AEI.Org: Scholar: Thomas Donnelly

McChrystal Lite

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A clever commander like McChrystal and the capable troops he leads will no doubt figure out how to make the most of what they have got. But a half-surge would seem to cut their prospects of winning by more than half.

U.S. Must Back Karzai--Flaws and All

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We must go to war with the partners we have, not necessarily the ones we would like to have.

The Future of U.S. Military Power

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Given what futurism has done to military affairs--most notably yielding the school of "transformation" as propounded by former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld--perhaps the United States ought to hold on to a more traditional approach.

Taliban Siege on Outpost Echoes One of Year Ago

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Kamdesh attacks echo a similar siege with similar results about a year ago in the village of Wanat, which provoked multiple U.S. military investigations and has been the subject of several extended media reports.

How England Prevailed

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A close look at offshoring shows that it not only results in bad strategy but has its origins in bad history.

America's Air Supremacy Allowed to Evaporate

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Our enemies, current and potential, have taken steps to try to neutralize the effects of American air power.

Will Obama Preserve America's Global Power?

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Since the end of the Cold War, many conservatives have consoled themselves with the thought that, in the end, there was a bipartisan consensus on America's role in the world, that the commitment to preserving U.S. power was deeply ingrained.

Two Cheers for the US Empire!

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

What is historically distinct about U.S. power is that it has quite remarkably enabled the spread of human liberty and representative government, through time and across cultures.

Revolt of the Congress

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

While the Pentagon is being told to shut down programs, the Obama team is encouraging the rest of government to spend like drunken sailors.

Defense "Transformation" Back from the Grave

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The technology-first approach to war--the philosophy that animated former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld's attitudes toward Afghanistan and Iraq with such tragic consequences--is returning from the grave.

Coalition Still Critical as America Escalates Afghan War

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The Americanization of the Afghan war is a key to victory, but victory in Afghanistan is a single campaign in the long war.

Why Gates Is Wrong

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

With his decision to cancel the Future Combat Systems family of ground combat vehicles, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has done the U.S. Army a grave disservice.

Death by Technology

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has condemned the U.S. military to equipment from the last century.

Amid the Cheers, Gates Puts U.S. on Risky Path

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

It has become conventional wisdom that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is both a visionary and decisive leader, but his decisions deserve greater scrutiny.

Never Give Up, Never Give In

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Given the large-scale cutbacks directed by President Obama, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates's rhetoric is fast becoming an excuse for budget cuts.

Don't Shortchange Defense

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

President Obama’s plan is an inevitable formula for American military decline.

Obama and Gates Gut the Military

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates's new budget will leave us weaker to pay for the president's domestic programs.

The Not-So-Great Game

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Why has Obama gone absent without leave on Afghanistan?

Indefensible

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Obama's military budget presages retreat.

Here's How to Make a Real Stimulus Take Flight

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Defense programs have been conspicuously absent from all the talk of economic stimulus in the White House and on Capitol Hill.

You Cannot Outlast Us

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The "yes-we-can" man is now commander-in-chief.

The Defense Stimulus

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

There is a strong historic correlation between defense spending and past economic recoveries.

Gaza Is Not Lebanon

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Why Israel's campaign against Hamas may succeed.

The Mumbai Attacks and Jihadist Organizations

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The work of AEI scholars shows that the Mumbai attacks are yet another front in the global war on terrorism.

Lincoln, Churchill, Bush?

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

What are the president's strengths and weaknesses as a supreme commander?

The Strategic Framework and Status of Forces Agreement with Iraq

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The approval by the Iraqi parliament of a strategic framework agreement represents a tremendous success for the United States and for a free Iraq.

One Crusader's View

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Our geopolitical goals in the Middle East are enduring, and our maturing grand strategy now accepts that long-term political change demands a deeper involvement.

The Limits of American Power and Civil-Military Relations

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In the American democracy, do the essential choices about war rest with soldiers or civilians?

Trying to Lose the War We're In

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates gave another speech laying out the course he believes the U.S. armed forces must follow to address the conflicts of the 21st century.

A New Approach to All of Asia

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Both presidential nominees have been silent on China, its human rights record, and its role in shaping the future security apparatus of East Asia.

Obama Is Living in a Fantasy World

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

What are the presidential candidates saying about the Russo-Georgian conflict?

Winning in Afghanistan

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

While Obama focuses on theproblems in Afghanistan, McCain goes after solutions.

The War We're In

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Barack Obama's New York Times op-ed betrays a strategic understanding that is deeply disturbing.

A Transformer in Disguise

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Defense SecretaryRobert Gates is making needed changes at the Pentagon.

The Proud, the Few

Sun, 25 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Stretched to its limits, the U.S. military needs 1 million men.

