Since the end of World War II, there have been four times as many civil wars as interstate wars. For a small subset of nations, civil war is a chronic condition: about half of the civil war nations have had at least two and as many as six conflicts. The author of this monograph, Dr....

The role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in regional politics, and the significance of the organization for U.S. interests, is widely misunderstood. The organization is emphatically not a military bloc, and yet engages in joint activities which resemble military cooperation to U.S. eyes....

China's rising maritime power is encountering American maritime power along the sea lines of communication (SLOCs) that connect China to vital energy resources in the Middle East and Africa....

It is a well established axiom that attempting to defeat an insurgency or a terrorist organization headon is merely treating the symptoms of a problem. For long-term success, the campaign must also address the root causes of the insecurity that spawned conflict in the first place. In this monograph, British academic and practitioner Dr....

One of the hallmarks of a true profession is its ability to assess and regulate itself, especially with respect to adherence to its foundational ethos. Such self-examination is difficult and often causes discomfort within the profession....

In the 21st century, the transatlantic bargain that has framed the relationship between the United Statates and its NATO allies is under more scrutiny than ever before....

The Spratly Islands warrant better understanding by U.S. policymakers in order to discuss nuanced responses to the region's challenges....

For the past 2 decades, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has made great gains in national development and economic growth and now stands as one of the most important states on the world scene. It is extremely important for U.S....

All would-be strategies would benefit by some formal education. However, for education in strategy to be well-directed, it needs to rest upon sound assumptions concerning the eternal nature yet ever shifting character, meaning, and function of strategy, as well as the range of behaviors required for effective strategic performance....

The political transitions that followed revolutions in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia are by no means complete. They have gone through challenging phases, characterized by political volatility and tension....

For over a decade, SSI has published the annual Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) to inform students, faculty, and external research associates of strategic topics requiring research and analysis....

The Middle East is facing a period of great instability and uncertainty....

Morocco is seeking to position itself as a regional security provider in West Africa....

The use of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, has increased exponentially in the last 10 years, and this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. But with this increased use has come increased controversy, in particular closer scrutiny of the legal and ethical dimensions of the use of armed drones....

The U.S. defense export system is in need of significant reform to reduce the impact of its core inefficiencies and weaknesses. The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) create serious problems for the U.S. defense industry and thereby weaken U.S. national security in several important ways....