Books on politics, international affairs, defense and military topics, economics and history.
Since the start of the 21st century, the U.S. energy system has seen tremendous changes. Technological advances in energy production have driven changes in energy consumption, and the United States has moved from being a growing net importer of most forms of energy to a declining importer—and possibly a net exporter in the near future.… Continue Reading 21st Century U.S. Energy Sources: A Primer
The Constitution permits Congress to authorize the use of the militia “to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions.” And it guarantees the states protection against invasion or usurpation of their “republican form of government,” and, upon the request of the state legislature, against “domestic violence.” These constitutional provisions are reflected… Continue Reading Posse Comitatus Act and Related Matters: The Use of the Military to Execute Civilian Law
The European Union (EU) is a unique partnership in which member states have pooled sovereignty in certain policy areas and harmonized laws on a wide range of economic and political issues. The EU is the latest stage in a process of European integration begun after World War II, initially by six Western European countries, to… Continue Reading The European Union: Ongoing Challenges and Future Prospects
Even though the United States has reduced the number of warheads deployed on its long-range missiles and bombers, consistent with the terms of the 2010 New START Treaty, it also plans to develop new delivery systems for deployment over the next 10-30 years. The 116th Congress will continue to review these programs, and the funding… Continue Reading U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues
The nexus of robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) and artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change the nature of warfare. RAS offers the possibility of a wide range of platforms—not just weapon systems—that can perform “dull, dangerous, and dirty” tasks— potentially reducing the risks to soldiers and Marines and possibly resulting in a generation… Continue Reading U.S. Ground Forces Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), established in 1958, is an agency within the Department of Defense (DOD) responsible for catalyzing the development of technologies that maintain and advance the capabilities and technical superiority of the U.S. military. DARPA-funded research has made important science and technology contributions that have led to the development of… Continue Reading Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency: Overview and Issues for Congress
Widespread concerns exist among analysts and policymakers over the current trajectory of democracy around the world. Congress has often played an important role in supporting and institutionalizing U.S. democracy promotion, and current developments may have implications for U.S. policy, which for decades has broadly reflected the view that the spread of democracy around the world… Continue Reading Global Trends in Democracy
Honduras, a Central American nation of 9 million people, has had close ties with the United States for many years. The country served as a base for U.S. operations designed to counter Soviet influence in Central America during the 1980s, and it continues to host a U.S. military presence and cooperate on antidrug efforts today.… Continue Reading Honduras
Japan is a significant partner of the United States in various foreign policy areas, particularly in security concerns, which range from hedging against Chinese military modernization to countering threats from North Korea. The U.S.-Japan military alliance, formed in 1952, grants the U.S. military the right to base U.S. troops—currently around 50,000 strong—and other military assets… Continue Reading Japan-U.S. Relations
This anthology by the George C. Marshall Chair of Military History at the Command and General Staff College traces the course of the Vietnam War from the early advising mission through the large-scale combat phase to the “Vietnamization” and eventual collapse of the South Vietnamese forces and the fall of Saigon. Dr. Jim Willbanks, a… Continue Reading Vietnam: The Course of a Conflict