We Still Need a Larger Army

Fri, 23 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The limitations of America's land forces remain the most fundamental constraint on U.S. military strategy.

Sadr's in a JAM

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Iraqi troops asserted control over the Basra neighborhoods that had been Sadrist "strongholds" and continue to make progress.

Clarity through a Dark Glass

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Although victory in Iraq is yet to be achieved, the situation is not as gloomy as many have made out. The U.S. positionis growing ever stronger.

Three Steps Back

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Pakistani governmenthas beenstruggling with the Taliban; however, the leader of the Taliban has called for a cease fire, which will aid in the upcoming elections.

Dissonance on Iraq

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Hollywood portrayals of the war in Iraq bear no resemblance to what is actually happening there.

Chicken Little Is Right

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Do not look now, but our planes are falling out of the sky.

Ready, Willing, and Able

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

We have the ships,the men, and the money to fight the wars we need to.

Sustaining the Surge

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

President Bush has more options in Iraq than people think.

Orderly Humiliation

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The moderates think they've found a "responsible" way out of Iraq.

Dissonance at the Times

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Concerning the war in Iraq, the New York Times reports success but decides on failure.

NBC's Body Armor Embarrassment

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The media once again portray soldiers in Iraq as victims and the Iraq war as lost.

The Army We Need

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

We began the Long War with the land force we had, but now we must build the land force we need.

The Pentagon Cash Crunch

Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

War is a pay-as-you-go business.

The Right-Sized Army

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The number of soldiers in the U.S. Army, both active and reserve, will continue to be a critical determinant of America's ability to win future wars and, above all, the peaces that follow them.

Buying Boots

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0100

More than five years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, the Bush administration has come to realize that U.S. land forces are too small.

The Man for the Plan

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Meet General David Petraeus, the new commander in Iraq.

One Last Try

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

What matters most in Iraq now is what Lt. Gen. David Petraeus and the Iraqis do in Baghdad.

Why Did Donald Rumsfeld Fail?

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

It is a profound irony that the man hired to transform the Pentagon could not set aside his preconceptions and change himself.

Surge and Run?

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0100

At long last, the Bush administration appears willing to consider increasing the size of the U.S. force in Iraq.

New Face--Same Choices

Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Will a new occupant of Pentagon office 3E729 mean a new direction for American strategy in Iraq? Will a new Democratic leadership in Congress deliver a new strategy?

The Islamabad Dilemma

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Although problems in Pakistan are of that country's own making, U.S. interference has only made them worse.

A Question of Faith

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Do we yet understand the nature of the “Long War” for the future of the Middle East?

Lessons from the Last Long Wars

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 +0100

What can we learn from America's history that will help us shape America's future?

Long-Distance Affair

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0100

If the experience of the past five years means anything, it is that the war for the greater Middle East is most likely to be fought at close range.

New Thinking

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 00:00:00 +0100

The crabbed and inward-looking professional literature of the 1990s has given way to what looks to be a renaissance of serious thinking about the art of war.

Ink the India Deal

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 01:00:00 +0100

We might be another long, hard slog with India.

Countering Aggressive Rising Powers

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 +0100

How are foreign aggressive powers intersecting with U.S. strategy?

The Loneliness of the Liberal Hawk

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Hatred of George Bush has changed the loyal opposition into the bitter opposition, less interested in policy than in punishing their bête noire.

Countering Aggressive Rising Powers

Thu, 04 May 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Iran in the Crosshairs

Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Didn't think the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the other deployments in the Middle East were enough? Iran may now be a military focus as well.

An Election in Wartime

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Voting during wartime is a measure of the greatness of the United States. What will happenduring the 2006 and 2008 elections?

Echoes of Abyssinia

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:00:00 +0100

One of the happier unintended consequences of the global war on terror has been a flowering of thoughtful writing about war.

Monitoring China's Meddling

Fri, 24 Mar 2006 00:00:00 +0100

It will be awhile before American strategistscan bring themselves to contemplate that China's global economic presence is matched by a global geopolitical influence.

Two out of Three Ain't Enough

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 00:00:00 +0100

The Quadrennial Defense Review is neither a benchmark for the U.S. military nor a "roadmap to victory."

Well-Traveled Minds

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Review of various literature published by think tanks and research universities.

Kill the QDR

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +0100

The Quadrennial Defense Review process, from 1993 until now, has utterly failed to do what it was intended to do: provide a link among strategy, force-planning and defense budgeting.

The Political Battles Ahead

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0100

When will the "tipping period" end?

QDR's Crucial Question

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Prepare to be underwhelmed by the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review.

The "Who" Question

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Slowly, but surely, the abstract idea of "capabilities-based" planning is giving way to a more traditional and political judgment about enemies and allies.

