Digital Commons Network^™

Algorithms In Battle: Ai, International Relations, And Future Warfare, Nikos Koutsoupias, Kyriakos Mikelis, Marios Nosios

Journal of Strategic Security

This study examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in transforming contemporary warfare, with a particular emphasis on its applications in unmanned aerial platforms, sensor networks, and decision-support architectures. The analysis examines current operational uses, the algorithmic processes that enable them, and empirical insights drawn from the Russian-Ukrainian War. Findings indicate that machine learning enhances key military functions, including surveillance, navigation, targeting, fire coordination, and maintaining communication networks under conditions of electronic disruption. The emergence of loitering munitions and autonomous navigation systems reflects a pattern of incremental innovation, wherein automation augments operational efficiency without displacing human authority in decisions involving …

Escalation By Algorithm, Restraint By Architecture: Pakistan’S Military Ai Divergence, Sajjad Ahmed, Ahmad Nizar Yaakub, Asma Javed

Journal of Strategic Security

Debates on military artificial intelligence (AI) remain skewed toward great power dynamics, oscillating between techno-optimist celebrations of speed and techno-pessimist warnings of collapse. This binary overlooks how middle powers, operating under nuclearized rivalry and asymmetric sanction risk, embed restraint into organizational and technical practice. This article develops Systems Restrained Realism (SRR), a framework that extends defensive realism into the machine age by theorizing restraint as a deliberate doctrinal posture rather than a symptom of incapacity. Using Pakistan as a critical case, the study draws on expert interviews, procurement manuals, and UN submissions to demonstrate how restraint is operationalized through latency …

Youtube As A Tool For Digital Diplomacy And Strategic Security: A Comparative Analysis Of Russia And Kazakhstan, Bekzat Baktybekovna Baktybekova, Elmira Kagazbaeva, Botagoz Ali

Journal of Strategic Security

In the context of growing competition in the information space, digital diplomacy is gaining key importance for the strategic security of states. This study analyzes how Russia and Kazakhstan use the YouTube platform to promote their foreign policy narratives, shape the image of the state, and strengthen digital sovereignty. Based on a qualitative analysis of 60 videos (30 for each country) published by official government channels between 2020 and 2024, differences in strategies, visual codes, tonality, and patterns of interaction with the audience were identified. The Russian approach is characterized by an aggressive narrative, antagonism to Western structures, and a …

Analysis Of Security Concerns In India-Central Asia Relations, Anmol Mukhia, Anurag Tripathi, Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari

Journal of Strategic Security

India-Central Asia relations have gained strategic significance driven by its historical ties, growing economic interests, and, most importantly, evolving security dynamics. This article deals with multifaceted security concerns such as drug trafficking, terrorism, radicalization, and the implications of instability in Afghanistan. The findings show that security concerns in the region, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan, constitute a significant obstacle, alongside geographical challenges, to India’s connectivity with the Central Asian Republics (CARS). India’s rising aspiration to increase connectivity and build closer ties with the region in energy, trade, and commerce heavily relies on a peaceful, prosperous, and stable Central and South …

The Offense-Defense Balance And The Modern System In Ukraine, Daniel Hogestyn

Master in Public Policy Theses

This thesis evaluates whether the Russo Ukrainian war represents a revolution in military affairs (RMA) by testing Stephen Biddle’s "modern system" theory of battlefield outcomes against recent combat operations. Applying Biddle’s formal model to the 2023 Ukrainian offensive in Zaporizhia, the thesis finds that the offensive's failure conforms closely to Biddle’s causal logic, with force employment variables drawn from 20th century combat sufficient to account for the outcome. Biddle's model in military power argues that force employment has explained victory and defeat since World War I, rather than technology or numerical preponderance alone. Many commentators claim that proliferation of small …

Navigating Power Play: Sri Lanka’S Strategic Role In Indo-Pacific Geopolitics, Neeraj Singh Manhas, Jyot Shikar Singh, Tilak Raj Sharma

Journal of Strategic Security

The Indo-Pacific’s geopolitical significance has surged due to China’s assertive rise, prompting the QUAD nations to counterbalance Beijing’s influence. Sri Lanka, a strategically located island state, emerges as a key hub for global trade and security. It examines how Sri Lanka navigates its geopolitical position to achieve national goals while balancing the interests of larger powers. Lastly, Colombo’s strategic engagements with major powers and regional frameworks highlight efforts to assert agency and amplify the voices of smaller island states. Despite its strategic importance, Sri Lanka’s agency is constrained by power asymmetries in the Indo-Pacific, contributing to understanding small-state geopolitics.

