Arguably the greatest writer on counterinsurgency, Galula led a fascinating, although all too brief, life that gave him a bird’s eye view of most of the great conflicts of the second half of the 20th century.

Added August 27, 2010

Type: Colloquium Brief

Preparing for a Mid-Term Assessment of Leadership and National Security Reform in the Obama Administration

Authored by Jared E. Bennett, Dr. Joseph R. Cerami, Dr. Robert H. Dorff.

The colloquium theme focused on the need for advancing the research and study of key national security issues by engaging the invited participants to share their expertise, and by informing interested community members of ways to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of the security reform issues facing the U.S. Government.

Added August 24, 2010

Type: PKSOI Papers

U.S. Military Forces and Police Assistance in Stability Operations: The Least-Worst Option to Fill the U.S. Capacity Gap

Authored by Colonel (Ret.) Dennis E Keller.

Stability operations in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to be challenged by the lack of effective local police forces to secure the civilian population from insurgent infiltration and criminal violence. Given U.S. government legal and organizational shortfalls to train and advise foreign police forces, coupled with an operational environment characterized by local police corruption and abusiveness, this monograph proposes a way ahead for effective community based policing despite these adverse circumstances.

Added August 17, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Chinese Energy Security: The Myth of the PLAN's Frontline Status

Authored by Dr. Ryan Clarke.

As the Chinese economy continues to expand at impressive rates, energy security strategies have assumed center stage in Beijing. Given that China relies heavily on energy imports, many are predicting the emergence of a blue water navy that seeks to engage in global power projection and secure China’s energy supply. These assessments are incorrect.

Added August 13, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Defense Energy Resilience: Lessons from Ecology

Authored by Dr. Scott Thomas, Mr. David Kerner.

National Security relies heavily on the ready availability of energy resources in the types, quantities, and locations the military demands. While U.S. energy needs are currently met, the shrinking gap between global supply and demand draws the world closer to a tipping point at which human behavior is less predictable, competition overwhelms social and geopolitical normalizing forces, and conflict becomes more likely and more pronounced. Given concerns about future resource availability, DoD would be well served by devising and implementing a sustainable, resilient energy strategy that addresses current projections and adapts to evolving conditions.

Added August 09, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

America's Flawed Afghanistan Strategy

Authored by Dr. Steven Metz.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the August 2010 newsletter.

Added August 05, 2010

Type: Monograph

Organizing to Compete in the Political Terrain

Authored by Dr. Nadia Schadlow.

The degree to which military forces can and should shape the political landscape during war--that is, who rules contested terriroty--is at the root of several ongoing debates about how to restructure the U.S. Army. Decisions about the military's appropriate role in shaping political outcomes in war are fundamental to resolving these debates and will determine the degree of organizational and educational changes that the U.S. Army must make to meet current and future security threats.

Added July 30, 2010

Type: Book

Project on National Security Reform: Vision Working Group Report and Scenarios

Edited by Dr. Sheila R. Ronis.

On November 26, 2008, the Project on National Security Reform submitted its 2-year study of the national security system, "Forging a New Shield," to the President, President-elect, and Congress. The work of the Vision Working Group led to the formulation of the following recommendation: The country must establish a mechanism to infuse greater foresight into the Executive Branch, and in particular the national security system. This proposed mechanism, named the Center for Strategic Analysis and Assessment, would exist and operate within the Executive Office of the President. This volume details the proposed architecture and operation of the Center.

Added July 27, 2010

Type: Book

U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol I: Theory of War and Strategy, 4th Edition

Edited by Dr. J. Boone Bartholomees, Jr.

This edition of the U. S. Army War College Guide to National Security Policy and Strategy reflects both the method and manner the college uses to teach strategy formulation to America’s future senior leaders. It contains essays on the general security environment, strategic thought and formulation, the elements of national power, the national security policymaking process in the United States, and selected strategic issues.

