Background:

Divergent Options is a non-politically aligned non-revenue generating national security website that, in 1,000 words or less, provides unbiased, dispassionate, candid articles that assess a national security situation, present multiple options to address the situation, and articulate the risk and gain of each option.  Please note that while we assess a national security situation and may provide options, we never recommend a specific option.

Below you will see a Call for Papers.  If you are not interested in writing on this topic, we always welcome individual articles on virtually any national security situation an author is passionate about.  Please do not let our call for papers cause you to hesitate to send us your idea. We look forward to hearing from you!

Call for Papers:

The year 2028 arrives without a major war occurring in the Taiwan Strait. What does the Department of Defense (DoD) focus on to drive transformation? What risks does the United States incur by continuing to view the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as its pacing threat? How should the Department of Defense consider force structure, global force management, and budgeting priorities? Divergent Options is calling for national security papers assessing situations or discussing options related to considerations for the DoD beyond 2028.

Below is a list of prompts that may inspire potential writers:

– Assess the likelihood and severity of potential flashpoints (outside of Taiwan) in terms of the DoD’s readiness to provide options to policy makers.

– Assess how the DoD should modernize its force structure to prevail in future conflicts.

– Assess what the DoD should focus on in the absence of a security crisis in the Western Pacific.

– Provide options to prioritize defense budgetary reprogramming in response to a PRC that does not seek to immediately change the status quo vis-à-vis Taiwan.

– Provide options for reapportioning deployed United States forces.

– Assess the likely drivers of transformation and innovation within the DoD absent a Taiwan defense scenario.

Please limit your submission to 1,000 words and write using our Options Paper or Assessment Paper templates which are designed for ease of use by both writers and readers alike.

Please send your article to submissions@divergentoptions.org by October 15, 2025.