The Institute for National Strategic Studies serves as a focal point for analysis of critical national security policy and defense strategy issues.
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Sept. 29, 2023
China's Expanding Nuclear Capabilities: A Conversation with David Logan and Phil Saunders
September 14, 2023 —
Why Xi Jinping Doesn't Trust His Own Military
September 26, 2023 — Over the last two months, a series of senior Chinese generals have disappeared from public view, including the defense minister and the leadership of the force responsible for China’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). These disappearances are surprising given the perception that Chinese President Xi Jinping dominates the People’s Liberation Army and his ruthless commitment to rooting out malfeasance earlier in his tenure. In fact, that such incidents have not only continued but also affected some of the most sensitive parts of the PLA showcases the limits of Xi’s power.
Sept. 5, 2023
Constructing Russia's Strategic Space: Empire, Identity, and Geopolitics
The war in Ukraine may be Russia’s most blatant attempt to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a neighboring state, but it is in keeping with a long history of Russian attempts to dominate its smaller neighbors.
Aug. 22, 2023
Next Door to Ukraine, Moscow’s Grip is Tightening
In Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova, the Kremlin is waging a quiet war to consolidate its hegemony.
July 11, 2023
Priorities for NATO Partnerships in an Era of Strategic Competition
Since 2014, NATO has paid relatively little strategic attention to partnerships with nonmember states around the world. This study evaluates how select NATO partner states in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region see the strategic value of cooperating with NATO as the Alliance adapts for strategic competition, and it assesses the prospects for future cooperation.
Proxy Wars and Strategic Competition
Routledge — This chapter of the Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars (Eds. Assaf Moghadam, Vladimir Rauta, Michael Wyss) explores the character of proxy wars through the lens of great power competition, where conventional warfare remains a major concern given its potentially catastrophic consequences.
July 5, 2023
Assessing Strength of Russian Forces: Retired US Army Colonel
NTD Media interviews Dr. Thomas F. (Tom) Lynch on Implications for US-Russia-China Great Power relations in context of evolving Russia-Ukraine war.
June 26, 2023
Counterterrorism Jenga
Editor’s Note: As the United States focuses on China and Russia and moves away from the Middle East, its ability to strike at terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State is in question. National Defense University’s Kim Cragin examines the Biden administration’s “over-the-horizon” approach and argues that its foundations are increasingly shaky.
May 17, 2023
Selective Engagements - Chinese Naval Diplomacy and U.S.-China Competition
China's navy is the most active People's Liberation Army service in military diplomacy, but how does it choose its partners? In a new Naval War College Review article, Margaret Baughman and Joel Wuthnow address this through new and updated data and multivariate regression analysis.
April 5, 2023
Game-changers: Implications of the Russo-Ukraine War for the Future of Ground Warfare
What does the record of combat in the year since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine herald about the future character of ground war?