A Conversation with Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis

As Taiwan Builds Resilience, Lai’s Tough Stance on China Risks Escalating Tensions

Thursday, October 10, 2024

By: Jennifer Staats, Ph.D.; Naiyu Kuo

Facing a growing threat from China, Taiwan has taken several steps in recent years to strengthen its defense and deterrence capabilities. Predictably, much of this has involved traditional military initiatives, such as increased defense spending, investments in asymmetric capabilities and the extension of compulsory military service for men from four to 12 months. Elected this January, President William Lai Ching-te is continuing that work, but also stressing the role that civil society can play in preventing a war. By enhancing civil-military integration, improving preparedness across society and building overall resilience, Taiwan aims to erode Beijing's confidence in its ability to swiftly and easily seize control of the island. But to successfully deter an attack and preserve the cross-Strait status quo, leaders in Taipei must demonstrate resolve while avoiding unnecessary provocation.

Type: Analysis

Civilian-Military Relations; Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Argentina’s Milei Wants ‘Reconciliation’ with the Military

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

By: Richard M. Sanders

On March 24, Argentina’s presidency released a video aimed at providing what it called a “complete” vision of the country’s “National Day of Memory for Truth and Justice,” an annual holiday held on the anniversary of the 1976 coup d’etat that established the military regime that ruled the country until 1983.

Type: Analysis

Civilian-Military Relations

Report of the Expert Study Group on NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners

Monday, February 19, 2024

By: USIP Expert Study Group on NATO and Indo-Pacific Partners

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and its four partner countries in the Indo-Pacific—Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and New Zealand—have entered a period of increased engagement. This engagement is taking shape in the context of the war waged by the Russian Federation (Russia) against Ukraine, NATO’s growing awareness of the security challenges posed by the People’s Republic of China (China), and important structural changes in the international system, including the return of strategic competition between the United States and China and Russia. It is occurring not only in bilateral NATO-partner relations but also between NATO and these Indo-Pacific countries as a group.

Type: Report

Conflict Analysis & Prevention; Civilian-Military Relations; Global Policy; Mediation, Negotiation & Dialogue

Senior Study Group for the Sahel: Final Report and Recommendations

Thursday, January 18, 2024

By: Bipartisan Senior Study Group for the Sahel

The United States has not traditionally viewed the Sahel as a region of vital interest, whether in terms of security or from an economic or business perspective. This has led to a pattern of reactive involvement shaped by the circumstances of specific events rather than proactive commitments. This pattern reveals the lack of a comprehensive strategy for the volatile Western Sahel region, which includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. In April 2022, President Joe Biden announced that the US government would advance the “U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability” in coastal West Africa by prioritizing a partnership with Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, and Togo.

Type: Report

Civilian-Military Relations; Democracy & Governance; Peace Processes; Violent Extremism

United States Institute of Peace