Review:Linklater, Andrew. Violence And Civilization In The Western States-Systems. Cambridge University Press, 2017., Stephen T. Satkiewicz

Comparative Civilizations Review

The late Andrew Linklater (1949-2023) has been considered one of the most influential scholars within the field of International Relations. This was the result of his innovative synthesis into the field, with others, of the historical sociology of Norbert Elias (1897- 1990), work that addressed the long-term figuration processes of societies. This synthesis was enriched with the insights of the English School of International Relations, as devised by Martin Wight (1913-1972) and Hedley Bull (1932-1985), scholars who analyzed the many and differing interlocking networks and connections amongst geopolitical actors on the world stage. These efforts led Linklater to his final …

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

What’S Wrong With These Pictures? A Critique Of Waltz, Walt And Mcfaul, Jan Niklas Rolf

Journal of Strategic Security

Reflecting on the ideas that have been offered to explain interstate conflict, Kenneth Waltz famously identified three images of war. Waltz’s method to rule out certain causes as the underlying causes of war was to identify constant and variable variables. The fact that the variety in one variable is not matched by the variety in another variable then allowed him to question the assumed causal relationship between the two variables. But whereas in Man, the State, and War he argued that agency, because of its constancy, cannot explain variations in war and peace, in his later book Theory of International …

Arms Up Or Down? The Effect Of International Organization Membership On Military Expenditures, Maria Christina Kardash

Student Publications

In this paper, I investigate the relationship between the total number of international organizations a state is involved in and its military expenditures as a percentage of GDP. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative analysis, I find support for my hypothesis that the more international organizations a state is a member of, the less a state will expend on its military. Qualitatively, I focus on the three main theories of international relations (realism, liberalism, and constructivism) to construct a theoretical foundation for my paper. Under realism, I focus on free riding behavior, under liberalism, I center on non-military priorities, and under …

India’S Policy Shift Towards Afghanistan Under De Facto Taliban Government, Neha Manhas, Sitakanta Mishra

Journal of Strategic Security

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is no longer at the forefront of the global agenda, though after four years of its rule, the Islamic Emirate strives for global legitimacy. India, one of the major partners in the reconstruction of Afghanistan since 2001, has drastically minimized its role, and no major attempt was made to deal with the Taliban until the withdrawal of US/NATO forces in 2021. Similarly, the Taliban regime in turn has not made any breakthrough with India in its diplomatic pursuits. However, sporadic meetings between the Indian and Taliban government officials have taken place, leading to speculation …

U.S. Withdrawal From Afghanistan And Realignment Of Eurasian Rival Powers, Toghrul Seyidbayli

Journal of Strategic Security

This article explores the geopolitical ramifications of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, focusing on how it has catalyzed strategic realignments among China, Russia, and Iran in Eurasia. By examining the withdrawal’s impact on the regional power dynamics, the article analyzes how these revisionist states have exploited the resulting power vacuum to assert their influence and challenge the existing international order. China has used this moment to expand its Belt and Road Initiative, Russia has felt emboldened to escalate its military actions in Ukraine, and Iran, despite regional setbacks, remains determined in pursuing its revisionist strategy in Eurasia. The study employs …

Tensions In The Arctic: Avoiding Escalation, Emma Loeber

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

The Arctic has long been considered a place of peace and scientific cooperation largely unaffected by international tensions. In the past decade, however, climate change has made the Northern Sea Route (NSR) increasingly navigable, and its status as an important trade route in a time of recurring great power rivalry has increased tensions in the Arctic. Coupled with the Arctic’s strategic location for both Russia and the United States, this has led to the militarization of the region and fears of a security dilemma that could lead to escalation and conflict. This paper will focus on the eight Arctic states …

Deterrence, Détente, Disarmament: German Relations With Nato And Russia Since Reunification, James Mroczka

Honors Theses

One consequence of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine was the German Chancellor’s declaration of a turning point in his country’s foreign policy. Although Germany is a loyal liberal democracy, it is noted for its staunch efforts to mediate between its Western friends, especially its NATO allies, and Russia. However, the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war has become emblematic of the persistent cooling of relations between these factions. This historical moment has thus called into question the efficacy of certain longstanding aspects of German foreign policy, including its attempts at mediation. Many of Germany’s behaviors seem deeply entrenched, however.

