Texas National Security Review

Volume 9, Issue 4 of the Texas National Security Review is now available! This issue tackles complex challenges at the intersection of history, strategy, and statecraft. Read it all now: tnsr.org/volume-9-iss... #NationalSecurity #Strategy #ForeignPolicy

tnsr.orgThe "Thucydides Trap" Trap: Are Modern Strategists Misreading Ancient History? - Texas National Security ReviewDr. Robert Stone and Cmdr. Joshua Hammond join Horns of a Dilemma to challenge modern misreadings of Thucydides, the "Thucydides Trap," and realism in strategy.

Are we oversimplifying ancient strategy? On our latest podcast episode, Dr. Robert Stone and Cmdr. Joshua Hammond describe how a nuanced reading of Thucydides yields vital, practical insights for contemporary strategy. tnsr.org/2026/10/the-... #Strategy #InternationalRelations #Podcasts

@samuelhelfont.bsky.social

After Black Hawk Down, critics called nation-building and "multilateralism" a Clinton-era invention, but George H. W. Bush had pushed nation-building after the Cold War. Samuel Helfont (@samuelhelfont.bsky.social) shows how 1990s debates reshaped Bush 41's legacy. tnsr.org/2026/10/was-...

Texas National Security Review reposted

Samuel Helfont

I was on TNSR’s podcast talking about my recent article. You can listen here

Texas National Security Review@tnsr.org

Many view George H. W. Bush as a textbook realist. But looking at private journals and NSC archives reveals a different story. Dr. Samuel Helfont (@samuelhelfont.bsky.social) breaks down Bush’s diplomatic legacy on Horns of a Dilemma. tnsr.org/2026/10/was-... #ForeignPolicy #Diplomacy #USHistory

tnsr.orgLiberal Internationalism Forgotten: Myth & Memory in the Legacy of George H. W. Bush - Texas National Security ReviewThis article challenges the dominant portrayal of George H. W. Bush as the exemplar of a realist president. The image of Bush as a cautious realist was less a reflection of his record than the product...

How should George H. W. Bush be remembered? Samuel Helfont (@samuelhelfont.bsky.social) argues that historical memory has obscured the liberal internationalist core of his foreign policy. tnsr.org/2026/09/libe... #ForeignPolicy #History #USPresidents

tnsr.orgEmbracing (Not Bridging) the Gap: Integrating Intelligence Analysis, Social Science, and History - Texas National Security ReviewIntelligence analysts, social scientists, and historians produce authoritative insights that often conflict, reflecting deep epistemological differences among these professions. The predominant approa...

Should we stop trying to "bridge the gap"? James Kwoun argues that intelligence analysis, social science, and history should embrace their differences to improve national security outcomes. tnsr.org/2026/09/embr... #Intelligence #SocialScience #Analysis

tnsr.orgFighting Without Holding: Why Military Operations Fail to Produce Security in West Africa - Texas National Security ReviewStates across West Africa have expanded military deployments, acquired new equipment, and deepened security partnerships to confront violent militant groups. Yet these efforts have often produced temp...

Can military capacity alone stabilize West Africa? Anouar Boukhars from @africacenter.bsky.social argues that hard power must be paired with robust governance to achieve durable security. tnsr.org/2026/10/conv... #WestAfrica #Security #Governance

tnsr.orgTrapped by the Tradition: Reading Thucydides on Strategy and Policy - Texas National Security ReviewThucydides’ history of the Peloponnesian War has gained new prominence as the United States engages in great-power competition with China, as that emerging geopolitical competition is often explained ...

Are we misreading Thucydides? Robert Stone and Joshua Hammond argue that rigid interpretations of classical texts distort modern strategic thinking. See why they say policymakers are "trapped by the tradition." tnsr.org/2026/09/trap... #Thucydides #Strategy #GrandStrategy

tnsr.orgOn War and Politics - Texas National Security ReviewThe articles in this issue highlight enduring questions around how states use military force to achieve (or fail to achieve) their strategic and political objectives.

