Commentary

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  Tell-Tale MRAPS

  Christopher J. Lamb

  This commentary critiques a Washington Free Beacon article and associated unpublished study regarding the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle procurement process during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The author argues that the Free Beacon and its source misrepresent congressional and Pentagon decision-making on MRAP deployment, obscuring key lessons about bureaucratic inertia and military procurement. Drawing on historical evidence, the article highlights the bipartisan nature of early congressional concern over armored protection, the effectiveness of MRAPs in reducing casualty rates compared with up-armored Humvees, and the long delay in widespread MRAP acquisition until intervention by then-Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The piece concludes that the discourse around MRAPs offers broader insights into systemic obstacles within Pentagon decision-making, with implications for future defense acquisition reform.

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  A Failure of Strategic Vision: U.S. Policy and the Doklam Border Dispute

  James J. Przystup

  This commentary analyzes the 2017 Doklam border standoff between China and India (with Bhutan) through the lens of U.S. strategic policy. The author argues that U.S. reactions to the crisis reflected a lack of clear strategic vision regarding China’s rise and Asian security dynamics. Rather than shaping events with a cohesive strategy, Washington responded with reactive rhetoric and limited policy tools, failing to influence outcomes or reinforce alliance confidence. The article explains how the Doklam dispute underscored the shifting balance of power in Asia, tested regional security architectures, and exposed shortcomings in U.S. policy frameworks regarding great-power competition. It concludes that the United States must articulate a more coherent strategic approach toward China and regional allies to maintain credibility and effectively manage future crises in the Indo-Pacific.

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  Another Week; Another Missile Test: Inching Toward a Freeze – With Eyes Wide Shut?

  James J. Przystup

  This commentary analyzes evolving U.S. policy toward the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) in early 2017 amid recurring missile tests and diplomatic efforts involving China. After the Trump administration replaced “strategic patience” with a mix of military posturing, diplomatic pressure, and reliance on Beijing, Pyongyang continued ballistic missile launches that heightened regional tensions. The article examines Chinese calls for both North Korea to halt tests and the U.S.–South Korea alliance to suspend joint exercises, alongside discussions at the Trump–Xi Mar-a-Lago summit. It critically evaluates proposals for a freeze on North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, arguing that such an approach risks tacitly recognizing North Korea as a nuclear state, empowering Pyongyang’s bargaining position, and leaving significant weapons capabilities intact without achieving verifiable denuclearization. The analysis urges reaffirming multilateral commitments such as the Six-Party Joint Statement rather than settling for a partial freeze that obscures core security objectives.

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  Vice President Pence in Indonesia: U.S. Interests in the South China Sea

  James J. Przystup

  This commentary analyzes U.S. strategic interests in the South China Sea in the context of Vice President Mike Pence’s April 2017 visit to Indonesia and Australia. The paper situates Pence’s trip as an opportunity for Washington to clarify its policy toward Southeast Asia amid escalating maritime disputes with China. It reviews recent developments in the South China Sea, including Chinese land reclamation and military infrastructure in contested features, and highlights Southeast Asian states’ hedging between economic ties with China and concerns about shifting U.S. engagement. The author argues that U.S. interests in freedom of navigation, peaceful dispute resolution under a rules-based order, and sustained regional partnerships remain central, and recommends visible naval presence, capacity building with strategic partners, and reaffirmation of support for ASEAN and Freedom of Navigation operations as components of effective U.S. policy.

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  China’s Russia Problem on North Korea

  Joel Wuthnow

  This commentary analyzes the evolving trilateral dynamics among China, Russia, and North Korea after a series of North Korean missile and nuclear tests in 2017. It examines tensions between Beijing and Moscow over approaches to Pyongyang, noting China’s increasing frustration with North Korea’s provocations and Russia’s distinct strategic calculus on the Korean Peninsula. The author argues that while China and Russia both call for restraint and denuclearization, their priorities differ: China seeks regional stability and preservation of its influence, while Russia aims to expand diplomatic leverage and normalize economic ties with Pyongyang. The article assesses how these divergent interests complicate unified diplomatic pressure on North Korea, highlights implications for U.S. policy, and suggests that understanding the Sino-Russian split is vital to crafting effective multilateral strategies to address nuclear proliferation and regional security in Northeast Asia.