France

Teachers and Teaching

blog
Stress Among U.S. Teachers, Russia's Global Interests, Investing in Equity: RAND Weekly Recap
This weekly recap focuses on job-related stress among U.S. public school teachers, Russia's global interests, promoting social equity through infrastructure investments, and more.
Read More »
Jun 18, 2021

Military Strategy

commentary
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.
Read More »
Dec 18, 2020
Alexandra T. Evans @AlexandraTEvans
Military Strategy

commentary
Grand Strategy Is Total: French Gen. Andre Beaufré on the Nuclear Age
Gen. André Beaufre, the father of contemporary French strategic thought, epitomizes better than anyone the traits that make modern French military theory unusually rich. He is also a key for accessing a rich and distinctly different way of thinking about war with direct applications for today, whether one is pondering Afghanistan or how to deal with China.
Read More »
Oct 8, 2020
Michael Shurkin
Military Doctrine

commentary
Modern War for Romantics: Ferdinand Foch and the Principles of War
Recent American military history suggests civilian and military leaders could benefit from studying French military strategy. For those who wish to understand French military thinking, the place to start is with Marshal Ferdinand Foch.
Read More »
Jul 8, 2020
Michael Shurkin
Mali

commentary
Why the UK May Be Sending Troops to Mali
The UK government's decision to deploy an additional 250 soldiers to join the United Nations mission in Mali might be in Britain's security interests. Such deployments display the UK's commitment to international security and may well form a critical part of its post-BREXIT diplomacy.
Read More »
Mar 16, 2020
Michael Shurkin
West Africa

commentary
Abandoning West Africa Carries Risks for U.S.
News that the U.S. Department of Defense is contemplating a major drawdown in West Africa comes as the region is in crisis. For Americans, the Sahel crisis raises a fundamental question: Beyond basic humanitarian concern, if the Sahel falls apart, why should Americans care?
Read More »
Jan 3, 2020
Michael Shurkin
Mali

commentary
Mali Violence Shows Limits of Intervention
Each year brings more violence to Mali and its neighbors. Mali and Burkina Faso are rapidly destabilizing; the situation in Niger is less dire, but that is hardly a commendation. Why is the violence in Mali getting worse given the significant efforts by the international community to stem it?
Read More »
Nov 22, 2019
Michael Shurkin
Military Doctrine

commentary
The Insurgent Counter-Insurgent: The French Army's Hero and Some Truths About Modern Warfare
When asked about their heroes, one name comes up with French Army officers more than any other: Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc. Saint Marc lived an extraordinary life, to be sure. But his story also contains important lessons about modern warfare and counter-insurgency warfare in particular, the work of training local forces, and the imperative of aligning military means with realistic political objectives.
Read More »
Jul 25, 2019
Michael Shurkin
Border and Port Security

commentary
Is Macron Set to 'Take Back Control' of UK-France Border After Brexit?
As French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in London for the 35th UK-France Summit, there is growing French discomfort with arrangements at the UK-France border. The UK's decision to leave the European Union has added new urgency to this already fraught debate.
Read More »
Jan 17, 2018
James Black, Sarah Grand-Clement
Military Doctrine

commentary
Meet France's War Philosophers
Gen. Vincent Desportes and Col. Michel Goya draw on careers focused on the study and practice of war and share a grimmer and more Hobbesian vision than what one normally meets in French public debates. This makes them appealing guides to the dark world in which the French now find themselves.
Read More »
Jan 5, 2018
Michael Shurkin
Counterinsurgency

commentary
Mali Is France's Afghanistan, but with a Difference
At first glance the comparison between the French military operations in Mali and America’s involvement in Afghanistan is compelling, and in some important ways, accurate. It also presents some fundamental differences that give reason for optimism in France.
Read More »
Dec 1, 2017
Stephanie Pezard @StephaniePezard, Michael Shurkin
Counterterrorism

commentary
What Is the Sahel G5 Force and Why Should the U.S. Support It?
The French Joint Force G-5 Sahel plan offers the possibility of strengthening the Sahel nations' efforts to combat terrorism. Supporting the French initiative is a worthy undertaking, provided, of course, that everyone understands what it is and is not.
Read More »
Nov 6, 2017
Michael Shurkin
Military Doctrine

commentary
What a 1963 Novel Tells Us About the French Army, Mission Command, and the Romance of the Indochina War
The novel La 317e Section (The 317th Platoon) informs and reflects an operating style rooted in the French Army's collective memory of the colonial wars. Colonial operations tended to be low-budget, small-footprint missions that placed junior officers in positions of considerable authority and responsibility. Service promised quick glory but was also more dangerous.
Read More »
Sep 20, 2017
Michael Shurkin
Security Cooperation

commentary
The U.S.-France Dustup Over Counterterrorism in the Sahel
It's time for Paris and Washington to get together with the G5 nations of the Sahel and draft a strategy for achieving shared objectives. The French cannot do it alone or even with the support of the G5 nations. The U.S. would be penny wise but pound foolish to stay aloof or even just uphold the status quo.
Read More »
Jun 23, 2017
Michael Shurkin
France

commentary
Macron's Fractious France
Right-wing nationalism is rising in Europe, but Emmanuel Macron's election in France shows that support remains for liberal-democracy and the European Union. But the struggle over France's future is far from over and Macron will need to tackle his country's economic problems head-on.
Read More »
May 12, 2017
Christopher S. Chivvis
Mali

commentary
What Mali Really Needs
Mali needs more international engagement, as well as serious pressure on the Malian state to strengthen its hold on the country. The key will be helping beyond just security force assistance and conventional economic development aid; Mali needs help governing.
Read More »
Jan 23, 2017
Michael Shurkin

Page 1 of 4

China's Growing Role in the Arctic

A New Approach to U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East

India-Pakistan Ties Are Warming—but Don't Get Excited Just Yet

Is Our Response to the Pandemic a Preview of How We May Deal with Climate Change?

Addressing Homelessness Among Individuals Incarcerated in Los Angeles County

The Policy Currents Podcast

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

France

Stress Among U.S. Teachers, Russia's Global Interests, Investing in Equity: RAND Weekly Recap

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

Grand Strategy Is Total: French Gen. Andre Beaufré on the Nuclear Age

Modern War for Romantics: Ferdinand Foch and the Principles of War

Why the UK May Be Sending Troops to Mali

Abandoning West Africa Carries Risks for U.S.

Mali Violence Shows Limits of Intervention

The Insurgent Counter-Insurgent: The French Army's Hero and Some Truths About Modern Warfare

Is Macron Set to 'Take Back Control' of UK-France Border After Brexit?

Meet France's War Philosophers

Mali Is France's Afghanistan, but with a Difference

What Is the Sahel G5 Force and Why Should the U.S. Support It?

What a 1963 Novel Tells Us About the French Army, Mission Command, and the Romance of the Indochina War

The U.S.-France Dustup Over Counterterrorism in the Sahel

Macron's Fractious France

What Mali Really Needs

Connect

Contact Us

I am interested in

Follow

Stay Informed

Resources

Site Information