How should we understand the relationship between war and political objectives? Sheena Chestnut Greitens (@sheenagreitens.bsky.social) previews the issue, arguing that modern conflicts demand a reassessment of classic frameworks. tnsr.org/2026/09/on-w... #Defense #Statecraft #Conflict

tnsr.orgA Plum for a Peach? Issue Linkage, Taiwan, and China’s Policy toward North Korea’s Nuclear Weapons Program - Texas National Security ReviewThis article offers a novel explanation for the variation in China’s policy toward North Korea’s nuclear program. It argues that Beijing’s willingness to constrain Pyongyang is shaped by the perceived...

How does Taiwan factor into Beijing’s calculus on North Korea? Shuxian Luo argues that China uses issue linkage to manage its regional security environment, treating the nuclear crisis as leverage. tnsr.org/2026/09/a-pl... #China #Taiwan #NuclearSecurity

In our latest article, Dr. Anouar Boukhars argues that tactical pressure only succeeds when aligned with a viable political strategy and civilian protection. Read the full piece: tnsr.org/2026/10/conv... @africacenter.bsky.social | #WestAfrica #Sahel #DefenseStrategy

In our new article, Dr. Anouar Boukhars examines why years of expanded military operations in West Africa have failed to produce durable security against groups like JNIM and IS-Sahel. tnsr.org/2026/10/conv... @africacenter.bsky.social | #Sahel #Security #WestAfrica

"Linkage is real, but it is two-way, and it's bounded." Dr. Shuxian Luo cautions against the mistakes Washington and Beijing could make when trying to manage Taiwan and North Korea simultaneously. Listen to the full podcast: tnsr.org/2026/09/how-... #Geopolitics #IndoPacific #ForeignPolicy

In our latest article, Samuel Helfont dismantles the myth of George H. W. Bush as a pure realist. He argues that while Bush's statecraft featured realist elements, his core policy was rooted in a disciplined liberal internationalism. @samuelhelfont.bsky.social tnsr.org/2026/09/libe...

In light of the recent summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, it's an apt time to consider whether China’s North Korea strategy is actually driven by US policy on Taiwan. Dr. Shuxian Luo joins the podcast to discuss this issue linkage. 🎧 Listen now: tnsr.org/2026/09/how-... #NationalSecurity

Was George H. W. Bush truly a foreign policy realist? In our latest article, Samuel Helfont challenges this myth. He argues that Bush 41 practiced a disciplined liberal internationalism, from the Gulf War to Somalia. Read more at tnsr.org/2026/09/libe... @samuelhelfont.bsky.social

Simplistic readings of the "Thucydides Trap" risk driving fatalistic foreign policy. In our latest article, Robert Stone and Joshua Hammond argue that reducing ancient history to power politics misses Thucydides’ true insights. Read the full analysis: tnsr.org/2026/09/trap...

21 Sept

Is great-power competition with China destined for war? In our latest article, Robert Stone and Joshua Hammond argue that reducing Thucydides to generic power politics misses his core insights. Read now: tnsr.org/2026/09/trap... #GrandStrategy #ForeignPolicy

18 Sept

On our latest Horns of a Dilemma, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya argues that European security hinges on Ukraine's victory. Hosted by our own @rgvest.bsky.social alongside Michael Kimmage (@kennaninstitute.bsky.social) at the Aspen Security Forum. tnsr.org/2026/09/svia... #Belarus #Ukraine #Security

16 Sept

Policymakers shouldn't have to synthesize conflicting academic and intelligence inputs. In our latest article, James Kwoun proposes a framework for the Intelligence Community to integrate social science, history, and analysis. tnsr.org/2026/09/embr... #NationalSecurity #Intelligence

15 Sept

Recorded at Aspen Security Forum: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joins Horns of a Dilemma with Dr. Michael Kimmage (@kennaninstitute.bsky.social) & Dr. Ryan Vest (@rgvest.bsky.social). She shares how Belarus's democratic movement resists Lukashenko, supports Ukraine, and builds power in exile.

tnsr.orgHome - Texas National Security Review

16 Sept

Listen now: tnsr.org/2026/09/svia... #Belarus #AspenSecurity #HornsOfADilemma

14 Sept

In our latest article, James Kwoun argues that attempting to "bridge" the scholar-practitioner gap is a mistake. Instead, national security analysis must embrace epistemological differences to build truly integrated judgments. Read the full piece at tnsr.org/2026/09/embr...

