In November 2012, Russias Caspian Flotilla celebrated its 290th anniversary. Established by Peter the Great in 1722, the Flotilla was a key component of the Russian Empires expansion into the Caspian region, and nearly 300 years later, it remains a vital element of continued Russian influence in its "south." The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) describes the Caspian Flotilla as "not only the southernmost outpost of Russia, but also the guarantor of the integrity of maritime boundaries and the most important foreign policy tool of the state in the Caspian Sea."1 The Flotilla has recovered...

Today we continue to face an uncertain, complicated and rapidly changing international security environment. At the same time, the Army has been asked to rapidly draw down force levels, in light of domestic fiscal challenges. In the face of continuing international tensions and budget austerity, the Armys greatest challenge is to provide steadfast support to worldwide operational commitments, to include Afghanistan, while simultaneously preparing a smaller force to conduct a wider array of security missions to counter present and future threats. We are committed to ensure the U.S. Army...

Burden sharing is back. Indeed many observers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Alliance would claim that it never went away. This is because, from its inception in 1949, NATO has never been an alliance of equals. The United States has always made the overwhelmingly larger contribution, not only for the defense of Europe under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty, but also in the numerous operations that the Alliance has carried out beyond Europe since the end of the Cold War. At one stage in the late-1950s, the United States had nearly 400,000 troops and 7,000 nuclear weapons deployed...

This monograph focuses upon "regional alignment," viewed by many as critical if the Army is to remain both relevant and effective in the 21st century security environment. Despite its title, the monograph is part of the Strategic Studies Institutes ongoing "talent management" series. In fact, the authors argue that world class talent management is a necessary pre-condition to creating an effective regional alignment strategy for the Army. They identify several serious challenges to creating a workable regional alignment of Army units, most of which hinge upon understanding and liberating the...

This monograph examines the potential utility of history as a source of education and possible guidance for the U.S. Army. The author considers the worth in the claim that since history (more accurately termed the past) is all done and gone, it can have no value for today as we try to look forward. This point of view did not find much favor here. The monograph argues that although history does not repeat itself in detail, it certainly does so roughly in parallel circumstances. Of course, much detail differs from one historical case to another, but nonetheless, there are commonly broad and...

The anthology 'What Should the U.S. Army Learn From History?' offers a cogent examination of the indispensable lessons that historical militaristic engagements can teach contemporary strategic operations. The diversity in literary styles-from analytical essays to narrated instances of past wars-complements the depth and range of military scholarship present in this collection. Each piece works synergistically to underscore the criticality of historical knowledge in informing future tactics and strategies. Standout pieces in the collection explore themes from the adaptability of the armed...