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The Role of Force & the Armed Forces in post-Cold War US Foreign Policy: What have we learned? Cautionary lessons for the next administration, a Security Policy Working Group symposium at Parsons: The New School for Design, NYC, 10 April 2008. Presentations: Andrew Bacevich, "The Bush Doctrine: Origins and Demise" (Podcast); Carl Conetta, "Out from the House of War: A Litmus for New Leadership in Security Policy" (printable .pdf format)

Cul de Sac: 9/11 and the Paradox of American Power (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Research Monograph #13, 05 February 2008. Post-Cold War US security policy evinces a disturbing paradox: it has been delivering less and less security at ever increasing cost. The reasons reside not in the differences between the Bush and Clinton administration, but in their points of similarity.

A Prisoner to Primacy (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #43, 05 February 2008. The United States is entering a period of policy transition, but there is a dearth of new thinking regarding security policy. The debate remains paralyzed by 9/11 and mesmerized by military primacy. Progress depends on rethinking the role of force.

Toward a Sustainable US Defense Posture: An Option to save $60+ Billion Over the Next Five Years (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #42, 02 August 2007. Fiscal realities and public opinion may compel a cut in US defense spending. The memo outlines an option to save $60+ billion over the next five years by reducing fighter aircraft and aircraft carrier fleets.

Unified Security Budget for the United States, 2008, Foreign Policy in Focus and the Center for Defense Information, April 2007. Proposal re-balances defense, homeland security, and international affairs expenditures. PDA is a member of report's task force.

Dissuading China and Fighting the 'Long War', World Policy Journal. The 2006 US Defense Review advanced two new strategic vectors for the US armed forces - one targets a putative "global Islamic insurgency"; the other puts America on a collison course with China.

America Speaks Out: Is the United States Spending Too Much on Defense? (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #41, 26 March 2007. Today, the United States is responsible for half of total world military spending. A recent Gallup poll shows that Americans are beginning to have second thoughts.

No Good Reason to Boost Army, Marine Corps End Strength
(full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) by Carl Conetta, PDA Briefing Report #20, 31 January 2007. Adding 92,000 personnel to US ground forces will enable an indefinite stay in Iraq. The plan misconstrues the lessons of Iraq and America's security needs. The memo also reviews recent and possible future deployment patterns.

Resolving Iraq: Progress Depends on a Short Timeline for US Troop Withdrawal (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #40, 18 January 2007. The large-scale US military presence in Iraq makes sustainable progress toward peace and stability there impossible. A new international effort is needed.

More Troops for Iraq? Time to Just Say "No" (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #39, 09 January 2007. Troop surge will not turn the tide of war because the mission is founded on strategic error. The memo reviews relevant data on troop strength, insurgent activity, and Iraqi public opinion.

War & Consequences:  Global Terrorism has Increased Since 9/11 Attacks (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #38, 25 September 2006. Data on the relationship between the Iraq war and terrorism.

Losing Hearts and Minds: World Public Opinion and post-9/11 US Security Policy (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), PDA Briefing Memo #37, 14 September 2006. Global public opinion has turned strongly against US leadership since 9/11.

Fighting on Borrowed Time: The Effect on US Military Readiness of America's post-9/11 Wars (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) by Carl Conetta, PDA Briefing Report #19, 11 September 2006. High optempo in Iraq and Afghanistan degrades readiness for other missions.

Pyrrhus on the Potomac: How America's post-9/11 wars have undermined US national security (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) by Carl Conetta, PDA Briefing Report #18, 05 September 2006. Al Qaeda has been disrupted, but US wars have stimulated new threats, while weakening the nation's defenses.

Are We Safer? Five Years After the September 11th Attacks
Nine essays by the Security Policy Working Group, September 2006.

We Can See Clearly Now:  The Limits of Foresight in the pre-World War II Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) by Carl Conetta, PDA Research Monograph #12, 02 March 2006. Irresolvable uncertainty attends every military revolution. "Early adopters" are often revisionist powers willing to take risks.

QDR 2006:  Do The Forces Match the Missions? DOD Gives Little Reason to Believe (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf), by Carl Conetta, PDA Briefing Memo #36, 10 February 2006.

Arms Control in an Age of Strategic and Military Revolution (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) by Carl Conetta, PDA Research Monograph #11, 15 November 2005. The impact of military transformation and US primacy on arms control. Reviews advances in precision and directed energy weapons, military robots, and "nonlethal" weapons.

Vicious Circle:  The Dynamics of Occupation and Resistance in Iraq, Part One. Patterns of Popular Discontent (full text .html) (printable full text .pdf) (executive summary .html) by Carl Conetta. PDA Research Monograph #10, 18 May 2005. Iraqi public opinion data suggest that US military activity creates support for the insurgency.