Air War College Panel, Report on Regional Studies Tours

The Air War College's regional studies tours

231 Montgomery St, Montgomery, AL.

Reception at 5:30 pm CT, briefing at 6:15 pm, and question time till 7:30 pm.

Webinar via Zoom: login and social time, from 5:45 pm CT. 

For over a quarter century, this has been one of the highlights of ALWAC's program offerings. The presentations are given soon after the return from regional tours, with fresh insights we have not usually heard from the television reporters and online media.  

Panelists, 2026

Dr Joshua Goodman, RSS Program Director

Dr. Goodman is assistant professor and the Benjamin Foulois Chair in International Security Studies at the Air War College. He is course director for the Regional Security Studies program.

Both a political scientist and a historian, he is focused on the fields of foreign policy analysis, security studies, and the Middle East. His research and teaching focus on the impact of civil-military relations and bureaucratic politics on strategic planning and military effectiveness, especially during counterinsurgency, as well as the Arab-Israeli Conflict and Persian Gulf security.

He holds the  PhD in Political Science at Yale University (2018), and the MA in Middle East History from Tel Aviv University (2010).

Dr. Anna Batta, speaking on Poland and Hungary

 Dr. Anna Batta is Associate Professor of International Security Studies and the Global Security Course Director at Air War College. She is the author of the 2021 book Russian Minorities in the Former Soviet States: Secession, Integration, and Homeland, which explains why intervention by Russia occurred in the case of Ukraine, despite Ukraine’s benevolent and inclusive treatment of the large Russian minority, whereas in other republics with less benevolent approaches to minorities intervention did not occur, such as Kazakhstan and Latvia. Her webpage is here: https://sites.google.com/view/annabatta.

Dr. Christopher K. Colley, speaking on India, Sri Lanka, and Italy

Christopher K. Colley serves as Assistant Professor of International Security Studies at the United States Air War College. In 2020-21 he served as Fellow in the Kissinger Institute on China and the US, of the Wilson Center. Colley also served as assistant professor of security studies at the National Defense College of the United Arab Emirates.
He received his PhD in political science from Indiana University Bloomington and holds a master’s from Renmin University of China.
His research is centered on India’s reaction to China in the Indian Ocean region, and in particular, how this impacts New Delhi’s relations with Washington.
Colley has lectured on Chinese politics, foreign policy, and security at numerous universities and organizations, including Indiana University, Renmin University, China Foreign Affairs College, and the Foreign Military Attaché Corp club in Beijing. He has also briefed the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
He has written extensively on Chinese-Indian relations and has published numerous book chapters, reports, and articles on the subject. He lived in China for over a decade and has visited all of China’s political entities multiple times.
He has written, most recently, "Security in Neutrality: Chinese Engagement In the Middle East and the Red Sea Crisis," Middle East Policy, 22 August 2024.

Dan Phoenix, speaking on Malaysia and the Philippines 

Mr. Dan Phoenix, Department of the Air Force History Program: Daniel Phoenix is an experienced public historian specializing in heritage interpretation and airpower history within the United States Air Force. With a career spanning multiple major commands and locations—including Ramstein, Barksdale, Little Rock, and the National Capital Region—he has built a reputation for excellence in historical analysis, interpretation, and organizational storytelling.
Daniel has been recognized repeatedly for his contributions, earning numerous Department of the Air Force awards such as the Meritorious Civilian Service Award (multiple years), the Exemplary Civilian Service Award, and the Excellence in Contingency History Award. His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving institutional memory and elevating the role of history in strategic decision-making.
He is currently advancing his professional education through the USAF Air War College and holds certifications including Basic Nuclear Weapons Certification and Certified Interpretive Guide. Beyond his Air Force career, Daniel is an active member of the National Association for Interpretation and the Sons of the American Revolution, underscoring his lifelong dedication to public history and heritage stewardship.