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.
July 20, 2020
An End to Exquisite Weapons
The convergence of new technologies is creating smaller, cheaper, autonomous weapons that challenge America’s arsenal of few, costly, but exquisite weapons. This convergence also presents the nation with an opportunity to field forces that are not only more effective, but also cheaper. By focusing on weapons systems that can be made platform-agnostic—launching from air, sea, or land—the U.S. can forgo the huge expense of many of today’s weapons systems.
Al-Qaeda’s Iran Dilemma: Evidence from the Abbottabad Records
Through a comprehensive review of documents recovered from Usama bin Ladin’s Abbottabad compound, this study provides a new periodization of al-Qaeda’s relationship with Iran. The analysis reveals that al-Qaeda often had to reconcile conflicting operational and ideational pressures in its interactions with the Islamic Republic over time. Beyond offering insight into the trajectory of this important relationship and direction for future scholarship, the analysis suggests some ways through which the United States might expand the strategic wedge that exists between these unlikely allies and highlights the need for a more flexible understanding of state sponsored terrorism.
July 14, 2020
Terrorism in Afghanistan: A Joint Threat Assessment (Chapter III)
Chapter III: Afghanistan in the Regional Security Interplay ContextAs it has for centuries,
July 13, 2020
Western Way of War
RUSI Western Way of War audio discussion featuring Dr. Frank Hoffman.
July 10, 2020
Innovation and Its Discontents: National Models of Military Innovation and the Dual-Use Conundrum
Dr. Amy J. Nelson's Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM) Report explores variations in national models of innovation, as well as the pathways or levers those models afford in controlling innovation’s end product with a focus on dual-use technologies. The report uses case studies of both U.S. and German investment in artificial intelligence and additive manufacturing to highlight national approaches to innovation.
May 11, 2020
Still First to Fight? Shaping the 21st Century Marine Corps
The headline in the New York Times on June 1, 1918, read “Marines – First to Fight.” The day before,
April 20, 2020
An American Perspective on Post-Pandemic Geopolitics
Viewed from the other side of the Atlantic, the coronavirus crisis will have significant
April 15, 2020
Building a Marine Corps for Every Contingency, Clime, and Place
Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger’s recently published Force Design 2030 has riled up both the
April 10, 2020
The Melians’ Revenge
Russia’s military modernization and aggressive behavior continues to threaten the security of NATO’s
Strategy As Appetite Suppressant
It is tempting to compare successful national strategies to unicorns: They both seem mythical. But