Divergent Options

Option Papers

Options to Improve the Security Situation in Nigeria

2026-03-20
Options to Counter Islamist Militancy in the Sahel Region

2026-03-07
Options for Venezuela to Counter United States Actions in the Caribbean

2026-01-06
Options for Continuing to Prepare for a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan in 2028 and Beyond

2025-10-22
Options to Mitigate Effects from Houthi Attacks on International Trade

2025-07-13
Options for Russia Following the Special Military Operation in Ukraine

2025-04-10
Options for Reorganizing Information-centric Organizations

2025-04-03
Options to Respond to Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East

2025-03-26
Options to Combat Human Trafficking Networks in Brazil

2025-03-19
Options to Create a Meaningful U.S. National Security Strategy

2025-02-08
Options to Address the Illicit Trade of Pangolins

2025-02-02
Options to Respond to the Deposal of Bashar al-Assad by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham

2025-01-17
Options to Increase Recruiter Proficiency Through Human Networking

2024-11-26
Options for Non-Kinetic Interventions to Nigeria’s Security Challenges

2024-07-22
U.S. Options to Prioritize Non-Kinetic Competition to Counter the People’s Republic of China

2024-07-01
Options for the U.S. Achieving Carbon Neutrality in the Time of the Global Competition

2024-06-24
Chinese Activities in the South China Sea

2024-06-17
Nagorno-Karabakh Options

2024-05-27
Cyber in Area Denial in Littoral Environments

2024-05-06
Using Cyber Operations to Achieve Cognitive Domain Impact

2024-04-29
Chinese Activities in Kiribati

2024-04-08
Options for Reintegrating Irregular Forces into Stability Operations During Large-Scale Combat Operations

2024-04-01
The Options Remaining for Israel to Defeat Hamas

2024-03-25
Options for Japan to Strengthen its Energy Security Through Alternatives to Middle East Oil

2024-03-18
U.S. Options for a Potential Invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China

2024-03-11
Advising the Next President of the United States: Options for Countering Russian Disinformation

2024-02-26
The New Memorandum of Understanding to Ensure a Qualitative Military Edge for Israel in 2028

2024-02-19
Options to Address Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Increasingly Hostile Ballistic Missile Tests Towards Japan

2024-02-12
Options for a Post-War Future for Gaza 

2024-01-29
Options for the United States regarding Piratical Attacks against Commercial Shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

2024-01-08
Options for the United States to Counter China’s Multi-Pronged Offensives in Taiwan

2023-08-07
Options for Taiwan’s Response to a Conventional Missile Strike by the People’s Republic of China

2023-05-22
Options for the United States to Arm Anti-Assad Factions in Syria with Defensive Weapons

2023-03-06
Options for Ukraine to Defend Civilian Centers from Russian Strikes

2022-10-31
Options for the U.S. to Approach India as a Fellow Superpower

2022-06-27
Options for Defining the Next U.S. Defense Challenge

2022-05-23
Options for the U.S. Army to Build More Combat Condition Resilient Soldiers

2022-05-16
U.S. Army Options to Regain Land Power Dominance

2022-04-18
Options to Modify Title 10 U.S. Code to Improve U.S. Security Force Assistance

2022-04-04
Options to Mitigate Cognitive Threats

2022-03-07
Options to Address Disinformation as a Cognitive Threat to the United States

2022-02-14
Options to Address the Risk from Elected Officials Concurrently in the National Guard or Reserves

2022-01-31
Options to Counter Foreign Influence Operations Targeting Servicemember and Veterans

2022-01-03
Options to Make COVID19 Lessons Learned Permanent at the United Kingdom’s Intermediate Command and Staff Course (Land)

2021-10-11
Options to Counter Russia’s Wagner Group in Africa

2021-10-04
Space, Climate, and Comprehensive Defense Options Below the Threshold of War

2021-09-13
Options to Increase Diversity by Forging Pathways into the Wargaming Profession

