Photo Credit: Kremlin Official Website By: Patrick Savage, Columnist On December 4th, 2016, Uzbekistan will go to the polls to choose its second president in its 25 years as an independent state. The results of that election will likely have no impact on the political status quo within Uzbekistan. Considering ongoing global instability, a continuation … Continue reading Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: The Necessity of Continuity in Uzbekistan
Month: November 2016
An Arab Spring with No Water: How Uprisings in the Middle East Can Be Linked to Resource Scarcity
Photo Credit: Middle East Eye By: Farnaz Alimehri, Columnist The Middle East is often mischaracterized as an arid, desertic region; however, for the past twenty years, this misrepresentation has slowly turned into a stark reality. Most countries in the region have been experiencing a massive drought that scientists say has been brought on by climate … Continue reading An Arab Spring with No Water: How Uprisings in the Middle East Can Be Linked to Resource Scarcity
The Fate of Conscription in South Korea
Photo Credit: Channel News Asia By: Trisha Ray, Columnist Under the shroud of constant crisis emanating from a belligerent North Korea (DPRK), a growing number of South Koreans are beginning to question the need for mandatory universal military service. Support for mandatory conscription is rapidly waning. It is increasingly viewed as neither a necessary or … Continue reading The Fate of Conscription in South Korea
Veterans Day Remarks from Mr. Daniel Feehan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness)
The following remarks were made by Mr. Daniel Feehan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness), at a Veteran's Day Celebration hosted by the Georgetown University Student Veterans Association on 10 November 2016. -- Thank you to the Georgetown University Student Veteran Association. It is an honor to join you for this Veteran’s Day celebration. … Continue reading Veterans Day Remarks from Mr. Daniel Feehan, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Readiness)
Drone Policy, International Law, and the Next Administration
Photo Credit: CNN.com By: Jake Howry, Columnist As the United States prepares for the transition to the next administration, we should grapple with the fact that the next President of the United States will inherit multiple wars, both overt and covert. Perhaps the defining aspect of President Obama’s counterterrorism legacy is the dramatic expansion of … Continue reading Drone Policy, International Law, and the Next Administration
Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Rollie Flynn and Dr. Jeffrey Connor on Spring 2017 Course Offering, National Security Critical Issues Task Force
By: Brian Wickizer, Reporter This spring, SSP students will convene the third session of the National Security Critical Issues Task Force (NSCITF). Students in the NSCITF course work as a team to produce an actionable report on an issue of high-level government and policy interest; their work will be published in the Georgetown Security Studies … Continue reading Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Rollie Flynn and Dr. Jeffrey Connor on Spring 2017 Course Offering, National Security Critical Issues Task Force
CRISPR—A Rogue One?
Photo Credit: MIT Technology Review By: Paul Kumst, Columnist Released in February 2016, the Annual Worldwide Threats Assessment of the US Intelligence Community categorized gene editing as a potential weapon of mass destruction (WMD).[i] It expressed concern about the malicious potential stemming from the "accelerated pace of development" of genetic engineering. Although the report does not … Continue reading CRISPR—A Rogue One?
Kabyle’s Forgotten Grievance: Implications for Algeria’s Internal Security Outlook
Photo Credit: Al-Khalidiyah Blog By: Emily Gilbert, Columnist Algeria is a critical security partner in North Africa and the Sahel.[i] However, faced with the continued instability of its neighbors to the east and south, Algeria is also contending with an uncertain political and economic future.[ii] While incidents of terrorism are significantly down within Algeria, many … Continue reading Kabyle’s Forgotten Grievance: Implications for Algeria’s Internal Security Outlook
Could the Arctic Circle Become the Next Crimea?
Photo Credit: Politico By: Andrew Watts, Columnist Nearly a decade ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a submarine on a mission to plant the Russian flag on the seabed underneath the North Pole. Though easy to dismiss this action as a mere publicity stunt, evidence strongly suggests that Moscow has every intention to dominate the … Continue reading Could the Arctic Circle Become the Next Crimea?
The Devil is in the Details: Assessing the Threat of Russia’s “Satan 2” ICBM
Photo Credit: 112 Ukraine By: Emily Kangas, Columnist On October 27, 2016, Russian missile design company Makayev Rocket Design Bureau published the first declassified image of Russia’s new RS-28 Sarmat rocket.[i] Monikered “Satan 2” by NATO, the unveiling of the new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) sparked considerable attention from Western media outlets, many of which … Continue reading The Devil is in the Details: Assessing the Threat of Russia’s “Satan 2” ICBM