A Split on Strategy?

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Osama Bin Laden, Abu Musab al-Zawahiri and the senior al-Qaida leaders see themselves, as does the Bush administration, in a large and long war for the future of the region, beyond Iraq.

A Split on Strategy?

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Al-Qaida is a movement that requires extreme violence to win success. The war will continue, and seems more likely to grow than to end.

The Goal Is Victory

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Given the administration's initially fuzzy approach to this war, let us pray that it is finally seeing things more clearly.

Bush to Asia: Freedom Is More than Markets

Sun, 27 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Ultimately, if the Bush Doctrine is not successfully applied to East Asia, and China can export its bad behavior to the Middle East, the strategy of promoting democracy will fail there, too.

Detainee Treatment Shove

Sat, 22 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0100

In considering whether to back a clearstandard for treatment of detainees,Republicans have the opportunity to reassert their own best traditions and principles.

One Code to Rule Them All

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 01:00:00 +0100

Congress owes it to America, our allies, and our soldiers to set clear standards for the treatment of detainees.

Strategy for a Nuclear Iran

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 00:00:00 +0100

A Portrait of Lonely American Heroes

Tue, 13 Sep 2005 00:00:00 +0100

A review of Robert D. Kaplan's Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground.

Chinese Power Play

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The sale of Unocal is not just about dollars and cents.

Unleashed

Thu, 28 Apr 2005 00:00:00 +0100

In promulgating a model of heroism in service to an imperial ideal, the Chinese Communist leaders are riding a very powerful tiger, notorious through history for slipping the leash.

Nation Building, after All

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 01:00:00 +0100

For many superstitious Afghans, it's no coincidence that the coming of democracy coincides with the end of the drought; it's proof, despite winter's bitter hardships, of a better future.

Going Out for Indian

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0100

By helping India become a major world power, the administration is showing the global seriousness of the Bush Doctrine.

The Pentagon's New Plan

Thu, 24 Mar 2005 23:00:00 +0100

The National Defense Strategy of the United States is an attempt to begin to wrestle with the challenges of a post-Iraq world.

China's Strategy

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Even during the Cold War, the United States has never had a comprehensive strategy for East Asia;since the collapse of the Soviet empire,things have only gotten worse.

Bush Policies Also Build Alliances

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 01:00:00 +0100

Piece by piece, the creation of the institutions of an extended Pax Americana is well under way.

Allies and Allies

Wed, 23 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0100

A military alliance with the United States makes sense for Japan, and Japan could prove to be a more important than Europe as an ally to the United States.

Feeding the Dragon, Hurting the Alliance

Sun, 20 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0100

President Bushshould propose a U.S.-EU strategic dialogue to keep an eye on China's threat to regional security and its human rights and proliferation records.

Will the Truman Democrats Please Stand Up...

Wed, 09 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The Democrats have never been further estranged from the tradition of Harry Truman, andthe cause of international liberalism is no longer theirs.

The View from the Plane

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Reactions to the election in Iraq were varied across the globe and at home in the United States.

Through Scheuer's Eyes

Wed, 26 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0100

It is increasingly possible that the United States will succeed in helping Afghans achieve political reform and pluralism.

Fearing the Shia

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The world of realpolitik fears the Shia and wants to postpone the Iraqi elections.

Quadrennial Defense Review Time

Thu, 06 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The next Quadrennial Defense Review will reveal what lessons we have learned in the fight against terrorism.

Who Forgot China?

Thu, 30 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

In the middle of fighting the global war on terror, America has forgotten aboutits "strategic competitor" to the east. The Chinese have noticed.

We Were Right to Disband Them

Thu, 23 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The George W. Bush administration did the right thing by disbanding the Iraqi army after the fall of Saddam.

Rumsfeld's War

Thu, 16 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Donald Rumsfeld'smeeting engagement with Thomas Wilson in Kuwait last week was a reality check for what has proved in practice to be a terrible idea: military "transformation."

The New Seriousness

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The author discusses how to read the George W. Bush administration's commitment to Iraq.

End of the Illusion

Fri, 03 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

With Falluja, the Bush administration finally seems to have grasped who the real enemy in Iraq is.

A Bigger, Badder, Better Army

Mon, 29 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Ultimately, a second Bush administration must convince Americans and the world that a tolerant, democratic Middle East is not a desert mirage, but a winnable prospect.

Intelligent Intelligence Reform

Wed, 24 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Duncan Hunter and James Sensenbrenner have blocked the headlong rush to intelligence "reform" legislation that puts current military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan at risk.

The New Order of Battle

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Although Donald Rumsfeld has been part of the problem, he can still be part of the solution in ways that Colin Powell could not.