2021-06-28
Organizing for Large-Scale Maritime Combat Operations

2021-05-03
Options for a Dedicated Stability Operations Force Supporting Large Scale Combat Operations

2021-04-26
Assessing the Value of the Lariat Advance Exercise Relative to the Louisiana Maneuvers for Preparing the U.S. Army for Large-Scale Combat Operations

2021-04-19
Options to Ensure the Best Indo-Pacific Policy in the U.S. Department of Defense

2021-04-12
Options to Build U.S. Army Headquarters Elements for Large Scale Combat Operations

2021-04-05
Options to Apply Cold War-Like Security Institutions to the Indo-Pacific

2021-03-15
The Merits and Perils of Containment: Assessing the American View of the Chinese Challenge

2021-02-15
Options for the U.S. Towards Pakistan

2021-02-08
Can You Have it All? – Options for Readying for Both Stability and Large Scale Combat Operations

2021-01-20
Options to Prioritize People and Improve Readiness: Decreasing OPTEMPO to Increase Learning

2021-01-04
Options to Improve U.S. Army Ground Combat Platform Research and Development

2020-11-23
U.S. Options for Countering the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa

2020-11-04
Options to Decrease Trade Tensions Between the U.S. and China

2020-10-28
Options for the U.S. to Counter China’s Disruptive Economic Activities

2020-10-26
U.S. Options for Subversion within China

2020-10-21
Below Threshold Options for China against the U.S.

2020-10-19
Options for Taiwan to Better Compete with China

2020-10-14
Assessment of Sino-Russian Strategic Competition in Africa

2020-10-12
Options for Altering Global Energy Developments to America’s Advantage and China’s Disadvantage

2020-10-07
Minerals, Minds, and Accommodation: U.S. Options Against China

2020-09-30
U.S. Below War Threshold Options Against China

2020-09-21
Options to Manage the 2020 Election Cyber Threat Landscape

2020-09-18
Alternative Future: Options to Address China’s Reaction to COVID-19 and Growing Anti-Chinese Sentiment

2020-09-16
Options for Ukraine to Address the Impact of the Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline

2020-08-26
Alternative History: Options Other than the Doolittle Raid to Strike Japan After Pearl Harbor

2020-08-19
Assessing the Dependency of U.S. Below Threshold Competition on Department of State Modernization

2020-08-05
Options for African Nations Regarding Economic Collaboration with the U.S. and China

2020-07-27
Options for the United States to Compete with China Below the Threshold of Armed Conflict

2020-07-08
A Wicked Cultural Problem: Options for Combating New Tribalism in 2035

2020-07-06
Options for a Five Eyes Response to Below Threshold Competition with China

2020-07-01
U.S. Options for a Consistent Response to Cyberattacks

2020-06-29
Options for the Deployment of Robots on the Battlefield

2020-06-24
Options for the U.S. to Wage Conflict in the Cognitive Domain

2020-06-22
U.S. Aircraft Basing Options in Competition and Conflict with China

2020-05-27
Options for a United States Counterterrorism Strategy in Africa

2020-05-04
U.S. Army Options for Professional Military Education Amidst COVID-19

2020-04-20
Options to Penetrate Adversary Anti Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) Systems

2020-03-30
Options for a Consistent U.S. Approach to Humanitarian Intervention

2020-02-24
U.S. Options to Combat Chinese Technological Hegemony

2020-02-10
Options for a Joint Support Service

2020-02-03
Options for Deterrence Below Armed Conflict

2019-12-23
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics’ Options to Counter the 1941 German Invasion

2019-10-24
U.S. Options to Respond to North Vietnam’s 1973 Violations of the Paris Peace Accords

2019-10-21
Germany’s Options in the First Moroccan Crisis

2019-09-19
Assessment of Nationalism in Bosnia and its Ramifications for Foreign Intervention

2019-09-12
Options for New Zealand’s National Security Posture

2019-09-02
Options for the Nigerian Air Force to go on the Offensive in the Counterinsurgency War