Added July 27, 2010

Type: Book

U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol II: National Security Policy and Strategy, 4th Edition

Edited by Dr. J. Boone Bartholomees, Jr.

This edition of the U. S. Army War College Guide to National Security Policy and Strategy reflects both the method and manner the college uses to teach strategy formulation to America’s future senior leaders. It contains essays on the general security environment, strategic thought and formulation, the elements of national power, the national security policymaking process in the United States, and selected strategic issues.

Added July 20, 2010

Type: Monograph

Got Vision? Unity of Vision in Policy and Strategy: What It Is and Why We Need It

Authored by Dr. Anna Simons.

Having the right "who" to devise strategy is critical to success in counterinsurgency or any asymmetric, cross-cultural encounter. This monograph contends that if we do not get the "who" right, none of the "whats," in terms of what we do, matters.

Added July 14, 2010

Type: Book

The Russian Military Today and Tomorrow: Essays in Memory of Mary Fitzgerald

Edited by Dr. Stephen J. Blank, Dr. Richard Weitz.

The essays in this volume represent both a memorial and an analytical call to action. Mary Fitzgerald of the Hudson Institute was one of the most brilliant and vivacious practitioners of the study of the Russian and Chinese militaries, whose insights helped not just to put those fields of study on the map, but also to influence U.S. military thinking.

Added July 13, 2010

Type: Other

2010 Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL)

Edited by Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, II.

The purpose of the Key Strategic Issues List is to provide military and civilian researchers a ready reference for issues of special interest to the Department of the Army and the Department of Defense.

Added July 09, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

Who Won The Cold War?

Authored by Thomas F. Berner.

The role of George Kennan's Containment strategy in securing a U.S. victory in the Cold War has been overstated by both the right and the left.

Added July 09, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

China's Role in the Stabilization of Afghanistan

Authored by Col Greg Kleponis.

Critics contend that China is getting a free-ride on the coat tails of U.S.-coalition stabilization efforts. However, the author argues that any economic stimulus should be seen as a boon.

Added July 08, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Enter the Era of Persistent Competition for Talent

Authored by COL Carolyn F. Kleiner.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the July 2010 newsletter.

Added July 06, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

Arms Sales to Taiwan: Enjoy the Business While It Lasts

Authored by Dr. David Lai.

From our "Of Interest" occasional paper series, the author examines recent threats from China over arms sales to Taiwan.

Added July 06, 2010

Type: Book

The PLA at Home and Abroad: Assessing the Operational Capabilities of China's Military

Edited by Mr. Roy Kamphausen, Dr. David Lai, Dr. Andrew Scobell.

In 2009, the People's Republic of China, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, and the PLA Air Force celebrated their 60th anniversaries. Behind China’s economic development, the PLA parades, and the spectacular celebration fireworks, the world clearly saw an ambitious China edging its way to the center stage of international economic, political, and military affairs. However, a few other major events in the last 2 years came just in time to remind the Chinese leaders, and the world as well, that China still faced a challenging future.

Added June 17, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Endgame for the West in Afghanistan? Explaining the Decline in Support for the War in Afghanistan in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, France and Germany

Authored by Charles A. Miller.

Analyses of the War in Afghanistan frequently mention the declining or shaky domestic support for the conflict in the United States and among several U.S. allies. This paper dates the beginning of this decline back to the resurgence of the Taliban in 2005-06 and suggests that the deteriorating course of the war on the ground in Afghanistan itself along with mounting casualties is the key reason behind this drop in domestic support for the war.

Added June 10, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Wanted: A Strategy for the Black Sea

Authored by Dr. Stephen J. Blank.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the June 2010 newsletter.

Added June 03, 2010

Type: Monograph

Human Intelligence: All Humans, All Minds, All the Time

Authored by Mr. Robert D. Steele.

The author explores the centrality of Human Intelligence in meeting the needs of the U.S. Army, as well as the Department of Defense, and the whole of government, for relevant information and tailored intelligence essential to creating a national security strategy; for defining whole of government policies that work in harmony; for acquisition of the right capabilities at the right price in time to be useful; and for operations, both local and global.