After Falluja

Wed, 10 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Operation Iraqi Freedom is entering its decisive phase. What happens next?

Apply the Bush Doctrine to Sudan

Mon, 08 Nov 2004 01:00:00 +0100

While speculation about the foreign policy priorities of President Bush's second term is rife,the recentattack in Darfur should catapult the problem of Sudan to the top of the agenda.

What Next?

Tue, 02 Nov 2004 00:00:00 +0100

No matter who wins, the logic of war will propel the next president forward in the Middle East war.

The Vision Thing

Wed, 27 Oct 2004 00:00:00 +0100

While the campaign has focused on Iraq, there are other big-picture foreign policy issues at play. Where does John Kerry stand on them?

Ready, Steady

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Arecent story in theWashington Post became the headline of the hour for John Kerry, who saw in it yet another instance of President Bush's shortcomings as commander-in-chief.

One War or Two?

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The 2004 presidential election is a Rorschach Test about the world of the early twenty-first century.

Allies Uber Alles

Thu, 23 Sep 2004 00:00:00 +0100

John Kerry often seems more interested in strategic self-esteem with Europethan in actually winning the war in Iraq.

No Bargain

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The "grand bargain" John Kerry and John Edwards are prepared to offer Iran deserves scrutiny.

The Kissinger Myths

Tue, 31 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Review of The Flawed Architect: Henry Kissinger and American Foreign Policy by Jussi Hanhimaki.

Naming the Enemy

Fri, 23 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Although the 9/11 Commission report has recommendations about how to defend America at home, its discussion of strategyreveals that the theater of operations is the greater Middle East.

John Kerry, Reactionary

Mon, 19 Jul 2004 01:00:00 +0100

With hisrecent op-ed,Senator John Kerry lays claim to being the genuinely conservative foreign policy voice in this fall's election.

What They Missed with Eyes on Rearview

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100

We are no closer to solving the puzzle of Islamic terrorism than we were when the 9/11 panel began its work.

The Army of the Euphrates

Mon, 07 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100

No one should expect General Casey to lead us to victoryin Iraqsinglehanded, but if we're not going to cut and run, a necessary step is putting someone very much like him in command.

Swift Invasion, Slow Victory

Mon, 17 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Victory in the so-called "war on terrorism" will be measured less by how rapidlythe United Statesdeploys or how swiftlyit fights than how long and how broadlyit remains engaged.

Paying Attention to the Middle East's "Freedom Deficit"

Thu, 08 Apr 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The reward of democracy is surely worth the cost because the prosperity it brings will snuff out disaffection and the terrorism spawned by poverty.

Nice Start, Moammar. Just a Couple of Other Things . . .

Sun, 28 Mar 2004 01:00:00 +0100

Tony Blair was right to say that Moammar Gaddafi's rehabilitation is "a very, very important signal for the whole of the Arab world."

Preemption, Unilateralism, and Hegemony

Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Review of Surprise, Security and the American Experience by John Lewis Gaddis.

More Caissons Rolling Along

Mon, 09 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Our armed forces are still too small; the gap between America's strategic grasp and its military reach remains.

U.S. Enters New, Expansive "Proof of Primacy"

Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The invasion of Iraq marked the energetic exercise of U.S. power not simply to protect the status quo of American global preeminence but to extend the current liberal international order.

Now the Difficult Bit

Tue, 16 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Fifteen people with different perspectives discusshow the fallen Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein should be brought to justice.

Preparing to Fight the Next War

Mon, 01 Dec 2003 01:00:00 +0100

The blind spots in the Pentagon's new plans.

Underwhelming Force

Mon, 17 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100

What the Pentagon's troop rotation plan tells us.

The Right Fight Now

Sun, 26 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Does the United States have the right military strategy in place to defeat what its own generals admit is an increasingly sophisticated insurgency?

Secretary of Stubbornness

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The goal of creating a stable environment in Iraq is a moving target. The longer decisive action is postponed, the harder it will be to achieve.

Gas Stations in the Sky

Thu, 14 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100

We would be wise to invest more in long-range bombers, since the ability to operate globally on short notice will be vital to winning the war on terror.

Why Iraq's Still a Hard Place

Mon, 21 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The thugs are fighting, the troops are tired, and some doubt our determination--but we're winning.

Leave No Continent Behind

Mon, 07 Jul 2003 01:00:00 +0100

The Defense Department has begun to recognize that U.S. security interests in Africa cannot be ignored.

Arabian Night

Mon, 02 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Can the Saudi kingdom extricate itself from terror?

Rethinking NATO

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Tom Donnelly assesses the impact of the Iraq campaign on NATO from a US perspective.

There's No Place Like Iraq . . .

