The Indo-Pacific region stands at the forefront of global geopolitics, complete with unique opportunities and intricate challenges that demand a comprehensive and fresh global outlook while also prioritizing homeland defense. With increasing threats to the North American homeland ranging from cyber
View PDF version here. AbstractThe article discusses the growing challenges the United States faces in defending the homeland, particularly in the Arctic region. It highlights the importance of a strong defense alliance, such as the partnership between the United States and Canada through the North
This article examines how the US Special Operations Command North (SOCNORTH) is tasked with defending the US homeland against the growing strategic competition with China. The article highlights how China’s hybrid warfare tactics—including cognitive warfare, cyberattacks, and economic
This article examines China’s strategic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region through the lens of its “Zhōngguó” or “Middle Kingdom” dream of regaining its perceived historical dominance. It traces the deep roots of this aspiration in Chinese nationalism and the Chinese
As authoritarian regimes increasingly employ sophisticated information warfare tactics, democratic societies face urgent challenges in countering cognitive influence operations. This article examines how entities like the Chinese Communist Party strategically disseminate misleading narratives
This article explores the shifting dynamics of US–Thai relations, emphasizing missed opportunities and potential areas of collaboration. Recent Thai elections could have rekindled US enthusiasm as a victory for democracy, but the conservative establishment’s actions led to a less
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The article, which sets the stage for the present thematic issue of the journal, examines the evolving use of the terms pacing threat and pacing challenge in the context of US defense strategy, particularly in relation to China. It traces the origins of these phrases, noting that they have been used
The prolonged engagement of the US military in desert climates has sidelined Arctic operational capabilities for two decades. As the Arctic emerges as an arena for strategic competition, this article contends that reinvigorating these capabilities through Alaska’s logistical infrastructure is
For US leaders and policy makers attempting to deter or punish asymmetric challenges from China, Russia, and other authoritarian states, information has been an underutilized tool. Beijing and Moscow react more negatively to information tools, especially those that challenge regime controls over
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In the complex landscape of global security, operating in the gray zone—employing strategies that fall below the threshold of armed conflict—has become increasingly vital. This article explores adapting gray-zone strategies to the unique operational dynamics of space. It emphasizes
This article examines why a warming Arctic in a changing climate is a formidable challenge to homeland defense and national security for both the United States and its allies on a continental scale encompassing North America and NATO’s Northern Flank in Europe. With temperatures on the rise,
Why do a majority of Taiwanese prefer alternatives, including the continuation of the status quo, to unification with mainland China for the foreseeable future? Understanding the sources of this preference is important because tensions over Taiwan’s refusal to unify with the mainland could
The Indo-Pacific’s future is often depicted as a battleground between democracy and autocracy, reflecting a geopolitical struggle between visions of free and repressive world orders. Initiatives like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue envision a "free and open" Indo-Pacific,
Amid escalating active kinetic conflicts and the ever-growing and ever-more-severe environmental impacts of climate disruption, along with related and unrelated public health threats, governments worldwide confront increasingly complex choices in addressing simultaneous and sequential crises. Never
Every year, the US Department of Defense (DOD) invests billions to engage in numerous cooperative activities with partner nation security forces and officials, solidifying its partnerships. The DOD’s Regional Defense Fellowship Program (RDFP) and the Department of State’s International
Amid an interminable crisis in the Western world, the Roman Catholic Church’s pivot to the Indo-Pacific represents an endeavor to uphold a central social role in a rapidly evolving global landscape. This time, however, the Roman Catholic Church does not harbor imperial ambitions to establish
In reorienting its foreign policy to counter China, the United States must grasp China’s ambitions deeply. Understanding the historical roots and driving forces behind Chinese actions is vital. Previous research analyzed the global ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its
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In the twenty-first century, effective security strategies demand more than sophisticated military might. Social and information technologies have transformed the character of conflict, compelling democracies to expand their defenses beyond traditional military domains. Adversaries now wield
This article examines the multifaceted implications of changing environmental conditions in the Arctic, particularly for US national security. It highlights both the challenges and opportunities these transformations present. As diminishing sea ice, altered wave dynamics, increased wind speeds, and
The US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is tasked with deterring and preparing for a potential conflict with China, while also facing a clear threat from North Korea (DPRK) against the American Pacific homeland. To address mounting cooperation among adversaries, the US should establish a
Despite the rapidly growing importance of the Arctic in economic, defense, and environmental sectors, the United States, though an Arctic nation, lacks meaningful defense capacity in the Arctic region. This article provides a brief history of the critical role that Alaska Natives played in the
This article examines experiences implementing a Women, Peace, and Security strategy in diverse cultural contexts, focusing on underutilized tools for promoting gender equity. It explores opportunities for Mexican and Latin American women in regional defense and security. Emphasizing cultural
Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)—constituent parts of the United States—sit in such proximity to the Asian coast that the CNMI shares a maritime border with Japan. Stretching between them and Hawai’i are three independent countries—Palau, the
This article examines how China draws upon the strategic theories of Alfred Thayer Mahan and Julian Corbett to shape its emerging naval doctrine and force posture in the Indian Ocean region (IOR). It traces Mahan’s emphasis on sea power and naval supremacy, as well as Corbett’s concepts
To maintain the power balance in the Indo-Pacific region, power dynamics are shifting, and small-scale alliances are expanding. This emerging arena of power struggles serves as the battleground for great-power competition, each vying to assert and uphold regional influence. As a counterweight to
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As China escalates its assertive tactics in the South China Sea, the United States must take bolder action to support its regional allies and partners, starting with the Philippines. This article argues that the United States should begin directly escorting Philippine vessels within their exclusive
Mexico holds a crucial position as one of the foremost trading partners and economic powerhouses for the United States in Central and Southern America. Given its proximity to the United States and its unwavering alliance from a security standpoint, Mexico plays a pivotal role in US foreign policy
The environment has evolved into a nonkinetic domain of warfare, with chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats posing significant risks. Historical events like the Spanish flu, anthrax poisoning, and the COVID-19 pandemic underscore the devastation caused by CBRN elements.
