Articles & Publications

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International Defense Cooperation in the 21st Century

Modern security challenges transcend national boundaries, making international cooperation essential for maintaining global stability. The National Defence College plays a pivotal role in fostering th...

Cybersecurity and National Infrastructure Protection

The digital age has brought unprecedented challenges to national security. Cyber threats now represent one of the most significant risks to critical infrastructure and government operations.Emerging T...

Strategic Leadership in Modern Defense

In today's rapidly evolving global security landscape, strategic leadership has become more critical than ever. The National Defence College remains at the forefront of developing leaders who can navi...

Identity and Iranian Nationalism

Nationalism is a set of political movements arriving at particular times under specific leadership. Such description fits the historical accounts of Iran (formerly known as Persia) as it possessed a ‘...

Threat Perception and its Impact on International Relations

When the issue of threat perception is discussed, an examination of how one state sees another state is the focus. The Balance of Threat theory was proposed by Walt (1985), whom reformed the neorealis...

Nuclear Region

The proliferation of nuclear weapons in any region is likely to create some degree of security concerns both regionally and globally; such concerns are more likely to be magnified and appear even more...

Multilateral Alliances in the Middle East

In recent times, the events taking place in the Middle East have led to an acceleration of political movements within the region. The world has watched on as the American withdrawal from Afghanistan c...

Regional Powers Conflict and the Repercussions of the American Withdrawal on the GCC Region

In recent years, China and Russia's alliance has toiled significantly to play a significant role in the international system. The GCC states have a strategic value for the United States as well as for...

Iran's Future Under the “Crusader”

Iranian policy has been clearly defined since the Islamic Revolution and Iranian politicians do not deviate from that policy. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is in control of all matters a...

UAE’s Membership of Security Council

By the 50th anniversary of the UAE Union, the UAE unleashes its achievements in various fields including political achievements. The UAE has demonstrated its important and effective role at the intern...

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The Role of Digital Economy in Supporting National Security

There is no doubt that, given the changes that are occurring in the world, particularly with the increasing reliance on digital technologies, it is no longer feasible to deal with changes in the socia...

Balance of Power in the Arab Gulf

The bipolarity between the Shia Iran and the Sunni Saudi has emerged, with surrounding states aligning accordingly – either with Iran or with the GCC. Iran’s regional policies, its nuclear programme a...

The race to dominate space: should the UAE join?

The UAE recently celebrated sending its first man into space; but the race to get to space and increasingly the race to use space technology as a tool in promoting national interests and security star...

Small States and Regional Hegemony

At the beginning of the 20th century, the British Empire extended its authority over approximately 412 million people, or 23% of the world's population at the time. In 1920, it dominated an area of 35...

The GCC and the Concept of Integration

The relatively small size of most GCC states compared to the wealth they are blessed with, given surrounding security threats has determined the need for collective action to preserve their status. Th...

Coercive Diplomacy in IR

Coercive diplomacy is one of the strategies used to achieve foreign policy objectives and is one of the best soft alternatives to resolve international conflicts. It is the most efficient means of emp...

National Security in Today’s Global Economy

Never before have countries primarily relied on their economic might rather than the power of the gun to achieve their strategic goals in foreign policy. From Washington to Beijing, through Abu Dhabi,...

The fuel of Protests in Iran: Failing Conflict Management Strategies

Shortly after the 2017 Iranian presidential elections, the streets of 75 Iranian cities witnessed demonstrations. The same people who voted are protesting, especially in poor areas, but why? Rouhani w...

STRATEGIC TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY AND THE FEATURES OF FUTURE GENERATIONS OF WAR

The actual use of trained regular armies with sophisticated weaponry such as aircraft, tanks, rockets and even weapons of mass destruction has proved ineffectiveness in the face of innovative fighting...

The UAE’s Pivotal Role in Dismantling Extremist Ideology

The UAE is leading efforts to confront extremist ideology at the regional and global level, seeking to dismantle the logic and pretexts with which it tries to influence young minds by manipulating the...