Mon, 05 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100

U.S. bases are the surest guarantor of Iraqi freedom--and an essential underpinning for our ability to sustain a larger struggle.

Lessons of a Three-Week War

Mon, 28 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The stunning success of the "combat portion" of Operation Iraqi Freedom challenges any understanding based upon previous military history.

Best-Case Scenario

Tue, 08 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Planning for the worst case has always been a source of military wisdom, but the war in Iraq reminds us that planning to exploit the best case is also a wise thing to do.

The Streets of Baghdad

Sun, 06 Apr 2003 00:00:00 +0100

A free Iraq will send a message to others in the region: there is no room in the post-9/11 world for regimes that support a culture of international terrorism.

A Map, a Watch, and a Compass

Sun, 30 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Forget the New York Times and the rent-a-generals, they're all you need to sort out how the war is progressing.

In Sight of a Remarkable Victory

Wed, 26 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Even seasoned observers have had a difficult time keeping things in Iraq in perspective.

Big Enough?

Tue, 25 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The U.S. invasion force is relatively small. The nature of war may be changing, but Americans need to realize that in the military, size still does matter.

More Precious than Speed

Mon, 24 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

There is an important difference between war and battle.

Shock, Awe, and Geography

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The air campaign now underway is flashy and exciting. But look at what's happening with coalition forces on the ground.

Going to Baghdad

Thu, 20 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Last night's surgical strikes were just a prelude. And if Saddam survived them, it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

Still Hollow after All These Years

Mon, 09 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0100

President Bush so bestrides the American political landscape that his power exceeds his agenda.

Ground Truth

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

If the United States is to maintain its status asthe sole superpower, Donnelly and Kagan argue, American land power must be restructured to confront unprecedented challenges.

The Military We Need

Mon, 09 May 2005 00:00:00 +0100

This comprehensive study of the U.S. armed forces needed in the post-9/11 world argues that the gap between America’s strategic reach and its military grasp has reached a point of crisis.

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Fri, 16 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100

This study argues that the George W. Bush administration charted the correct strategy in Iraq, but has failed to match its military means to its strategic ends.

Clash of Chariots

Mon, 01 Jul 1996 00:00:00 +0100

This book brings intense tank battles to vivid life, revealing the tactics and operations with rare analytical insight.

Operation Just Cause

Thu, 01 Aug 1991 00:00:00 +0100

Drawing on hundreds of interviews,this bookdescribes the invasion of 26,000 U.S. troops against the Panama Defense Forces, as well asthe toppling of Manuel Noriega.

U.S.-India Relations: Regional Security and Energy Cooperation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Afghanistan Strategy: The Way Forward

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0100

Export Control Reform 2009: Enhancing National Security and Economic Competitiveness

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0100

Surviving and Thriving in Harm's Way

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:00:00 +0100

The Defense Budget and U.S. Strategy: Preferences, Priorities, and Risks

Wed, 20 May 2009 09:30:00 +0100

Protecting the Seas: Maritime Security in the Asia Pacific, America's Interests, and ...

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Anchor Allies Adrift: Can the United States Depend on Japan and Great Britain?

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 10:30:00 +0100

The 2009 State of the Union: Change and Continuity

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:00:00 +0100

Development Beyond Aid: Remaking U.S. Development Policy for a Changed World

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:00:00 +0100

Beyond Georgia: Securing America's Allies on Russia's Periphery

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:45:00 +0100

AFRICOM and Beyond: The Future of U.S.-African Security and Defense Relations

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0100

Beyond the Zero-Sum Game: Technology Transfer and International Security in the ...

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:00:00 +0100

The War in the Caucasus: An Initial Assessment

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:00:00 +0100

The Frontline Country Team

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 10:00:00 +0100

Ground Truth: The Future of U.S. Land Power

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:30:00 +0100

After the Iraqi Offensive

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:00:00 +0100

Winning Afghanistan: Time for a Change in Course?

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:30:00 +0100

The Crisis in Nonproliferation: Meeting the Challenge

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:00:00 +0100

The 2008 State of the Union

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:30:00 +0100

The Crisis in Pakistan and American Policy

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:00:00 +0100

AFRICOM: Implications for African Security and U.S.-African Relations

Thu, 20 Sep 2007 08:30:00 +0100

No Middle Way: Two Reports on Iraq

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:35:00 +0100

Can We Afford the Military We Need?

