Recently, Brazil became the 6th largest economy and economic growth provides means for enhancing defense capabilities and global presence in dealing with defense. Brazil will boost its military presence in the Amazon region to protect its huge natural resources from any external threat, Defense Minister Celso Amorim told the Senate…
By Richard Weitz The fourth discussion panel at the April 2012 Army War College Annual Strategy Conference assessed the roles and missions of the U.S. civilian agencies in coming years, especially those of the State Department. Dr. Peter Feaver Dr. Peter Feaver, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at…
By Richard Weitz U.S. officials say it is too early to begin formal negotiations with Moscow on the next step in nuclear arms control. In the interim, they will concentrate on “doing their homework” on the complexities involved, both within the U.S. government, as a follow-on to the 2010 Nuclear…
By Richard Weitz The second panel discussion at the April 2012 Army War College annual strategy conference offered international perspectives on the U.S. role in the world. LTG (UK, Ret) P.R. Newton, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Exeter University in the United Kingdom, discussed the meaning of…
By Richard Weitz From the perspective of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and its allies, the situation on the Peninsula is extremely unsettling. The DPRK looks set to resume testing its nuclear weapons as well as test launch more long-range ballistic missiles. Together, these capabilities could render the continental United…
By Lieutenant General (Retired) Michael Dunn, President, Air Force Association I have been seeing “trial balloons” in the press about the Administration's desire to go to lower numbers of nuclear warheads … beyond those listed in New START. Some of the numbers are as low as 300 warheads. (For example…
By Richard Weitz The first panel at the U.S. Army War College conference assessed the meaning and consequences of the United States having entered “An Age of Austerity.” Lawrence Korb Lawrence Korb, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, argued that defense planners always have to accept some risk…
By Richard Weitz This year’s U. S. Army War College Strategy Conference, which met from April 10-12, focused on “The Future of U.S. Grand Strategy in an Age of Austerity: Challenges and Opportunities.” The Hon. Richard Armitage, a career diplomat and the former Deputy Secretary of State for the George…