Image Source: CNBC The Kuomintang (KMT) party had much to celebrate on November 26. Not only did its candidates win 13 of the 21 cities and counties in Taiwan’s 2022 midterm elections, but the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) captured only five seats, the fewest since its founding in 1986. President Tsai Ing-wen, who has achieved … Continue reading No, Taiwan’s “Blue Wave” Is not an Endorsement of Reunification
Balancing Peace and Justice in the Colombian “Total Peace”
Image Source: Caracol Radio A Note from the Editor: This article was finalized earlier this month, before talks with the ELN began. As these conversations continue and information is released, there may be some changes relative to what is written below. Only six years after the historic peace accord with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of … Continue reading Balancing Peace and Justice in the Colombian “Total Peace”
The Empress of ISIS
Image Source: The New York Post Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi are all prominent international terrorists who have plotted and executed attacks against the United States. While each espoused slightly different ideologies, they all had one common goal, and all eventually met their day of reckoning. These four … Continue reading The Empress of ISIS
Complexity Demands Adaptation: Two Proposals for Facilitating Better Debate in International Relations and Conflict Research
Introduction Why do democratic states rarely fight one another? Does the use of mechanization/armor generally make counterinsurgents less effective? When (if ever) does the threat of Western sanctions deter foreign aggression? Will economic decoupling with China significantly increase the likelihood of great power war? Many natural and applied scientists can rely on rigorous empirical methods … Continue reading Complexity Demands Adaptation: Two Proposals for Facilitating Better Debate in International Relations and Conflict Research
Merci Beaucoup: How Terrorist Organizations Will Benefit from the Recent Military Coup in Burkina Faso
Image Source: Institute for Security Studies The recent military coup in Burkina Faso indicates a deepening governance and security crisis in the Sahel that threatens to impede regional and international counterterrorism efforts and destabilize an ever-widening geographic area as jihadists exploit instability to expand their spheres of influence. The insecurity and violence associated with Salafi-jihadi … Continue reading Merci Beaucoup: How Terrorist Organizations Will Benefit from the Recent Military Coup in Burkina Faso
Economic Crisis Threatens European Union Solidarity
Photo credit: European Parliament Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 galvanized Europe, creating solidarity at a time when many questioned the strength of the European Union (EU). However, eight months since the invasion, cracks are starting to show. Consumers are feeling the pain of record-high levels of inflation that shows no signs of … Continue reading Economic Crisis Threatens European Union Solidarity
Managing Crises in the Information Age: Escalation Dynamics in the Russo-Ukrainian War
Image: Herman Kahn (1922-1983) Over the course of the now eight-month war in Ukraine, Russia has made vague and indirect threats of nuclear escalation. Those threats become more frequent and overt as Ukrainian counteroffensives gain momentum and the Russian military cedes territory. As President Biden stated on October 11, 2022 in response to some of … Continue reading Managing Crises in the Information Age: Escalation Dynamics in the Russo-Ukrainian War
Expert Panel Report: Taiwan and the Future of U.S. Defense Strategy in Asia
Image Source: The Hill On Friday, October 28th, the Initiative for U.S.-China Dialogue on Global Issues and The Walsh School of Foreign Service’s Asian Studies Program jointly hosted a panel entitled “Taiwan and the Future of U.S. Defense Strategy in Asia.” The event featured Georgetown Professor Caitlin Talmadge,who recently wrote an article with Brendan Rittenhouse … Continue reading Expert Panel Report: Taiwan and the Future of U.S. Defense Strategy in Asia
The U.S. Approach to African Food Security Needs a New Look
Image Source: US State Department Food insecurity in Africa – and around the globe – has long been recognized as a key, upstream contributor to manifold crises: from political instability, to unrest, to violent extremism, to mass migration. The relationship is also cyclical; war and political instability tend to worsen food insecurity. When it comes … Continue reading The U.S. Approach to African Food Security Needs a New Look
The Road to Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Re-examining Russia’s Theory of Victory and Prospects for Deterrence
Photo credit: Scientific American Just as many dismissed the possibility of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, academics continue to assert a low probability that Russia will employ nuclear weapons in Ukraine. To be sure, there are many disincentives: the risk of escalation with the US and NATO; the likelihood of being isolated from … Continue reading The Road to Tactical Nuclear Weapons: Re-examining Russia’s Theory of Victory and Prospects for Deterrence