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:00:00 +0100

The 2007 State of the Union

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:30:00 +0100

Do Numbers Matter? The Crisis in Military Resources

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:00:00 +0100

Contractors on the Battlefield

Wed, 17 May 2006 09:30:00 +0100

CFIUS Reform: National Security and International Investment

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 11:30:00 +0100

The Future of the U.S.-Indian Partnership EVENT POSTPONED

Thu, 16 Feb 2006 09:00:00 +0100

The 2006 State of the Union

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 08:45:00 +0100

A Strategy for Victory in Iraq

Wed, 18 Jan 2006 09:00:00 +0100

Implementing the National Security Strategy

Tue, 17 Jan 2006 09:00:00 +0100

Winning the War in Iraq

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 12:00:00 +0100

New Perspectives on Insurgency

Wed, 09 Nov 2005 16:30:00 +0100

Winning the War in Iraq-Event Rescheduled to Nov. 10th

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 10:00:00 +0100

Transforming the U.S.-Japanese Alliance

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:45:00 +0100

Winning Afghanistan

Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:00:00 +0100

The Struggle for Fallujah

Wed, 12 Oct 2005 16:30:00 +0100

The Future of the U.S. Air Force

Tue, 11 Oct 2005 11:00:00 +0100

The Future of the United States Marine Corps

Thu, 18 Aug 2005 08:45:00 +0100

CNOOC's Bid for UNOCAL

Thu, 04 Aug 2005 11:00:00 +0100

The Future of Iraq

Wed, 27 Jul 2005 09:30:00 +0100

AEI Briefing on "The Military Power of the People's Republic of China"

Tue, 26 Jul 2005 09:00:00 +0100

The United States and India

Mon, 25 Jul 2005 12:00:00 +0100

AEI Briefing on the London Terrorist Attacks

Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:00:00 +0100

The Future of the United States Navy

Mon, 20 Jun 2005 08:45:00 +0100

The Military We Need

Fri, 10 Jun 2005 09:30:00 +0100

Not a Good Day to Die

Mon, 18 Apr 2005 17:00:00 +0100

The Future of the United States Army

Mon, 11 Apr 2005 09:15:00 +0100

U.S. Strategy in Iraq and the Global War on Terror

Wed, 16 Mar 2005 12:15:00 +0100

Air Power, Iraq, and the Future American Way of War

Thu, 24 Feb 2005 12:00:00 +0100

Off to a New Start?

Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:00:00 +0100

AEI Events on the President's Visit to Europe

Thu, 17 Feb 2005 11:00:00 +0100

The Pentagon Budget Cuts

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 15:00:00 +0100

Relearning Counterinsurgency

Mon, 10 Jan 2005 10:00:00 +0100

Winning Hearts and Minds

Wed, 08 Dec 2004 12:00:00 +0100

The Great Leap Forward

Tue, 30 Nov 2004 09:00:00 +0100

Foreign Policy in the Second Bush Administration

Tue, 09 Nov 2004 11:00:00 +0100

The Permanent North Korean Crisis

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 14:00:00 +0100

Operation Iraqi Freedom

Tue, 07 Sep 2004 09:30:00 +0100

Sudan

Fri, 06 Aug 2004 10:30:00 +0100

The Hand-off

Mon, 14 Jun 2004 09:30:00 +0100

Winning Iraq: A Briefing on the Anniversary of the End of Major Combat Operations

Tue, 04 May 2004 10:00:00 +0100

Leave No Continent Behind

Tue, 13 Apr 2004 09:00:00 +0100

Taiwan

Mon, 22 Mar 2004 17:00:00 +0100

One Year Later: An Update on Iraq

Wed, 17 Mar 2004 09:00:00 +0100

Security and Stability in South Asia

Mon, 08 Mar 2004 10:00:00 +0100

Systems Integration and Defense Transformation

Fri, 23 Jan 2004 12:00:00 +0100

The Future of Iraq

Tue, 02 Dec 2003 09:30:00 +0100

Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex

Fri, 10 Oct 2003 11:00:00 +0100

The Future of Iraq

Tue, 07 Oct 2003 09:00:00 +0100

Liberia

Thu, 17 Jul 2003 11:00:00 +0100

Into Africa

Tue, 08 Jul 2003 10:00:00 +0100

Iraq

Tue, 03 Jun 2003 10:00:00 +0100

Iraq: What Lies Ahead

Tue, 15 Apr 2003 08:30:00 +0100

Iraq: What Lies Ahead

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 08:30:00 +0100

Iraq: What Lies Ahead

Tue, 25 Mar 2003 08:30:00 +0100

The Road to War . . . and Beyond

Fri, 21 Mar 2003 08:30:00 +0100

The Road to War . . . and Beyond

Tue, 18 Mar 2003 09:00:00 +0100

Defense Strategies in Europe

Wed, 12 Mar 2003 11:00:00 +0100

The Road to War . . . and Beyond

Tue, 04 Mar 2003 09:00:00 +0100

Indians and Cowboys

Wed, 19 Feb 2003 10:00:00 +0100

The Road to War . . . and Beyond

Tue, 18 Feb 2003 09:00:00 +0100

The Road to War

Wed, 05 Feb 2003 09:00:00 +0100

The Savage Wars of Peace

Mon, 06 May 2002 10:00:00 +0100

Export Controls and the Future of America's Defense

Wed, 01 Dec 1999 11:00:00 +0100

Testimony Before the Senate Armed Services Committee

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Six years after the invasion of Iraq and more than seven after the invasion of Afghanistan, we still do not have the land forces we need.