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CRAFTING COMBINED EFFECTS

My previous article discussed “planning to win.” In complex wars, winning is not an end-state, but rather a continuous process of gaining advantage through combinations of desired effects. This compet...

PLANNING TO WIN

Winning complex wars, not just battles, requires persistent effects that fit the context at hand. In this sense, “winning” is a continual process of seeking relative advantage. Combined effects are b...

COMBINED EFFECTS STRATEGY

This article on combined effects strategy is a continuation of the last two: blending theory with practice, and fundamentals of strategic thinking.  When we blend theory with practice, we do so t...

SOME FUNDAMENTALS FOR STRATEGIC THINKING

It’s easy to get distracted from thinking strategically, so let’s focus on fundamentals. Strategy is a process in which we link ends, ways and means at different levels of activity. We do this to anti...

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STRATEGIC TOOLS: NATIONAL STRATEGIC DECEPTION

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STRATEGIC APPROACHES: PROFITING FROM COMPLEXITY

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STRATEGIC CONCEPTS: THE INDIRECT APPROACH

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STRATEGIC APPROACHES THE POTENTSMART-POWER OF THE UAE

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STRATEGIC ISSUES: SOURCES OF NATIONAL STRENGTH

Strategic leaders work to advance the security and prosperity of their states by wielding power and influence on the global stage. National strength thus includes both power and influence. Joseph Nye ...

STRATEGIC ISSUES: COORDINATING NATIONAL POWER

Today our region is facing multiple strategic challenges. To act effectively against such challenges our strategic leaders must have not only an understanding of the tools of national power and how to...

STRATEGIC ISSUES: DESIRED EFFECTS OF NATIONAL POWER

Protecting the national interests of any nation requires the development of capabilities to meet a wide variety of challenges.  Although using the instruments of national power effectively can be...

Strategic Issues: Latent National Power

Protecting the national interests of any nation requires the development of capabilities to meet a wide variety of challenges. Some of those capabilities may not be necessary every day or may be too e...

Strategic Issues: Geography and Power

Strategists often talk about the complex geopolitics of our century, but many ignore one of the most obvious yet critically important foundations for international power: geographic location. Strategy...

Evolving Strategic Issues: Sovereignty and Power

Many strategic analysts talk about the complex geopolitics of our century, but most ignore one of the less understood but critically important aspects of international power: sovereignty. Strategy is ...

Strategic Challenges: the Nature of War

One of the fundamental tasks of every strategic leader is to imagine the future geopolitical circumstances and determine a best course for the nation to achieve its national interests. To do that effe...

Implementing Strategy: International Law and Conflict

Implementing national strategies in today’s world requires a full understanding of international norms for interaction among states. Those norms are not all encompassing or commonly understood but the...

Developing Strategy: Strategic Planning for the future

 The need to anticipate future change and implement coherent yet adaptable strategies that shape world events is one of the greatest challenges facing today’s national leaders. Even when the goa...

Implementing Strategy: Strategic Coalitions

The need to focus effort and implement coherent strategies is just as necessary when seeking regional and international solutions to problems as it is for domestic issues, but is much more complex. To...

Strategic Challenges: National Protection

Achieving national interests can require the use of military force, and using military force often causes a nation to review or even increase its national infrastructure protection precautions. Protec...

Strategic Challenges: National Stabilization and Reconstruction

Managing power and influence in the international system invariably produces risks and challenges that must be overcome to achieve national interests. Achieving those interests can require the use of ...

Instruments of Statecraft: Leveraging National Economic Power

Strategies are useless without effective implementation, so strategic leaders need an understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement policies through instrumen...

National Power and Culture

Many strategic analysts talk about the complex geopolitics of our century but most ignore one lesserunderstood but much more important aspect of state power: national culture. Effective security in ou...

Strategic Issues: National Resilience

Achieving the national vision requires effective security in our complex age. Unfortunately managing power and influence in the international system will produce risk and challenges will always have t...

Evolving Strategic Issues: Renewable Energy

Developing a future national vision is fundamental to security in our complex age. Crafting such a vision requires an understanding of future geopolitical circumstances and best approaches for achievi...