10 Sept

What drives Beijing’s calculations on Pyongyang? In our latest article, Shuxian Luo demonstrates that China’s willingness to constrain North Korea’s nuclear ambitions is directly linked to US credibility on Taiwan. tnsr.org/2026/09/a-pl... #ForeignPolicy #EastAsia #Geopolitics

@sheenagreitens.bsky.social

8 Sept

What drives China’s strategy toward North Korea's nuclear program? In our latest issue, Shuxian Luo argues that Beijing's willingness to constrain Pyongyang is directly tied to US assurances on Taiwan. Read now: tnsr.org/2026/09/a-pl... #ForeignPolicy #EastAsia #Geopolitics

Texas National Security Review reposted

Sheena Chestnut Greitens

5 Sept

Wrote for this issue of @tnsr.org about lessons from history for how to use military means to pursue broader political-strategic ends. Feels particularly appropriate at the moment.

Texas National Security Review@tnsr.org

In our upcoming issue, Editor-in-Chief Sheena Chestnut Greitens previews how military force must align with broader statecraft to achieve political ends. Read her introduction to Vol. 9, Iss. 4: tnsr.org/2026/09/on-w... @sheenagreitens.bsky.social #GrandStrategy #ForeignPolicy #Defense

5 Sept

4 Sept

In our latest podcast, guest experts explain how regional states leverage space ties with both China and the US to shape world order. tnsr.org/2026/09/chin... #SpaceDiplomacy #Geopolitics #MiddleEast #HornsOfADilemma

2 Sept

In the introduction to our fall issue, Editor-in-Chief Sheena Chestnut Greitens examines why integrating force with broader statecraft remains central to world politics. @sheenagreitens.bsky.social #NationalSecurity #InternationalRelations #GrandStrategy

tnsr.orgHome - Texas National Security ReviewBuy Print

2 Sept

Read now: tnsr.org/2026/09/on-w...

1 Sept

Great power competition isn't just played on Earth. From satellite navigation networks to lunar research coalitions, China's space diplomacy in the Middle East is building long-term influence.

tnsr.orgHome - Texas National Security ReviewBuy Print

1 Sept

Catch the new episode of Horns of a Dilemma at tnsr.org/2026/09/chin... #MiddleEast #SpacePolicy #NationalSecurity

25 Aug

In this clip from our latest podcast episode, Dr. Paul Slovic breaks down the phenomenon of psychic numbing and how human psychology struggles with mass tragedy. tnsr.org/2026/08/virt... @pslovic.bsky.social | @aofcompassion.bsky.social #PsychologyOfRisk #NuclearStrategy #CognitiveBias

tnsr.orgWhen Our Minds Go Nuclear: Rethinking Nuclear Strategy Through the Psychology of Risk and Decision-Making - Texas National Security ReviewCognitive biases can systematically distort judgments about the use of nuclear weapons, potentially undermining nuclear stability and increasing the risk of nuclear war. In survey experiments with nea...

24 Aug

A great summary of an important piece in our latest issue! For the full article, visit tnsr.org/2026/06/when...

