Through its publications, INSS provides rigorous, forward‑looking research and analysis on critical national security issues that support the joint warfighter and inform Department of War decision‑makers.
Dec. 2, 2025
The Variables of OPCON: What "Conditions"?
Language around wartime operational control (OPCON) transition has evolved over the last decade, revealing important patterns and subtle (or not so subtle) shifts in position and policy.
Aug. 1, 2025
The Variables of OPCON
The control rod logic, while not outwardly promoted by U.S. officials, had reemerged to shape the process around the status of wartime OPCON.
Nov. 22, 2015
Implications for US Extended Deterrence and Assurance in East Asia
North Korea’s burgeoning nuclear program is placing greater demands on US extended deterrence and also raising questions in Seoul and Tokyo about the robustness of US commitments. These challenges are likely to grow over the coming years, as North Korea appears poised to expand the quantity, quality and diversity of weapons systems in its arsenal
Aug. 1, 2015
North Korea's Evolving Nuclear Strategy
Over the past two decades, North Korea’s nuclear program has grown from a proliferation problem to a military threat to its neighbors and the United States.
April 14, 2015
The WMD Challenges Posed by a Collapse of North Korea
North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) pose a number of challenges, particularly how to find and secure those weapons if the regime collapses.
Oct. 1, 2000
China Rising: New Challenges to the U.S. Security Posture
This article describes how the nature, scope and viability of the strategic relationship between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States has emerged as a key security policy issue.