Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Ian Brzezinski cited in the Economist on NATO’s future relationship with China

Ian Brzezinski was quoted in the Economist on policy options NATO could take to address China's rise and malign activities.

Packard and Jensen in War on the Rocks: Washington needs to rethink its China strategy

By Atlantic Council

Reviewing the Trump administration's current China strategy, Marine Corps University Assistant Professor Nathan Packard and Forward Defense Senior Fellow Benjamin Jensen advance points of convergence and divergence, while examining critical flaws.

NATO secretary general unveils his vision for the Alliance’s future

By David A. Wemer

On June 8, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg laid out his plans for a new period of reflection on the Alliance’s mission and structure over the next ten years. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated certain security threats to member states, including “unabated” Russian military activity, the spread of disinformation and propaganda, and the disruptive ascendance of China, NATO “must stay strong militarily, be more united politically, and take a broader approach globally,” he stated.

Increase NATO’s operational reach: Expanding the NATO SOF network

By Thang Q. Tran

NATO cannot safeguard the coalition’s interests unilaterally. Strategic investments in NATO Special Operations Forces (SOF) to expand the NATO SOF Network will provide political and military leaders the full range of options in response to emerging threats—both hybrid and conventional—through strong partnerships within the Alliance and with partners.

Artificial intelligence principles: Avoiding catastrophe

By Robert A. Manning

An urgent challenge for the coming decade is to forge a global consensus to operationalize widely-shared ethical principles, standards, and norms to govern the development and use of artificial intelligence.

Jensen and Van Echo in War on the Rocks: How to factor strategic competition into wargaming and PME

By Atlantic Council

Reviewing lessons from their Agile Competition wargame series, Forward Defense Senior Fellow Benjamin Jensen and Marine Corps officer Lt Col Matthew Van Echo advance a new approach to wargaming in the era of great-power competition.

Geometries of deterrence: Assessing defense arrangements in Europe’s northeast

By Hans Binnendijk and Conor Rodihan

Nations in Europe's northeast cooperate through a variety of multilateral security and defense arrangements. "Geometries of Deterrence" assesses how these arrangements individually and collectively contribute to deterrence and defense in Northeastern Europe.

Executive summary: The virus and global order

By Jeffrey Cimmino, Matthew Kroenig, and Barry Pavel

The COVID-19 pandemic is having dramatic effects on everyday life, but its geopolitical implications could prove to be even more profound. The pandemic is exacerbating and unleashing pressure points in the global order, including intensified US-China competition, that could fundamentally reshape geopolitics.

Pavel in Defense One: Pandemic raises likelihood of great-power conflict

By Atlantic Council

On June 1, Defense One published an article by Scowcroft Center Director Barry Pavel titled: “The Coronavirus is Raising the Likelihood of Great-Power Conflict.” The article addresses the intensifying military operations in the western Pacific and warns of potential escalation if efforts are not calibrated carefully.