Added June 01, 2010

Type: Book

Rethinking Leadership and "Whole of Government" National Security Reform: Problems, Progress, and Prospects

Edited by Dr. Joseph R. Cerami, Dr. Jeffrey A. Engel.

On June 24, 2009, in Washington, DC, the Bush School of Government and Public Service and Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University, and the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College conducted a conference on Leadership and Government Reform. Two panels discussed "Leader Development in Schools of Public Affairs" and "Leadership, National Security and 'Whole of Government' Reforms." The authors in this volume are from universities and policy institutes focused on international affairs, history, foreign policy, intelligence, and national and homeland security.

Added May 21, 2010

Type: Monograph

Implications of a Changing NATO

Authored by COL Phillip R. Cuccia.

What is the future of NATO and what should be included in the new NATO Strategic Concept due to come out at the end of 2010? This monograph takes a look at these questions and offers a few recommendations.

Added May 17, 2010

Type: Monograph

Sufism in Northern Nigeria: A Force for Counter-Radicalization?

Authored by Dr. Jonathan N. C. Hill.

This monograph examines the roles played by the Qadiriyya and Tijaniyya Sufi Brotherhoods in countering Islamic radicalism in northern Nigeria.

Added May 11, 2010

Type: Monograph

Crime, Violence, and the Crisis in Guatemala: A Case Study in the Erosion of the State

Authored by Dr. Hal Brands.

In this monograph, the author argues that rampant crime and violence have led to a full-blown crisis of the democratic state in Guatemala. He discusses the various criminal groups active in that country, and outlines a strategy for improving public order, strengthening government institutions, and combating the root causes that inform criminal activity.

Added May 10, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Untangling a New Gordian Knot: Don't Ask, Don’t Tell, and Alexander’s Sword

Authored by Dr. Leonard Wong, Professor Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr..

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the May 2010 newsletter.

Added May 06, 2010

Type: Monograph

Decisionmaking In Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: The Strategic Shift of 2007

Authored by Dr. Steven Metz.

Was the 2007 decision to surge forces into Iraq effective in turning the war from a potential disaster to a possible success?

Added May 05, 2010

Type: Monograph

Towards a U.S. Army Officer Corps Strategy for Success: Employing Talent

Authored by Colonel Casey Wardynski, Major David S. Lyle, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Michael J. Colarusso.

Historically, the U.S. Army has employed its officers to good effect, but is there need for improvement? Does its current assignments paradigm lead to optimal career satisfaction and productivity? Does it allow officers to develop the depth and breadth of talent the Army needs? Perhaps most importantly, does the Army really know enough about the officer talent it possesses, as well as the requirements for that talent?

Added April 29, 2010

Type: Book

Reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)

Edited by Mr. Henry D. Sokolski.

Why does the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) warrant support as a nonproliferation convention?

Added April 23, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Shades of CORDS in the Kush: The False Hope of "Unity of Effort" in American Counterinsurgency

Authored by Mr. Henry Nuzum.

Counterinsurgency (COIN) requires an integrated military, political, and economic program best developed by teams that field both civilians and soldiers. This Paper describes the benefits that unity of command at every level would bring to the American war in Afghanistan.

Added April 19, 2010

Type: Book

Short of General War: Perspectives on the Use of Military Power in the 21st Century

Edited by Dr. Harry R Yarger.

In this anthology, students in the U.S. Army War College Class of 2008 critically examine the emerging 21st century security environment and offer diverse and innovative thoughts on how military power should be applied in situations short of general war.

Added April 16, 2010

Type: Monograph

The Construction of Liberal Democracy: The Role of Civil-Military Institutions in State and Nation-Building in West Germany and South Africa

Authored by Dr. Jack J. Porter.

