Escalation Management in the Early Stages of International Crisis

November 2024 No Comments

Authors: Dr. Kyle Beardsley (Duke University), Dr. Jonathan Wilkenfeld (START University of Maryland), & Phuong Pham (Duke University) Publication Preview: This report evaluates how crisis actors respond to adversary actions in the early stages of an international crisis. We specifically consider the first three stages of a crisis: the trigger act from a challenger, the […]

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Strategic Culture – A Complex Model for a Complex Concept

November 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Dr. Larry Kuznar (NSI, Inc.) Date: 19 November 2024 Speaker Session Summary Forthcoming! Speaker Session Recording Briefing Materials U.S. Army War College Podcast: Exploring Strategic Culture > US Army War College – Strategic Studies Institute > Recent Publications NSI Strategic Culture Report: Strategic Culture – Its history, issues, and complexity | NSI Biography: Dr. […]

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U.S. Military Theories of Victory for a War with the People’s Republic of China

November 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Jacob Heim (RAND) & Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga (RAND) Date: 13 November 2024 Speaker Session Summary The United States has not had to seriously consider conflict escalation with a near-peer adversary that could result in a conflict that ends in large-scale destruction since the Cold War. However, it must now consider the potential for escalating toward that exact kind […]

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China’s Options for Taiwan Short of an Invasion

October 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Dr. Bonny Lin, Dr. Matthew Funaiole, & Brian Hart (China Power Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)) Date: 30 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary A blockade, by contrast, would be significantly more restrictive and kinetic, and would be led by the military. In another difference from a quarantine, there is doctrinal evidence […]

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Dynamic Parity: The Nuclear Strategy We Need

October 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Dr. Adam Lowther (National Institute for Deterrence Studies) & Curtis McGiffin (NationalInstitute for Deterrence Studies) Date: 24 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary SMA hosted a speaker session with Dr. Adam Lowther (National Institute for Deterrence Studies) & Curtis McGiffin (National Institute for Deterrence Studies) as part of its SMA “Strategic Deterrence Frameworks” (SDF) Speaker Series. Russia, […]

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American Statecraft and the Challenge of Emerging Powers

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Speakers: Dr. Christopher S. Chivvis (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) & BeatrixGeaghan-Breiner (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) Date: 23 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary The United States has primarily focused on China’s geopolitical rise over the past two decades and the implications of a near-peer competitor to US interests. However, several other emerging state powers […]

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The CCP-ification of Pacific Islands: What it Means for U.S. Strategy and What Can Be Done

October 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Cleo Paskal (Foundation for the Defense of Democracies) Date: 8 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary China is expanding its influence in many Asia-Pacific countries by offering economic incentives and other forms of “good will,” which Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members use to fosters political corruption. This political corruption allows the CCP to build political […]

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The Origins of the War in Ukraine

October 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Michael Kimmage (Catholic University of America) Speaker Session Summary Russia seeks to dominate both Ukraine’s territory and its political future. Dr. Kimmage analyzed Russia’s motivations for initiating the war, as well as the failures of the United States, Europe, and Ukraine in deterring the invasion. He argued that Russia’s goals extend beyond Ukraine’s sovereign […]

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Climate Change and Food Security in the Indo-Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities

September 2024 No Comments

Speaker: Mr. Ameya Kelkar (Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi, India) Date: 3 October 2024 Speaker Session Summary The Indo-Pacific region is home to approximately 60% of the world’s population and contributes 60% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it one of the most significant regions to monitor. Despite its importance, the […]

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Emerging Military Technologies: Putting Policy Before Profit

September 2024 No Comments

Speakers: Dr. Michael Brenes, William Hartung (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft) Date: 25 September 2024 Speaker Session Summary There is growing concern among some scholars that the pursuit of economic incentives may push US military technology advancements ahead of the establishment of proper policies and security measures, prioritizing profits over policy. Mr. Hartung added that […]

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