The United Nations has a vast outreach through its many agencies, funds, and programs—but that very fact can make it difficult for "outsiders" to understand. Among the questions that arise: How can the UN promote human rights when its charter prohibits its intervention in the domestic affairs of sovereign states? Why do the five permanent members of the Security Council have    More >

Why is the US so reluctant to join global multilateral treaties, even when those treaties are in line with its own policies? And how does it decide which treaties to ratify? Finding that the answers to these questions is less straightforward than may be apparent at first glance, Johannes Thimm explores the role of domestic politics in US unilateralism—and concludes that the real puzzle is    More >

Long a source of contention and ambiguity in Washington, the US Institute of Peace (USIP) is seen by some as a vital part of the US national security apparatus, by others as a counter to the influence of militarism in US foreign policy, and by still others as an example of fiscal irresponsibility and bureaucratic redundancy—when it is noticed at all. Michael English traces the history of    More >

Recent US security policy toward Africa has adopted a multidimensional approach—including the use of military assets to promote economic development and good governance—that has raised questions and generated considerable debate. Can actors like the US military develop appropriate methods to address both US and African interests? What blend of civilian and military programs are most    More >

The US Navy is the most formidable naval force in the world—yet, it seems ill-suited to face today's challenges, especially the rise of China's maritime power. What explains this paradox? Looking for answers, John Hanley explores how the navy has negotiated its place in the broad national security establishment, especially in the decades since World War II. Hanley is particularly    More >

How can the United States and South Korea best cooperate to address new security challenges? Can the US-ROK alliance serve to advance South Korea's interests and at the same time help the US to more effectively pursue its own global and regional security objectives? In the context of these questions, the authors explore the possibilities for enhanced cooperation in both traditional and    More >

Can the Vietnamese military, which decades ago defeated the French, the Americans, and the Chinese, move away from its tradition of "people's war" to adapt to both the realities of modern warfare and the emergence of new threats? As he addresses this question, Zachary Abuza delves into the inner workings of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and its efforts to develop its military    More >

Though the United Nations will face numerous challenges on the world's oceans in the next decades, it has not yet developed the capability to operate effectively in the areas of maritime peacekeeping or enforcement. This study examines the various regional maritime challenges confronting the United Nations and describes several organizational and experiential models—ranging from    More >

The proliferation of all kinds of weapons (nuclear, chemical, biological, and even conventional) is emerging as a focal point for international security. This book shows how both the language used to talk about weapons proliferation and the practices adopted to respond to it serve to define the problem in ways that promote policy responses doomed to failure. Examining the metaphors that have been    More >

In 1986, Mordechai Vanunu, a technician at Israel's highly secret nuclear arms research center at Dimona, disclosed highly classified details about Israel's nuclear arms program to the London Sunday Times. As a result, Vanunu was kidnapped from London and taken back to Israel where, after a closed- door trial, he was sentenced to eighteen years imprisonment for espionage and    More >