This begs the …

Weapons Of Mass Disruption: How Small States Use Cyber To Resist Larger Powers, Russell Alexander Korb

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This paper examines the ways in which small states can engage larger actors using cyber- attacks. Since the end of both World Wars, small states have increased in both numbers and relevance, with strong international institutions and norms against military aggression allowing small states to gain legitimacy by the very act of participating in the international system. However, although small states can now do more than simply choose a larger, stronger benefactor to ward off their enemies, they still cannot defy larger powers outright due to the still- dramatic difference in capabilities between them. Those small states interested in confronting …

The Future Of War: Kill-Chain Supremacy And Ukraine's Lessons, Ashley Ruiz

Journal of Strategic Security

The war in Ukraine has reshaped contemporary understandings of how wars are fought and sustained. This article argues that the defining characteristic of modern warfare is not only the compression of kill chains – the sequence linking detection, decision, and destruction – but their diversification and resilience under continuous disruption. Drawing on empirical evidence from Ukraine’s integration of unmanned systems, digital battle management tools, and artificial intelligence, the analysis demonstrates how technological acceleration can yield short-term tactical advantages while exposing long-term structural vulnerabilities. Russia’s extensive use of electronic warfare, hybrid attacks, and adaptive countermeasures reveals that kill-chain supremacy is both …

Sacralizing Security: Orthodoxy And Securitization In Russia’S War On Ukraine, Bayram Aliyev

Journal of Strategic Security

This article analyzes Russia’s religious securitization of the Ukraine war. It argues that securitizing actors in the Kremlin and the Moscow Patriarchate present Orthodoxy, Russian civilization, and traditional moral values as referent objects under existential threat. Using a corpus of strategy texts, speeches, and sermons, the study identifies a triad of narratives, sacred war, moral decline, and anti-Westernism, that structure public messaging. These narratives authorize extraordinary measures, from mobilization and legal restrictions to symbolic acts involving icons and clergy. The article proposes a layered framework that connects soft power instruments to sharper techniques in crisis, showing how religious language reshapes …

The Evolving Landscape Of European Security: An Assessment Of Nato’S Posture And Deterrence Strategies In Response To The Russia-Ukraine War, Goddy U. Osimen, Oluwakemi Fulani, Nesochi Mogbolu

Journal of Strategic Security

The Russia-Ukraine War has reshaped Europe’s security landscape, leading to NATO’s most significant transformation since the Cold War. This study explores how the conflict has prompted NATO to realign its deterrence and defence strategies in response to Russia’s violations of international norms and changing battlefield dynamics. Employing a qualitative analysis of academic literature, official documents and credible reports, this study argues that NATO has shifted from assurance to a more assertive deterrence approach, enhancing its forward presence, increasing defence spending, and adopting effective new technologies. Key findings reveal important lessons about modern warfare, particularly the roles of artillery, unmanned systems, …

Empowering U.S. Allies In The Indo-Pacific: An "America First" Approach To Great Power Competition, Nathaniel Benjamin

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The Indo-Pacific is the primary area for Great Power Competition between the United States and China. China’s rapid but cautious rise has allowed it to achieve a position that threatens to upset the norms and rules of the U.S.-led system in the region. The second Trump Administration has pursued an “America First” policy since taking office in January 2025, but pushing U.S. allies to take on more responsibility for their own defense will not be enough. U.S. allies are major regional players and should be trusted to uphold the principles of the current international system; therefore the U.S. must limit …

Review Forum : Intervention Before Interventionism : A Global Genealogy. By Patrick Quinton-Brown. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2024., Robbie Shilliam, Lina Benabdallah, Heloise Weber, Craig N. Murphy, Samuel Moyn, Jennifer M. Welsh, Patrick Quinton-Brown

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

What if core concepts in International Relations (IR) yielded multiple interpretations that were connected to various political projects, pursued with differing consequences for global governance? What would be the harm of teaching one interpretation as the only interpretation, connected to the only project, with a singular consequence? How might our analysis of the present and our expectations of the future shift if we pluralized our understandings of the political life of core concepts? Patrick Quinton-Brown's book challenges us to do so with one of the core concepts of IR: intervention.Intervention before interventionism joins recent critiques of the Responsibility to Protect …

Book Review: War In Ukraine: Conflict, Strategy, And The Return Of A Fractured World, John C. Erickson, John A. Nagl

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Editor: Hal Brands

Reviewed by John C. Erickson, senior engineer, Axiom Technologies, and Dr. John A. Nagl, professor of war-fighting studies, US Army War College

John Erickson and John Nagl review Hal Brands’s 2024 anthology on the Russia-Ukraine War, including a thorough and helpful overview of the parts and chapters. They supplement the review with a contextualization of the war and its significance for the rest of the world. They call Brands’s book, “a scholarly appraisal of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that may mark the first blows of World War III.”