Nuclear Threat Initiative@nti.org

Most of us think of cognitive biases as quirks of everyday decision-making, but a recent Texas National Security Review study shows they are deeply embedded in people’s attitudes toward nuclear weapons and war. Read more in our recent blog. ⤵️ www.nti.org/risky-busine...

nti.orgThe Human Biases Behind Nuclear DecisionsMost of us think of cognitive biases as quirks of everyday decision-making, but a recent Texas National Security Review study shows they are deeply embedded in people’s attitudes toward nuclear…

18 Aug

This week's podcast episode features Paul Slovic (@pslovic.bsky.social), Rose McDermott, and Daniel R. Post. Together, they break down how behavioral science can help reform high-stakes decision-making processes to protect human lives and prevent catastrophic escalation.

tnsr.orgHome - Texas National Security ReviewBuy Print

18 Aug

Listen now: tnsr.org/2026/08/virt... @aofcompassion.bsky.social #PsychologyOfRisk #NuclearStrategy #CognitiveBias

6 Aug

How did North Korea interpret the fall of the USSR? @dubstepindprk.bsky.social explains how Pyongyang leveraged the collapse to frame Juche as superior to Soviet socialism, paving the way for military-first politics. tnsr.org/2026/08/how-... #NorthKorea #ForeignPolicy #ColdWar

4 Aug

On our latest podcast, @dubstepindprk.bsky.social argues Pyongyang learned from the USSR's fall by doubling down on Stalinism and nuclear deterrence. Listen: tnsr.org/2026/08/how-... #NorthKorea #ColdWar #NuclearSecurity

We are proud to announce the print release of Vol. 9, Issue 3, "New Challenges, Shifting Perspectives." The complete physical edition can now be purchased through @utexaspress.bsky.social. Read now: tnsr.org/volume-9-iss... #NationalSecurity #ForeignPolicy #InternationalRelations

Subsea telecom cables form the vital backbone of global communications. @charlesmok.bsky.social highlights the urgent need for international collaboration to secure undersea cable networks against physical and cyber threats. tnsr.org/2026/06/towa... #CyberSecurity #Infrastructure #Policy

In "What Good Is a Nuclear Threshold Capability?", @ebrewer.bsky.social uses Iran’s nuclear trajectory to assess the strategic benefits and inherent risks of holding threshold nuclear status. tnsr.org/2026/06/what... #NuclearPolicy #MiddleEast #Deterrence

In "Choosing Orbits," R. Lincoln Hines, Lawrence Rubin, and Dayana Alagirova explore China’s space diplomacy in Egypt, the UAE, and Iran, highlighting how local states exercise agency while navigating great-power rivalries. tnsr.org/2026/07/choo... #SpaceDiplomacy #China #MiddleEast

In "Saving Socialism," Benjamin R. Young (@dubstepindprk.bsky.social) explores the institutional and ideological lessons North Korea drew from the collapse of the Soviet Union to ensure long-term regime survival. tnsr.org/2026/07/savi... #NorthKorea #EastAsia #Security

In "The Meaning of Place," Francis J. Gavin argues that while geopolitics has shifted into non-physical domains like cyber and space, traditional geography and a sense of place continue to profoundly shape statecraft. tnsr.org/2026/06/the-... #Geopolitics #GrandStrategy #Diplomacy

Research by @pslovic.bsky.social, Missy Peterson, Rose McDermott, Daniel R. Post, and Daniel Västfjäll demonstrates that public support for nuclear strikes is heavily influenced by cognitive biases rather than pure strategic logic. tnsr.org/2026/06/when... #NuclearStrategy #Psychology #Defense

utpress.utexas.eduTexas National Security Review

24 July

Order your copy of our latest issue today from @utexaspress.bsky.social at utpress.utexas.edu/journals/tex...

University of Texas Press@utexaspress.bsky.social

TEXAS NATIONAL SECURITY REVIEW has just published their latest issue on “New Challenges, Shifting Perspectives”. Check out what’s inside issue 9:3!

24 July

Satellites capture public attention, but 100-year-old undersea cables carry 99% of global data transmission. @charlesmok.bsky.social explores why policymakers routinely overlook vital physical infrastructure. He argues that out-of-sight cables represent a critical national security vulnerability.