Iraq, the Status of Forces Agreement, and American Interests

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Looking forward, there are reasons to hope for a continued transformation of the U.S.-Iraqi partnership.

Hearing on House Resolution 834

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

It will take at least a decade to build up U.S. land forces to withstand what promises to be an extended hurricane in the greater Middle East.

Testimony of Thomas Donnelly

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

China has a strong mercantilist attitude toward energy supplies that impacts the international community.

The 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Testimony before the House Armed Services Committee regarding the future of U.S. armed forces in light of the Pentagon's most recent Quadrennial Defense Review.

Opening Statement before the U.S. China Economic and Security Review Commission

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 00:00:00 +0100

With this hearing, the Commission returns to one of its core concerns: assessing the growing military power of the People’s Republic of China and its impact on American interests.

The Presence of U.S. Forces in Europe

Wed, 26 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Relocating and reconfiguring our garrisons in Europe and elsewhere abroad is as fundamental an element in the post-cold-war "transformation" of U.S. military forces as the acquisition of new weaponry.

Defense Stimulus: A Key to American Recovery and Reinvestment

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Defense spending will be key to American recovery and reinvestment.

The Frontline Country Team

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The country team is the point at which the rubber of American policy hits the road and where it will ultimately succeed or fail.

Defense Issues for the Next Administration

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The need to strengthen U.S. military forces is immediate.

What Lies "Beyond Goldwater-Nichols"?

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

The centralizing reforms that culminated in the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 did much to weld America's armed services into the preeminent military force of the late twentieth century.

Legacy Agenda, Part III

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The president must attend to the China question if the Bush Doctrine is to endure.

Legacy Agenda, Part II

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Essential for the long-term viability of the Bush Doctrine and the continuation of the Pax Americana isarticulating a strategy for the Long War in the greater Middle East.

Legacy Agenda

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The first in a series of National Security Outlooks addressing George W. Bush's foreign-policy legacy and how he can cement it.

Choosing among Bad Options

Wed, 17 May 2006 00:00:00 +0100

How should the United States respond in the event of a potential Pakistani crisis related to nuclear weapons, materials, or facilities?

Rising Powers and Agents of Change

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0100

President George W. Bush’s desire to maintain a “balance of power that favors freedom,” coupled with hyper-powerful means, prevents the United States from acting like a traditional, status-quo power.

The Big Four Alliance

Fri, 02 Dec 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Aglobal coalition system,including the United States, Great Britain, India, and Japan, is beginning to emerge for the post-Cold War world.

A Global Partnership between the U.S. and India

Wed, 07 Sep 2005 00:00:00 +0100

It is important for the U.S. to help India become a truly global power, show how it can play a leading role in the world, and cure its South Asian myopia.

The Democrats and Defense

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Senator Hillary Clinton seems to graps what many in her party still cannot: in the post-9/11 world, the job of an American president is to be a wartime commander in chief.

Empire of Liberty

Fri, 24 Jun 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The Bush administration’s policiesreflecta deeper strategic culture that has guided the United States from the earliest days of the republic.

Shocked and Awed

Tue, 10 May 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Two recent books by experienced war correspondents tell important stories that call parts of the defense transformation program into question.

China's Blunder

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 23:00:00 +0100

China's declaration of an anti-secession law is a timely if unwelcome reminder of Bejing's determination to retake Taiwan.

Strategy and Air Power

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The time is ripe for a more realistic, balanced reappraisal of what air power can--and cannot--be expected to accomplish against present and future threats to U.S. national security.

Counterinsurgency and Democracy

Tue, 01 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0100

Rather than insist on the defeat of the Iraqi insurgency as a precondition for Iraqi democracy, President Bush sees democracy as a means to help defeat the threat of radical Islam.

Transforming America's Alliances

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0100

The Bush administration must ensure that its coalition of the willing is also a coalition of the committed--an enduring network of relationships for fighting the war on terror.

Rebasing, Revisited

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 00:00:00 +0100

One of the key questions for the second term of the Bush administration is how to reposture U.S. military forces both at home and abroad.

Homeland Defense and the U.S. Military

Sun, 31 Oct 2004 23:00:00 +0100

The 9/11 attacks and the global war on terror are forcing American strategists to reevaluate conventional assumptions about how missile defense and neighboring nations fit into U.S. national security.