Climate change poses an existential threat to global security. However, defense forces, as major greenhouse gas emitters, lack emissions reporting requirements and climate adaptation plans. This article analyzes current deficiencies and advocates for improved climate risk assessment, measurement,
Thailand's foreign policy has garnered numerous descriptions, often highlighting its adaptability. However, as time has passed and as governments of varying ideologies, ranging from military to civilian, progressive to conservative, have assumed leadership, flexibility has evolved into both an
In the face of increasing People’s Republic of China (PRC) influence within the US Southern Command’s (SOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR), the United States must adopt innovative approaches to maintain its strategic advantage and strengthen international partnerships. One potent tool
Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva’s 2023 re-election as Brazil’s President, despite a tumultuous journey from trade unionism to political leadership, underscores his enduring influence. This article explores Lula’s impact on Brazil’s political landscape, particularly
This article contends that the US Navy should increase investment in “soft” capabilities such as civil affairs and the Seabees to effectively deter China in the Pacific. It asserts that the expanding influence of China in the South Pacific poses a threat to US military logistics and
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Book Review: Airpower Pioneers: From Billy Mitchell to David Deptula, ed. John Andreas Olsen. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 2022, 431 pp. Reviewed by Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, Indian Air Force, Retired.
Book Review: Nine Dash Line: Deciphering the South China Sea Conundrum, by Pooja Bhatt. New Delhi: K W Publishers Pvt Ltd, 2020. Reviewed by Aamir Khan.
This book review critically examines three recent speculative fiction novels that depict a hypothetical war between the United States and China: Ghost Fleet, 2034, and White Sun War. The author explores the role of these novels in stimulating strategic thinking and policy discussions
Book Review: Red Dragon Flanker: China’s Prolific ‘Flanker’ Family, by Andreas Rupprecht. Houston: Harpia Publishing, 2022. 253 pp.
Dual Book Review: Understanding the India-China Border: The Enduring Threat of War in High Himalaya, by Manoj Joshi. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022; and Armed Coexistence: The Dynamics of the Intractable Sino-Indian Border Dispute, by Stephen Westcott. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan,
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Traditionally, power is measured by states’ ability to coerce using hard power; however, the diffusion of power largely due to increased interdependence and advanced technology development has rendered these traditional sources of power less effective in achieving desired outcomes. Today, it
First, this article discusses openness and selective US interests in an openness strategy. Second, recognizing that power comes from many sources, this article discusses leveraging the diplomatic, information, economic, then military (DIME) instruments of power to address China’s rise and
A selective engagement strategy in East Asia requires diplomatic and economic cooperation and confrontation, as well as information and military competition. This article will provide a background on China’s growing influence in East Asia, outline a grand strategy of selective engagement, and
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Recently, Indo-Pacific states have found themselves embroiled in a competition between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the United States for influence. Particularly concerning is the notable increase in military cooperation between long-standing US partner Singapore and the PRC. This
This article examines, first, Military-Civil Fusion’s origins and organizational framework, along with its execution today under President Xi Jinping. The analysis documents key economic and political interactions among MCF’s various stakeholders. Additionally, the article uses as an
This article provides a recommended definition of lawfare, contrasts the United States’ and China’s use of lawfare in the South China Sea, and discusses potential options for the United States’ strategic legitimization and operationalization of lawfare.
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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
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
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
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
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