National Security Reform 2010: A Midterm Assessment

Edited by Dr. Joseph R. Cerami, Dr. Robert H. Dorff, Matthew Harber.

August 2011

212 Pages

Brief Synopsis

On April 22, 2010, the Bush School of Government and Public Service and the U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute co-sponsored a colloquium in Washington, DC, on a midterm assessment of leadership and national security reform in the Obama administration. Panelists included experts from the Project on National Security Reform; the Foreign Policy Research Institute; the Hudson Institute; the Council on Foreign Relations; the Reserve Officers Association; the American Security Project; and Creative Associates International, Inc. The colloquium theme focused on the need for advancing the research and study of national security reform by engaging the invited participants to share their expertise on ways to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of the reform issues facing the U.S. Government. Three panels of national security experts discussed: “Assessing National Security Reform”; “Legislative Imperatives”; and, “Assessing National Security Reform-The Way Forward.” This book includes a summary of the panelists’ presentations, along with chapters written after the colloquium to further address and to assess the effectiveness and the near-term potential for Obama administration's national security reform initiatives.

Contents

Foreword
Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr.

Preface
Ryan C. Crocker

1. Introduction: Strategic Assessments and National Security Reform
Joseph R. Cerami, Jared E. Bennett, and Robert H. Dorff

2. Grading the Government: A Mid-Term National Security Assessment
James Jay Carafano

3. Five Heretical Suggestions: Addressing Civil-Military Tensions
Bernard I. Finel

4. Congressional National Security Reform During the Obama Administration
James R. Locher III

5. Congressional National Security Reform: A Mid-Obama Administration Review
Richard Weitz

6. The National Security Council System: It's Not Much, But We Like It
Harvey Sicherman

7. Assessing the United States in Afghanistan: The Record and the Range of Choice
Joseph J. Collins

8. Stabilization and Reconstruction in Conflict and Post-Conflict Since 9/11
James Stephenson

9. Our Strategic Assessment “System” Needs an Overhaul: Summary and Concluding Thoughts
Matthew Harber

About the Contributors

The Bush School of Government and Public Service

The Strategic Studies Institute

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