A Strategy for Nuclear Iran

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Regardless of who is elected to the presidency in November, the growing threat posed by a nuclear Iran is certain to be at the top of the next administration’s national security agenda.

Force Size and Strategy

Wed, 01 Sep 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The United States must rebuild and restructure to meet the challenges of a changing Middle East and a rising China.

The Top Ten Questions for the Post-9/11 World

Sun, 01 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The author considers the ten most important questions confronting U.S. military strategists and force planners today.

Unrealistic Realism

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Sen. John Kerry's "realist" foreign policy prescriptions are profoundly unrealistic and reflect a dogmatic ideology.

Mind the Gap

Tue, 01 Jun 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The U.S. military must address a gap between an ambitious strategy and a force ill-designed to accomplish it.

Learning to Live without Europe

Sat, 01 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Despite efforts to resurrect the transatlantic bonhomie of the Cold War era, the limitations of any strategic partnership between the United States and Europe are growing increasingly clear.

Taiwan

Wed, 31 Mar 2004 23:00:00 +0100

Taiwan’s March 20 election provides fresh evidence of the extent to which the "one China" policy and “strategic ambiguity” have passed into the realm of anachronism.

Beware the "Libyan Model"

Mon, 01 Mar 2004 00:00:00 +0100

If the Bush administration wantsa "forward strategy of freedom" for the Muslim world, it cannot turn a blind eye to Libyan president Gaddafi's internal repression and international adventurism.

The Proof of Primacy

Sun, 01 Feb 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The invasion of Iraq marked the a new era of Pax Americana, distinguished by the energetic exercise of U.S. power not simply to protect the status quo of American global preeminence.

Iraqi Freedom and American History

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The invasion of Afghanistan in the autumn of 2001 and that of Iraq in the spring of 2003 together mark a significant departure from longstanding American strategy in the greater Middle East.

Fighting a Global Counterinsurgency

Mon, 01 Dec 2003 00:00:00 +0100

If the United States is to succeed in creating a different kind of Middle East, it must create a different kind of military, redefining defense transformation to meet the strategic challenge.

U.S. Counterinsurgency in Iraq

Sat, 01 Nov 2003 00:00:00 +0100

To prevail in Iraq,the U.S. military must develop an effective counterinsurgency strategy.

Iraq Is the Central Front

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 00:00:00 +0100

What is at stake in Iraq defines what sort of world the American superpower wants--and what sort of sacrifices it is willing to make to create it.

Hail Britannia

Mon, 01 Sep 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Britainhas released a report on Operation Iraqi Freedom,that suggests that London may be ahead of Washington in identifying some of the toughest lessons for the war on terrorism.

Fighting Terror

Fri, 01 Aug 2003 00:00:00 +0100

America cannot afford to lose the struggle between the forces of political liberty and the forces of repressive Islamism.

Toward a Global Cavalry

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Among the most vital components ofdefense transformation is the radical overhaul of America's overseas force structure.

The Meaning of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Sun, 01 Jun 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Operation Iraqi Freedom gives substance to the Bush Doctrine in ways that the war in Afghanistan did not.

What's Next?

Thu, 01 May 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The real question now is how the United States can leverage its victory in Iraq to uphold, expand, and institutionalize the Pax Americana.

Brave New World

Mon, 31 Mar 2003 23:00:00 +0100

The battle between American primacy and multipolarity is nearing an end--and what is to come is a world that no one ever imagined.

Realignment of Foreign Basing of U.S. Troops

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:00 +0100

Many U.S. politicians are beginning to ask the question: Is it time to move our forces in Europe?

The Underpinnings of the Bush Doctrine

Sat, 01 Feb 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The Bush Doctrine, which is likely to shape U.S. policy for decades to come, reflects the realities of American power as well as the aspirations of American political principles.

Planning for War against Iraq and for Its Aftermath

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 +0100

The Bush administration has been reluctant to discuss or define its view of a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.

Time to Woo India?

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 +0100

Even if U.S.-European affairs can be patched up, it is time for the Bush administration to play the field and come up with some new geopolitical partners.

Orderly Humiliation and "The New Strategy in Iraq"

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The moderates think they've found a "responsible" way out of Iraq; also, what General David Petraeus is learning from past U.S. mistakes in Iraq.

Naming the Enemy

Sun, 01 Aug 2004 00:00:00 +0100

The report of the 9/11 Commission should help strengthen American resolve in the war on terror.

Swift Invasion, Slow Victory

Sat, 01 May 2004 00:00:00 +0100

Completing regime change in Baghdad and spreading democracy in the Middle East will require an open-ended commitment and more political resolve thandemonstrated in Washington.