6 September 2014

MISC Papers

Spring 2014, Vol. 44 No. 1

On Military Interventions

Options for Avoiding Counterinsurgencies

by David H. Ucko and Robert C. Egnell

Rethinking Small-Footprint Interventions

by Stephen Watts and Stephanie Pezard

Challenges for Pacific Command

Pakistan's Changing Counterterrorism Strategy: A Window of Opportunity?

by Michael Spangler

China's North Korea Policy: Rethink or Recharge?

by Andrew Scobell and Mark Cozad

Reconsidering Future War

Predicting Future War

by Robert Johnson

Forking Paths: War After Afghanistan

by Michael Evans

Reserve Components: Point-Counterpoint

The National Guard as a Strategic Hedge

by James D. Campbell

Reserve Component Costs: A Relook

by James "Rick" Morrison

Review Essays
Drones, Drone Strikes, and US Policy: The Politics of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
by Ulrike Esther Franke
T. E. Lawrence: Enigmatic Military Visionary
by W. Andrew Terrill

Book Reviews
Predicting War
Strategic Flexibility
Urban Fighting
World War II
The Civil War
Revival of Political Islam in the Aftermath of Arab Uprisings: Implications for the Region and Beyond

Authored by Dr. Mohammed El-Katiri.
Added July 21, 2014
Type: Monograph
63 Pages
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Cost: Free

Regime change during the Arab Spring allowed Islamist political forces that had long been marginalized to achieve political influence in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. Morocco’s first government led by an Islamist party has been in power since January 2012. This trend caused widespread concern over the future direction of these states; but despite the tragic example of Egypt, few negative predictions have yet been borne out. The author cautions against an overly simplistic assessment of this rise in the influence and power of political Islam. He shows that the political crises besetting each of these Islamist governments are not necessarily of their own making, but instead are determined by objective circumstances. Dr. El-Katiri describes how, in several key respects, the aims of Islamist parties are in line with U.S. aspirations for the region.

Visual Propaganda and Extremism in the Online Environment

Authored by Dr. Carol K. Winkler, Dr. Cori E. Dauber.

Added July 25, 2014
Type: Book
258 Pages
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Cost: Free
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Visual images have been a central component of propaganda for as long as propaganda has been produced. But recent developments in communication and information technologies have given terrorist and extremist groups options and abilities they never would have been able to come close to even 5 or 10 years ago. There are terrorist groups who, with very little initial investment, are making videos that are coming so close to the quality of BBC or CNN broadcasts that the difference is meaningless, and with access to the web they have instantaneous access to a global audience. Given the broad social science consensus on the power of visual images relative to that of words, the strategic implications of these groups’ sophistication in the use of images in the online environment is carefully considered in a variety of contexts by the authors in this collection.

Strategic Implications of the Evolving Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Authored by Henry Plater-Zyberk, Dr. Andrew Monaghan.


Added August 06, 2014
Type: Monograph
82 Pages
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Cost: Free
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The role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in regional politics and the significance of the organization for U.S. interests are widely misunderstood. The organization is emphatically not a military bloc, and yet engages in joint activities which resemble military cooperation to U.S. eyes. It is, in theory, open to new members; but at present is highly unlikely to accept any. Its rhetoric firmly opposes U.S. presence and activity on the territory of member states, and yet individual member states leverage basing agreements with the U.S. to their advantage. The author reviews SCO's history and stated aspirations, and measures these against actual achievements. He concludes that, with the notable exception of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure(RATS), the great majority of SCO accomplishments are of little significance other than to provide an additional multinational vehicle through which China and in particular Russia can seek to counter U.S. and Western activity in Central Asia.

Strategic Retrenchment and Renewal in the American Experience

Edited by Dr. Peter Feaver.

Added August 08, 2014
Type: Book
275 Pages
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Cost: Free

At a time of fiscal constraint and global uncertainty, should the United States retrench geopolitically or seek to reinvigorate its international leadership? This collection of essays puts this pressing question in historical and theoretical context. The authors examine past episodes in which U.S. policymakers confronted similar choices, and draw insights from the strategies that they fashioned in response. The essays also consider the major theoretical and policy debates pertaining to the issues of retrenchment and renewal today.

Russia and the Caspian Sea: Projecting Power or Competing for Influence?

Authored by Dr. Tracey German.

Added August 26, 2014
Type: Monograph
103 Pages
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This monograph examines Russia’s policy toward the Caspian Sea region as Moscow attempts to counterbalance growing American involvement within what it perceives to be its zone of privileged interest. It focuses on the recent expansion of the Caspian Flotilla and the rationale behind it. Moscow has sought to counterbalance the growing involvement of other actors in the region, which has led to rising tension between Russia and its southern neighbors. The primary objectives of the research are to examine Russian perceptions of threat and security in the Caspian region and assess the implications for other actors. This monograph analyzes the drivers of the increasing competition for influence, focusing on developments within the energy sector, and assesses the implications of Russia’s consolidation of its dominance for security and stability in the region. This issue is important because a clear understanding of Russian strategic thinking and threat perception in the Caspian Sea is vital in order to facilitate effective U.S. policy in the wider Caucasus and Central Asian region.

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