2019-07-22
Options for U.S. Use of Private Military and Security Companies

2019-07-15
Options for the U.S. Department of Defense to Balance Peer Competition with Military Operations Other Than War

2019-07-01
Options for Maintaining Counterinsurgency Capabilities in the Great Power Era

2019-06-27
Options for Europe to Address Climate Refugee Migration

2019-05-27
Assessment of the Operational Implications of 21st Century Subterranean Conflict

2019-05-08
Options to Bridge the U.S. Department of Defense – Silicon Valley Gap with Cyber Foreign Area Officers

2019-04-15
An Assessment of the Threat Posed by Increased Nationalist Movements in Europe

2019-04-15
Options to Address U.S. Federal Government Budget Process Dysfunction

2019-04-08
Options for the West to Address Russia’s Unconventional Tactics

2019-03-25
Options for Peace in the Continuing War in Afghanistan

2019-03-10
Alternative Futures: United Kingdom Options in Venezuela

2019-02-11
Options for the U.S. Middle East Strategic Alliance

2019-01-08
Options for Countering the Rise of Chinese Private Military Contractors

2018-12-24
Great Britain’s Options After Departing the European Union

2018-11-26
Options at the Battle of Leyte Gulf

2018-11-12
Options for Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and the Five Eyes Alliance

2018-10-29
Alternative Futures: Argentina Attempts a Second Annexation of the Falkland Islands

2018-10-15
Assessment of Russia’s Cyber Relations with the U.S. and its Allies

2018-10-01
Alternative Futures: U.S. Options for a Chinese Invasion of North Korea (Part 3 of 3)

2018-09-10
Alternative Futures: South Korea Options for a Chinese Invasion of North Korea (Part 2 of 3)

2018-09-03
Alternative Futures: North Korea Options for a Chinese Invasion (Part 1 of 3)

2018-08-27
Alternative Futures: Options for the Deployment of Iraqi Peacekeepers

2018-08-06
U.S. Options for Responding to Sharp Power Threats

2018-07-30
Divergent Trajectories for U.S. Military Power

2018-07-23
Options to Manage the Risks of Integrating Artificial Intelligence into National Security and Critical Industry Organizations

2018-07-02
Options for U.S. Naval Force Posture in East Africa

2018-05-21
Options to Address Terrorism Financing in Australia

2018-05-07
Episode 0003: Military Planning Constructs (The Smell of Victory Podcast by Divergent Options)

2018-05-02
Options for Decentralized Local Defence Forces in Iraq & Afghanistan

2018-04-23
Options to Manage the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia’s Nuclear Ambitions

2018-03-26
Options for the U.S. to Deter China in the East & South China Seas

2018-03-12
Options for the Strategic Goals of the Royal Canadian Navy

2018-03-12
China’s Options Towards the (Re)emerging Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

2018-03-05
Options to Build Local Capabilities to Stabilise the Lake Chad Region

2018-03-05
Call for Papers: The Pacific

2018-03-03
Should I Stay or Should I Go Now? Options for the U.S. Presence in Syria

2018-02-26
Options for Streamlining U.S. Department of Defense Decision Making

2017-12-04
Options for U.S. National Service

2017-11-20
Victory Over the Potomac: Alternatives to Inevitable Strategic Failure

2017-10-09
Options for Constitutional Change in Afghanistan

2017-09-25
U.S. Options for Basing Forces to Deter North Korea

2017-09-18
Options for U.S. National Guard Defense of Cyberspace

2017-09-04
Great Power Interaction: United States Options Towards Iran

2017-08-07
United States’ Options to North Korea Missile Development

2017-07-31
People’s Republic of China Options Toward North Korea

2017-07-24
Options for a Future Strategy for the Afghan Taliban

2017-07-17
Options for United States Military Assistance to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Northern Iraq

2017-07-10
Options for Avoiding U.S. Complicity for Coalition War Crimes in Yemen

