CENTCOM CSAG Strategy Paper
CSAG Strategy Paper: Weaponizing the Belt and Road Initiative
Overview: In October 2012, Professor Wang Jisi was the first Chinese scholar to speak about the need for China to revitalize the three Silk Roads to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Central Asia. One year later, China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative became prominent. President Xi Jinping, in a...
CSAG Strategy Paper: The Prospect of Cooperation and Integration among Central Asian States
Overview: In recent years, regional cooperation has been promoted in Central Asia, and the trend of regionalization and regionalism is emerging. Regionalization can be described as a spontaneous bottom-up process. In contrast, regionalism is defined as the political will (hence ‘ism’ is attached...
CSAG Strategy Paper: The Role of Regional Powers in the Contemporary Complex Geo-Political Environment
Overview: Since the late 20th century, the term ‘regional power’ in international relations has been used for a sovereign state that exercises significant power within a given geographical region. There is a broad consensus that a necessary condition for regional ‘power hood’ is that these...
CSAG Strategy Paper: Türkiye's Role in the USCENTCOM AOR
Overview: Türkiye has quite a unique position in many perspectives e.g., geographically, geopolitically and geoeconomically. It lies at the intersection of Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia (and Africa) with ties to all of them; it has a land connection to the CENTCOM AOR, and it controls...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "The Red Sea – Neglected Nexus"
Overview: The strategic importance of the Red Sea basin, together with the Suez Canal, is obvious. Nevertheless, there are reasons to believe that the Red Sea region is a neglected nexus by the US, but not by others such as China, Russia and Iran. This neglect is primarily because it is a...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "CENTCOM Smart Power in the Middle East"
Overview: This year USCENTCOM celebrates the 40th anniversary of its establishment; one of its significant tasks is to achieve and enhance security and stability within its area of responsibility (AOR). USCENTCOM AOR includes 21 countries. The Middle East (ME) region is one of the most...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "The Soviet-sounding New Foreign Policy of Russia"
Overview: On March 31, President Putin announced an updated concept of Russian foreign policy. The previous document has been in effect since November 30, 2016. The Russian government is adapting its foreign policy assumptions to the changed situation due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and...
CSAG Strategy Paper: “The Hardest 'Soft' Approach on the Yemeni Crisis: An Opportunity to Retake the Initiative in the Middle East”
Overview: Armed conflicts, across human history, brought unquantifiable loss of fortune, lives, and cultural diversity, effectively stalling, nullifying, or even reversing civilization progress, in countless occasions. This paper aims to clear the “fog of war” that is covering Yemen and the...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "A Look into the Origins of Russian Strategic Culture"
Overview: Russia’s worldview is shaped by its strategic culture. Certain periods in history have a significant meaning in forming its strategic culture. These periods have influenced how Russians think about strong leaders, why autocracy is seen as a better option over democracy, why corruption...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "The Russian War's Impact on Global Order"
Overview: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has challenged established international norms and principles. The annexation of Crimea and subsequent full invasion of Ukraine violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which are fundamental principles of international law. The conflict...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Analyzing The Kashmir Conflict – Chinese Connection and Implications for the US"
Overview: The dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir has resulted in decades of hostility, including three wars. The Kashmir dispute is the oldest pending dispute on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which merits earnest world attention for a permanent solution....
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Sanctions on Russia and Economic Impact for Central Asia"
Overview: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a geopolitical challenge to the world order. The Russian attack violated not only Ukraine’s security and sovereignty, but also the rules-based international order and created a global economic, political and security crisis. Central Asian...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Lebanon: A Potential Game Changer in the CENTCOM AOR"
Overview: Years of political instability in combination with an ongoing economic crisis — exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosion in the Port of Beirut in August 2020 — have brought the country close to collapse. Moreover, the current institutional vacuum (with no president...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "The Hamas – Israel Conflict: Forming A Potential 'New Normal'”
Overview: The Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October has affected not only the political and security dynamics in the ME region but also the world at large. This attack being executed simultaneously in multiple domains i.e. air, land, and sea, culminating with ‘mass hostage captivity,’ can be...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Iran’s Elections, Wind of Change?"
Overview: Shaped by the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the Iranian political landscape uniquely blends democratic and theocratic elements. The 12th parliamentary elections, the 6th Assembly of Experts elections on March 1, 2024, and the presidential elections in 2025 are playing pivotal roles in the...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Yemen After the KSA-Iran Agreement: From Dreams to Harsh Reality and How This Fed Houthi Behavior in the Current Crisis"
Overview: In 2014, Houthi rebels overtook Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, in a push for increased military and political power, starting Yemen’s long-lasting civil war. The chaos created by the Houthi insurgents jeopardized the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) ambition for stability in the region,...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Panacea for Gaza"
Overview: The quest for stability in Gaza has long been a focal point of international attention, particularly in the context of the Israeli-Hamas conflict and the broader Palestinian issue. However, the traditional approach to addressing this complex challenge may be overly narrow in scope. It...
CSAG Strategy Paper: Central Asia – Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Stability
Overview: Central Asia stands at a critical juncture, subject to influence by various global powers and regional actors. The strategic landscape is characterized by a delicate balance of interests, including those of the United States, Russia, China, and the European Union. The region’s...