West Germany’s and South Africa’s experiences remind U.S. policymakers of the tremendous obstacles and challenges that confront states as they attempt to install liberal, democratic political institutions.

Added April 14, 2010

Type: PKSOI Papers

The State-Owned Enterprise as a Vehicle for Stability

Authored by Dr. Neil Efird.

State-owned enterprises affect stability in conflict-prone environments, and decisive control of them creates positive or negative conditions. However, it is a challenge to know how and when to use these enterprises, and a good set of metrics is necessary to measure their effectiveness.

Added April 12, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Criminal Sovereignty: Understanding North Korea's Illicit International Activities

Authored by Dr. Paul Rexton Kan, Dr. Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr., Mr. Robert M. Collins.

North Korea’s criminal conduct—smuggling, trafficking and counterfeiting—is well known, but the portion of the government, Office Number 39, which directs it, is understudied or overlooked. This shadowy part of an already opaque government is examined to reveal how it conducts its activities and supports the longevity of the regime.

Added April 08, 2010

Type: Monograph

Thinking about Nuclear Power in Post-Saddam Iraq

Authored by Dr. Norman Cigar.

Iraqis are debating the desirability of atomic power for their country. U.S. and international policymakers will have to consider Iraqi views as they shape policy to manage the process of an orderly, safe, and peaceful nuclear reintegration of Iraq in the civilian sector while guaranteeing safeguards against both accidents and any future diversion of a nuclear program for military purposes or terrorist exploitation.

Added April 06, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

Counternarcotics Operations in Afghanistan: The COIN of the Realm

Authored by COL Louis H. Jordan, Jr.

In this Op-Ed style document, COL Louis Jordan concedes that there will be no success for the U.S. in Afghanistan if the drug trade is not curtailed. He provides a frank discussion of the illicit narcotics industry and finishes with an alarm regarding the new trend in the Afghanistan drug war: Methaphetamines.

Added April 05, 2010

Type: "Of Interest"

Put Warning Bells on World Finance

Authored by Dr. Leif Rosenberger.

Dr. Leif Rosenberger recommends the creation of an international financial Early Warning System (EWS) that can alert policymakers to pending financial crises.

Added April 01, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

The Goose and the Gander

Authored by Dr. Cori E. Dauber.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the April 2010 newsletter.

Added March 31, 2010

Type: Book

Teaching Strategy: Challenge and Response

Edited by Dr. Gabriel Marcella.

No subject is more essential in the preparation of national security professionals and military leaders than the teaching of strategy, from grand to military strategy. Nor is there one that is more timeless and intellectually demanding. The questions dealing with teaching strategy—why we should study it, what we should teach, and how we should teach it—may bear most directly on the system of PME. However, the answers need to be applied much more broadly across a wider range of our society today. For only then can we expect to regain strategic competence, not just in the crisis of the moment but in a sustained manner well into the 21st century. The contributions to this edited volume will advance that society-wide discussion and debate. This book should stimulate discussion and introspection that will in time enhance the security of our nation.

Added March 29, 2010

Type: Monograph

Towards a U.S. Army Officer Corps Strategy for Success: Developing Talent

Authored by Colonel Casey Wardynski, Major David S. Lyle, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Michael J. Colarusso.

The U.S. Army is almost universally acknowledged as an organization that powerfully develops talent in areas such as leadership, teamwork behavior, work ethics, adaptability, fitness, and many others. Employers know that the Army invests substantially in its people, and that this investment translates directly into enhanced productivity. Despite this well-earned reputation, however, are the Army’s current officer development programs equal to tomorrow’s challenges? Does it suffer from a growing imbalance in talent supply versus demand? Perhaps most importantly, is there an effective relationship between its developmental and employment strategies?

Added March 26, 2010

Type: Student (Carlisle) Papers

Synchronizing U.S. Government Efforts toward Collaborative Health Care Policymaking in Iraq

Authored by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas S. Bundt.