2017-06-29
Options for Next Generation Blue Force Biometrics

2017-06-26
Authorization for the Use of Military Force Options

2017-06-22
Options to Counter Piracy in the Horn of Africa

2017-06-19
U.S. Options to Address a Growing People’s Republic of China Army (Navy)

2017-06-15
Hamas Policy Options Amidst Regional & Internal Change

2017-06-12
Options for Paying Ransoms to Advanced Persistent Threat Actors

2017-06-08
Options for Defining “Acts of War” in Cyberspace

2017-06-05
“Do You Have A Flag?” – Egyptian Political Upheaval & Cyberspace Attribution

2017-06-01
U.S. Options to Develop a Cyberspace Influence Capability

2017-05-29
Evolution of U.S. Cyber Operations and Information Warfare

2017-05-25
Cyber Vulnerabilities in U.S. Law Enforcement & Public Safety Communication Networks

2017-05-22
U.S. Diplomacy Options for Security & Adaptability in Cyberspace

2017-05-18
Options for Private Sector Hacking Back

2017-05-15
Options to Deter Cyber-Intrusions into Non-Government Computers

2017-05-11
Trump Administration Options Towards Iran

2017-05-08
Options for Bougainville Independence

2017-05-04
Options for United States Intelligence Community Analytical Tools

2017-05-01
Options for Managing Xinjiang Uighur Ethnic Tensions

2017-04-27
70th Anniversary Writing Contest: Options for a New U.S. National Security Act

2017-04-24
Options to Evolve U.S. Law Enforcement and Public Safety Training

2017-04-24
Islamic State Options: Pivot towards Australia

2017-04-20
Options for U.S. Sanctions Towards Russia for Aggression in Ukraine

2017-04-17
U.S. Options for Regime Change in Syria

2017-04-13
America First Foreign Policy in the South China Sea

2017-04-10
U.S. Options for the People’s Republic of China’s Maritime Militias

2017-04-06
Options for the People’s Republic of China following the Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1996

2017-04-03
South China Sea Options: An Alternative Route

2017-03-30
U.S. Partnership Options in the South China Sea

2017-03-27
Options for the Philippines in the South China Sea

2017-03-23
U.S. Options Towards a Rising People’s Republic of China

2017-03-20
South China Sea Options: The Road to Taiwan

2017-03-16
Options for Singapore in the South China Sea

2017-03-13
Anti-Access / Area Denial Options in the South China Sea

2017-03-09
South China Sea: Continuous U.S. Presence or a new Law of the Sea Treaty

2017-03-06
Options to Arm Volunteer Territorial Defense Battalions in Ukraine

2017-03-02
Government of Iraq Options for Islamic State Detainees

2017-02-27
Options for Mexico with the Trump Administration

2017-02-09
U.S. Options for Israel: Accept or Reject Settlement Activities

2017-02-06
Israel Options: Continue Expansion or Recognize Palestine

2017-02-02
One State & Two State Options in Israel & Palestine

2017-01-30
Options for the Baltic States in an Uncertain Security Environment

2017-01-26
Options to Increase Arab Middle East Stability Through Economic Investment

2017-01-19
Syria Options: U.S. Grand Strategy

2017-01-16
Syria Options: Refugee Preparation & Resettlement

2017-01-12
Egyptian Syriana: A Gulf-Funded Russian Roulette

2017-01-09
Syria Options: Russian Naval Activity in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

2017-01-05
Syria Options: Safe Zone

2017-01-02
Syria Options: Involving China as a Major Broker in Syria Peace Talks

2016-12-29
Syria Options: No Fly Zone & Syrians Rebuilding Syria Program

2016-12-26
Syria Options: Military & Political Pressure

2016-12-22
Syria Options: No Fly Zone & Remove Assad

2016-12-19
Red Team Options for Syria: The Fall of Raqqa, Syria from an Islamic State Perspective

2016-12-15
Options for Turkey in Syria

2016-12-12