Evolving Strategic Issues: Space and Security

Developing a future national vision is fundamental to security in our complex age. Crafting such a vision requires an understanding of future geopolitical circumstances and best approaches for achievi...

Implementing Strategy: Focusing on the Objective

Today our region is facing multiple strategic challenges. Strategic leaders must have not only an understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement strategies and...

Implementing Strategy: Balancing Power

Strategic leaders understand that strategy is difficult. Effectively using diplomacy, military capabilities, economic power and information at the national level requires deft orchestration and artful...

Implementing Strategy: National Information Power

Strategic leaders need an in-depth understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement policies. Implementation at the national level typically involves diplomacy, ...

Implementing Strategy: The Human Security Approach

Strategic leaders need an understanding of the realities of national power and the best ways to implement strategies and policies. Some of the key elements of global power evolve over time and so our ...

Implementing Strategy: Strategic Leadership

Even the best strategy can fail without effective leadership. An understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement strategies can only benefit the nation if leade...

Implementing Strategy: Uncertainty During Conflict

National leaders need to understand the tools of state power and the ways they should be used to implement strategies, including the challenges of executing strategy during crisis or conflict. Using d...

Implementing Strategy: Foreign Aid

Strategic leaders need an understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement strategies and policies. The use of diplomacy, military capabilities and information a...

Implementing Strategy: Elements of National Power

Strategies are useless without effective implementation, so strategic leaders need an understanding of the tools of national power and the ways they may be used to implement policies. National power i...

Envisioning the Future: Evolving Regional Power Structures

Developing a future vision is one of the fundamental tasks of every strategic leader. Crafting such a vision requires an understanding of future geopolitical circumstances and selection of a best appr...

Envisioning the Future: The Character of War

One of the fundamental roles of every strategic leader is to develop a future vision. Crafting such a vision requires leaders to imagine the future geopolitical circumstances and determine a best cour...

Envisioning the Future: Unipolarity or Multipolarity?

One of the fundamental roles of a strategic leader is to refine and fulfill the future vision for the state. One fundamental aspect of such a vision requires strategic leaders to envision the geopolit...

International Governmental Organizations – Powerbrokers of the 21st Century

Today’s global strategic landscape includes more than nations; International Governmental Organizations (IGOs) – groups composed of sovereign states – are assuming a critical role on the world stage. ...

Military Training and Education - Building Capacity for Modernization and Uncertainty

Military training and education improve the capabilities of military personnel in their respective roles and responsibilities. Due to the high degree of readiness required in the military, each indivi...

A Slow Strategic Current – Demography and National Power

IbnKhaldūn, Niccolò Machiavelli and other Realist theorists propose that Thucydides’ Melian Dialogue— that the strong do what they will; the weak suffer what they must —illustrates a fundamental facto...

Improved Food and Water Security – a Domestic Imperative

Mohammad Abdel Raouf wrote recently in Gulf News that “there is no doubt that water is essential for all forms of life. Besides its importance for maintaining healthy ecosystems, it is a fundamental r...

WMD Proliferation – An Underestimated Strategic Challenge

Many people are focused on the traditional challenge of proliferation – the growth of national nuclear capabilities, particularly Iran. However, a number of similar, and equally deadly challenges rema...

Regional Instability – Today’s Primary Challenge

Syria today, Egypt last month, Turkey the month before…. It is not surprising that humans crave stability in life, since instability, particularly region-wide instability, can have significant negativ...

Illicit Trafficking – An Underestimated Strategic Challenge

No one would fail to value tariff and trade policies as a strategic issue, but many seem to ignore the implications of several types of illicit trade that pose significant strategic threats to all nat...

Security, Non-state Actors and Sovereignty - an Evolving Landscape

Today’s complex world is evolving to include an ever greater number of powerbrokers. Traditionally, analysts considered the nation-state as the fundamental element in global security, but since the en...

Strategies for a Complex World

Today’s world is a complex place. With so many new global connections, understanding the strategic implications of any world event now requires better than average judgment. In just one short example,...