Alexandra T. Evans

Overview

Commentary

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  Thinking in (Napoleonic) Times: Historical Warnings for an Era of Great-Power Competition

  Over the last several years, great-power competition has become a major topic of discussion, prompting policymakers, scholars, and pundits alike to look to the past for lessons to explain the emerging contest between the United States and China. Considering how a variety of historical powers have faced rising challengers can aid our understanding of the challenges ahead.

  Dec 18, 2020 War on the Rocks

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  Carter's Compromise: Cowardice or Calculation?

  Jørgen Jensehaugen's Arab-Israeli Diplomacy Under Carter is a valuable addition to the literature on American peacemaking efforts that deepens our understanding of the difficult choices future administrations will confront in their effort to defuse the Arab-Israeli conflict.

  Dec 20, 2019 Texas National Security Review

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  Bad Idea: Assuming the Small Wars Era Is Over

  The national security community doesn't need to deny the potential for future great power conflict—or neglect to prepare for it—in order to acknowledge the enduring reality of asymmetric threats. Containing, resolving, and even preventing smaller conflicts is essential to avoiding bigger ones.

  Dec 18, 2019 Center for Strategic and International Studies

Publications

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  Report

  A History of the Third Offset, 2014–2018

  The authors describe the Third Offset -- a U.S. strategy centered on the potential of technology to offset Chinese and Russian military advances and that shaped the 2018 National Defense Strategy -- focusing on efforts to effect institutional change.

  Mar 31, 2021

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  Research Brief

  The Role of U.S. Airpower in Defeating ISIS

  The United States used airpower in Syria and Iraq to halt ISIS's momentum and help defeat the organization, without committing a large number of ground forces.

  Feb 12, 2021

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  Report

  The Air War Against the Islamic State: The Role of Airpower in Operation Inherent Resolve

  Airpower played a pivotal role in the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State from 2014 to 2019 and contributed to the success of Operation Inherent Resolve, but airpower alone would not have been likely to defeat the militant organization.

  Feb 5, 2021

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  Report

  The Evolution of U.S. Military Policy from the Constitution to the Present, Volume II: The Formative Years for U.S. Military Policy, 1898–1940

  The authors show that there is no such thing as a "traditional" U.S. military policy. Rather, the laws that authorize, empower, and govern the U.S. armed forces emerged from long-standing debates and legislative compromises between 1903 and 1940.

  Jun 23, 2020

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  Report

  The Evolution of U.S. Military Policy from the Constitution to the Present, Volume IV: The Total Force Policy Era, 1970–2015

  The authors show that there is no such thing as a "traditional" U.S. military policy. Rather, the laws that authorize, empower, and govern the U.S. armed forces emerged from long-standing debates and legislative compromises between 1903 and 1940.

  Jun 23, 2020

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  Report

  Tracking and Disrupting the Illicit Antiquities Trade with Open Source Data

  The sale of illicit goods provides an important funding source for terrorist organizations, organized crime, and rogue states. The authors of this report use open-source data to examine these networks and guide future policy to disrupt the trade.

  May 12, 2020