A primary catalyst in achieving our strategic ends in Iraq is through the formulation of a consolidated and cooperative strategic health care policy to enable the successful operation of the Iraqi health care system. An often-cited criticism of U.S. policy, however, is that after the end of major hostilities and transition into stabilization operations, we fall short in post-conflict planning and execution. This analysis highlights some of these operational deficiencies, and it provides recommendations for achieving a more coordinated, functional, and thereby synchronous strategic health care policy. These proposals will enable the U.S. Government (USG) to address health policy operations in stabilization and transitional phase contexts currently and in the future.

Added March 22, 2010

Type: Monograph

Decisionmaking in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: Removing Saddam Hussein by Force

Authored by Dr. Steven Metz. Edited by Professor John R. Martin.

The Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) is pleased to initiate its latest monograph series, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Key Decisions. SSI started this project in an effort to give leaders of the U.S. Armed Forces some important insights into how military advice was provided to the Nation’s civilian leadership during the many years—including the months before the invasion—of the war in Iraq. Dr. Metz starts this series with an impressive review of the decision to remove Saddam Hussein by force. The Strategic Studies Institute hopes that this and the succeeding monographs will generate debate on just how the United States made decisions—some of them disastrous—about Iraq. The resulting better understanding of the decisions should lead to strengthening of the processes—where appropriate—so that the military and civilian leadership forge better decisions in the future.

Added March 18, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Lashkar-I-Taiba: The Fallacy of Subservient Proxies and the Future of Islamist Terrorism in India

Authored by Dr. Ryan Clarke.

When it comes to the analysis of Islamist terrorism, the vast majority of attention is given to the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan while the remainder goes towards Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, and “homegrown” terrorism in the West. This unbalanced approach has resulted in a critical deficit in knowledge regarding the growth of the phenomenon in India, a country which faces the challenge of having to tackle Islamist terrorists based in Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as in India itself. What is clear is that the Pakistan based Lashkar-i-Taiba (LeT) has taken the leading role in spreading its terrorist infrastructure well outside of its original theater, Kashmir, and throughout the whole of India. Inadequate attention has especially been given to LeT’s connections with organized criminal syndicates in India, as well as Indian terrorists themselves. This paper aims to fill this gap and to enhance American understanding of this powerful and sophisticated organization that is set to pose a major challenge to stability and American interests in South Asia and elsewhere.

Added March 04, 2010

Type: Monograph

Transnational Insurgencies and the Escalation of Regional Conflict: Lessons for Iraq and Afghanistan

Authored by Dr Idean Salehyan.

Transnational insurgencies complicate traditional counterinsurgency operations in significant ways and can lead to conflict between states. This monograph examines several transnational militant groups, assesses the prospects for conflict and cooperation over cross-border violence, and discusses current issues facing Iraq and Afghanistan.

Added March 04, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Foreign Policy Continuity: War Finds Us

Authored by Mr. Lawrence Kaplan.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the March 2010 newsletter.

Added February 19, 2010

Type: Monograph

Accessing Talent: The Foundation of a U.S. Army Officer Corps Strategy

Authored by Colonel Casey Wardynski, Major David S. Lyle, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Michael J. Colarusso.

Organizations often focus their recruiting efforts on high-payoff markets--how does the Army identify the right market in which to focus its officer accessions efforts? What role does education play in officer accessions? How does the Army identify and go about meeting its officer diversity requirements? Why is establishing the proper ratio between commissioning sources so important?

Added February 17, 2010

Type: Monograph

Do Oil Exports Fuel Defense Spending?

Authored by Dr. Clayton K. S. Chun.

Rising oil prices facilitate the acquisition of greater resources and perhaps economic development. But oil revenues can also drive a government to finance massive military equipment purchases like Saudi Arabia did in 1979. The nature of governments that rely on raw material extraction and long-term development of military programs may affect how their current and future spending occurs regardless of oil prices. How nations decide to use their national wealth helps explain some of the perennial problems facing oil and commodity exporting nations and provides insights into their relations with other countries.

