The Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) is published annually for the purpose of making students and other researchers aware of strategic topics that are, or are likely to become, of special importance to the U.S. Army. The list is a compilation of input from the faculty at the Strategic Studies Institute, the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army's senior leadership, as well as from civilian and military defense experts. The topics are updated annually and reflect current as well as ongoing strategic concerns. The underlying theme this year is strategic "rebalancing" — as the U.S. Army prepares to shift its focus from counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations to carrying out rebalancing initiatives, shaping the strategic environment, deterring regional aggression, improving crisis response capabilities, and completing its downsizing efforts. Consolidation of important strategic and tactical successes in the war against al Qaeda will also continue, as will the efforts to distill lessons from the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Part I: Priority HQDA and Consensus Topics * Functional Strategic Issues * I. Landpower Employment: Evolving Roles and Missions * II. Landpower Generation and Sustainment * III. Strategy & Military Change in an Austere Environment * IV. Leadership, Civil-Military Relations, and Culture * V. Cyber Attack/Defense, Networks, Information Technology * VI. Homeland Security/Civil Support * Evolving Regional Strategic Issues * I. The Middle East and North Africa * II. Sub-Saharan Africa * III. Asia-Pacific * IV. Europe * V. South and Central Asia * VI. Western Hemisphere * Part II: Command Sponsored Topics * National Guard Bureau * U.S. Army Reserve, Office of the Chief * U.S. Africa Command * U.S. Cyber Command * U.S. Army Cyber Command * U.S. European Command * U.S. Northern Command * U.S. Southern Command * U.S. Transportation Command * U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command * Strategic Studies Institute Subject Matter/Regional Experts