Parameters Autumn 2024, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Autumn 2024 issue of Parameters. The Autumn issue consists of a special piece from the US Army War College Commandant and Provost on their strategic vision for the college, three In Focus special commentaries, three forums (Cooperative Partnerships, Professional Development, and Historical Studies), two regular forums (A Major’s Perspective and the Civil-Military Relations Corner), and a review essay focused on strategy in India.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

The Security Dilemma And Arms Race Dynamics In Europe’S Response To The Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Brice Tseen Fu Lee, Filip Komšić, Juan Pablo Sims

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

This paper examines the escalation of military expenditures in Europe in response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, through the lens of the security dilemma. The security dilemma, a fundamental concept in international relations, describes how the defensive actions of one state can provoke perceptions of threat among others, potentially leading to an arms race. By analyzing military spending data from 2019 to 2023 for key European countries including Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Azerbaijan, Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of GDP, this study highlights how nations closest to the conflict, …

Comparing The Us Response To The Soviet Invasion Of Afghanistan And The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine: Learning From The Past And Planning For The Future, Zachary Hogan

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

As the Russo-Ukrainian war continues to rage, the decisions of the present are of paramount importance. In order to make the most positive and well-supported decisions in this ongoing conflict, it would be wise to look to past instances of similar situations. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan is such an instance. The parallels between the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the past Soviet invasion of Afghanistan are extensive and, more importantly, informative for U.S. foreign policy. It is with this lens that this paper will pursue a historical foreign policy analysis of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, its circumstances and …

Analyzing And Understanding America’S Foreign Policy Decisions And Strategies Throughout The Bosnian War, Hope Rhind '25

Global Studies Student Scholarship

Hope Rhind ’25, Global Studies

Analysis And Application Of The Offense-Defense Theory: Russia, Ukraine, And History., Kirby Ballard

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Political scientists and government advisors have long sought to understand what influences conflicts and how to predict them. Despite constant war, a commonly used empirical theory that can answer this question has not emerged. The majority of theories created are either conflict-specific or not empirically testable. Considering these factors, I sought out a theory that would help me better understand Russia's choice to invade Ukraine in the spring of 2022. I selected the offense-defense theory due to its many attempts to explain territorial conquest, the likeliness of conflict, and overall losses. The main focus of the theory is to explain …

Deterring The Digital Dragon, Bryn Lacey

Theses

Australia’s 21st century has been heavily influenced by a growing number of cyber incidents ranging from individuals causing extraordinary damage to state-based attacks from adversary states such as China. Focusing on state actors in the cyber domain, this thesis investigates Martin Libicki’s cyber-deterrence framework, with a specific emphasis on the employment of deterrence by punishment, and applies this concept to the case study of the relationship between Australia and China.

In recent years, Australia has been consistently targeted by sophisticated state-based cyber actors and the Australian Government has appeared increasingly prepared to publicly criticise Beijing as a key security challenge. …

Determining The Impact Of The U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program On The Proliferation Of Democracy, Matteo Garofalo

Journal of Strategic Security

The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program is one of two systems by which foreign nations can purchase U.S. military technologies, and it is additionally the largest component of U.S. foreign security cooperation assistance. As such, it functions as a key tool in the arsenal of U.S. foreign policy, and is therefore tasked with supporting foreign policy objectives, such as the promotion of democracy abroad. This study analyzes all nations to have received FMS sales (for which data has been made available) to determine if either the receipt of FMS contracts impacts their level of democracy, or, alternatively, if changes in …

The Progressive Case For American Power: Retrenchment Would Do More Harm Than Good, Megan A. Stewart, Jonathan B. Petkun, Mara R. Revkin

Faculty Scholarship

After more than 20 years of costly military adventures, the United States has failed to root out extremism or bring liberal democracy to the oppressed. Thousands of American soldiers have lost their lives in the failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond—and the death toll among civilians is in the millions. In the wake of these calamities, progressives have united around an overriding foreign policy prescription: the United States should jettison its world-dominating ambitions, restrain itself from taking on new commitments, and retrench from the world, shrinking the U.S. military’s footprint. In think tanks and universities, progressives are calling on …