Added February 12, 2010

Type: Colloquium Brief

Drug Trafficking, Violence, and Instability in Mexico, Colombia, and the Caribbean: Implications for U.S. National Security

Authored by Mr. Evan Brown, Dr. Dallas D. Owens.

The growing violence and instability in Mexico and the Caribbean will clearly demand greater attention from the United States in the future. As the trafficking organizations continue to defy authorities, undermine governance, and escalate violence, Mexico has become much more of a national security challenge rather than simply a border problem. This conference offered an important opportunity to assess these threats, and to consider what can be done to counter them.

Added February 03, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

A Death Knell for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

Authored by Professor John R. Martin.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the February 2010 newsletter.

Added February 01, 2010

Type: Monograph

The Army Officers' Professional Ethic--Past, Present, and Future

Authored by Colonel Matthew Moten.

Do you think the Army officer corps needs a clear statement of its professional ethic? Colonel Matthew Moten does, and he has written it in one page. Join the debate.

Added January 28, 2010

Type: Monograph

The Effects of Multiple Deployments on Army Adolescents

Authored by Dr. Leonard Wong, Dr. Stephen Gerras.

Frequent U.S. Army deployments increase the burden on children who must face the stress and strain of separation and anxiety. The authors take a much-needed, detailed look at the effects of multiple deployments on Army adolescents.

Added January 22, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach

Authored by Lieutenant Colonel Clarence J. Bouchat (USAF, Ret.).

The security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue. However, to be effective this growing interest must be rooted in the desire to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa.

Added January 19, 2010

Type: Book

Pakistan's Nuclear Future: Reining in the Risk

Edited by Mr. Henry D. Sokolski.

With any attempt to assess security threats, there is a natural tendency to focus first on the worst. Consider the most recent appraisals of Pakistan’s nuclear program. Normally, the risk of war between Pakistan and India, and possible nuclear escalation, would be bad enough. Now, however, most American security experts are riveted on the frightening possibility of Pakistani nuclear weapons capabilities falling into the hands of terrorists who are intent on attacking the United States. Presented with the horrific implications of such an attack, the American public and media have increasingly come to view nearly all Pakistani security issues through this lens.

Added January 15, 2010

Type: Colloquium Brief

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA)

Authored by Mr. Daniel Alderman.

Participants in this conference sought to understand the PLA's evolving view of its roles and responsibilities in a changing global security landscape.

Added January 15, 2010

Type: Monograph

Towards a U.S. Army Officer Corps Strategy for Success: Retaining Talent

Authored by Colonel Casey Wardynski, Major David S. Lyle, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Michael J. Colarusso.

Why have Army junior officer retention rates plummeted since 1983? Are the root causes truly understood? What are the long term consequences of failing to retain talented young officers? What steps has the Army taken to meet this challenge, and how effective have they been? What must the Army do to restore junior officer retention rates to previously healthy levels?

Added January 07, 2010

Type: Op-Ed

Something Brewing in Venezuela

Authored by COL Phillip R. Cuccia.

Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the January 2010 newsletter.

Added January 05, 2010

Type: PKSOI Papers

Security Sector Reform: A Case Study Approach to Transition and Capacity Building

Authored by Dr. Sarah Meharg, Ms. Aleisha Arnusch. Edited by Professor Susan Merrill.

Security sector reform (SSR) has emerged since the end of the Cold War as an important tool for stabilizing and reconstructing post-conflict countries. It offers a means of arresting the failure process in failing states and supporting failed state recovery. The U.S. Government endorses the concept of SSR as a component of stabilization reconstruction in the new (October 2008) U.S. Army Field Manual 3-07, Stability Operations.

Added January 01, 2010

Type: Letort Papers

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach

Authored by Lieutenant Colonel Clarence J. Bouchat (USAF, Ret.).

The security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue. However, to be effective this growing interest must be rooted in the desire to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa.

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