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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Jan. 31, 2021
A Middle East Forum Can Help Biden Succeed
A Middle East-wide forum could facilitate dialogue and transparency on a range of short-term measures, engendering momentum to then take on other more complex items, such as regional arms control.
Jan. 6, 2021
National Security in the Post-Pandemic Era
The geopolitical implications of COVID-19 are profound in the near term, and will have a ripple
Dec. 18, 2020
Regaining the Initiative: Can the US Lead Again?
Restoring US leadership in global affairs will require a number of strategic shifts to change the trajectory set by the Trump administration. These substantial choices have to be made quickly by the new Biden team, which faces daunting domestic and political obstacles to its more internationalist approach.
A Kinder, Gentler Bear? Why Rumors of Russia’s Post-Soviet Retreat Are Premature
While 2020 has been an annus horribilis pretty much everywhere, it has been particularly challenging
Dec. 1, 2020
The rise of the futurists: The perils of predicting with futurethink
In this paper, Dr. Alexander H. Montgomery and Dr. Amy J. Nelson explore probabilistic and possibilistic approaches to uncertainty related to AI, outline their potential advantages and disadvantages, and identify common biases that hinder good prediction.
Nov. 19, 2020
Joint Force Quarterly 99 (4th Quarter, October 2020)
Robert Kennedy’s speech that day in 1966—on a then unprecedented trip and exactly 2 years before his assassination—included some words that may help all of us see our road ahead a bit more clearly. He stated, “It is from numberless diverse acts of courage such as these that the belief that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” To me that is what Americans, especially those in uniform, aspire to do. Let us know what you think. Be safe.
Nov. 10, 2020
Podcast: Change or Die
The successful military is the one that adapts and innovates. Dave Barno, Nora Bensahel, and Frank Hoffman join Ryan to talk about how the U.S. military changes, or fails to do so. They have two new books on the subject between them: Adaptation under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime, by Dave and Nora, is out now. And Mars Adapting: Military Change During War, by Frank, will be out soon.
Nov. 4, 2020
Strategic Assessment 2020: Into a New Era of Great Power Competition
In retrospect, it seems clear that the new era of Great Power competition that is the subject of the chapters in this volume began to take shape almost as soon as the last era had drawn to a close. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the sudden end of the Cold War, the United States found itself in a position of unchallenged (and seemingly unchallengeable) global preponderance.
Nov. 2, 2020
Designing Tomorrow’s Marine Corps
Dr. Frank Hoffman discusses why force design must be versatile, balanced, risk-informed, and strategy-driven as the Corps moves into an unknown future.
Oct. 29, 2020
Interview: Force Structure Perspectives: Col. T.X. Hammes (Ret) on Experimenting for Adaptation
As a part of CIMSEC’s Force Structure Perspectives Series, CIMSEC discussed the Battle Force 2045 fleet design with Col. T.X. Hammes (ret)., a Distinguished Research Fellow at the U.S.