Kenney Papers

Air University Press established the “Kenney Papers” series, as a forum for topics related to the Indo-Pacific region. Named for General George Churchill Kenney, Allied air commander in the Southwest Pacific during World War II and subsequently commander of Strategic Air Command and then Air University.

Subregionalism, the Pacific Islands Forum, and Regional Security

Pacific subregionalism is exemplified by the establishment of three geocultural subregional groups within the design of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). To examine the complex dynamics of Pacific subregionalism and its implications on regional security, this paper identifies three
Performing Panda: Chinese Economic Coercion in the Era of Xi Jinping

This paper provides an original contribution to the literature of economic coercion, based on empirical analysis of signaling from China to the United States from late 2012 to late 2022, President Xi Jinping’s first two terms. I argue that Xi has expressed more assertive economic coercion
Spacepower Strategy for Medium Powers: Applying Observations from the Maritime Domain

Various spacepower theorists, such as John Klein, Everett Dolman, Namrata Goswami, Peter Garretson, and Brent Ziarnick, write about the similarities between the maritime domain and outer space. However, much of their literature focuses on great power competition between countries like the United
Improving Military Stability Operations: The Case for a Stabilization Command

The United States military has executed 33 stability operations as opposed to 16 combat operations since 1898. The stabilization activities were frequently ineffective and regularly left occupied countries in a worse condition after US forces left than prior to arrival. Several underlying problems
Parallel Lives in the Indo-Pacific: Edward Lansdale, Donald Wurster, and the Irregular Warfare Mind-set

The 2020 Irregular Warfare Annex to the National Defense Strategy acknowledges that the US military historically repeats a “boom-and-bust” cycle in its institutional competency for irregular warfare. The annex charges special operations forces to avoid the mistakes of the past by
Mapping Chinese Influence in Hollywood

China has invested in several American industries since its entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001. Once an engine for American soft power, Hollywood has seen a dramatic increase in investment from China, with deals being valued at billions of dollars. The resulting financial influence has
The Potential Unification of Korea and a Unified Korean Armed Forces

This paper examines the prospect of Korean Unification and the possibility of a future unified Korean Armed Forces. I make arguments for the likelihood of unification and the possible means by which it might unfold, both from the perspective of regional players and that of the two Koreas. These two
A Risk-Benefit Analysis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative Spatial Information Corridor: Implications for Chinese Global Expansion and US Strategy

At the turn of the century, competition in space shifted from being between the United States and the Soviet Union to being between the United States and China. Since its first manned mission in 2003, China’s space program has accelerated dramatically. China completed the BeiDou System
Iran, China, and the Future World Order: Unipolarity or Multipolarity?

The twenty-first century has seen a series of geopolitical and strategic shifts around the world, including in the Indo-Pacific, presenting major challenges to national leaders and military planners. Tectonic movements following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, paired with technological

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Kenney Papers

Subregionalism, the Pacific Islands Forum, and Regional Security

Performing Panda: Chinese Economic Coercion in the Era of Xi Jinping

Spacepower Strategy for Medium Powers: Applying Observations from the Maritime Domain

Improving Military Stability Operations: The Case for a Stabilization Command

Parallel Lives in the Indo-Pacific: Edward Lansdale, Donald Wurster, and the Irregular Warfare Mind-set

Mapping Chinese Influence in Hollywood

The Potential Unification of Korea and a Unified Korean Armed Forces

A Risk-Benefit Analysis of China’s Belt and Road Initiative Spatial Information Corridor: Implications for Chinese Global Expansion and US Strategy

Iran, China, and the Future World Order: Unipolarity or Multipolarity?

Orders and Copyright Notice