Photo by Pete Souza/The White House By Daniel Charles In his speech yesterday marking the thirteen-year anniversary of September 11th, President Obama made a thought-provoking observation amidst the requisite words of comfort and imagery of strength and courage that define the day. “Beginning tomorrow,” he said, “there will be teenagers –- young adults –- who were … Continue reading The September 12th Generation
Author: GSSR
Spoiler Alert! The (Over)Reaction of the North Korean Regime to The Interview
Image by Columbia Pictures/The Interview, Official Trailer By Julia Cunico | Earlier this week, Columbia Pictures released the trailer for its upcoming comedy The Interview starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. In the film, Rogen and Franco, who are known for dark and silly comedies such as Pineapple Express (Columbia, September 2008) and This is … Continue reading Spoiler Alert! The (Over)Reaction of the North Korean Regime to The Interview
U.S. Security Partnerships after the fall of Mosul
Photo by Tommy Avilucea/U.S. Air Force By John Rodriguez | After the capture of Mosul in northern Iraq by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), commentators have offered a number of explanations for how this catastrophe came about. Many, including the State Department, point out that “ISIL continues to gain strength from … Continue reading U.S. Security Partnerships after the fall of Mosul
Military Disengagement from Politics: The Case of Pakistan’s Revolving Barracks Door
Photo by Al Jazeera English/Wikimedia Commons By Anthony Bell | It is not surprising that the recent spate of political clashes between the Pakistani civilian government and the military has generated widespread speculation among policymakers that a military coup could transpire in Islamabad. Pakistan has experienced four military coups and thirty years of military rule … Continue reading Military Disengagement from Politics: The Case of Pakistan’s Revolving Barracks Door
A Theory of Cyberwarfare: Political and Military Objectives, Lines of Communication, and Targets
Photo by U.S. Air Force By Jason Rivera | The interwar period between 1918 and 1939 is well characterized by the term, “Revolution in Military Affairs.” This era of military history is remembered as critically important in terms of aviation advances and is often characterized by the remarkable progress in technology, weaponry, and general military … Continue reading A Theory of Cyberwarfare: Political and Military Objectives, Lines of Communication, and Targets
The Moral Foundations of Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
Photo by Juliette Humble/UK DFID By Mike Burnham and Shannon Peterson | How do individuals morally justify participation in ethnic violence? This paper presents original research that attempts to answer this question. Using text analysis software and Jonathan Haidt’s moral matrix, a total of 225 text samples from three different ideological groups—Liberals, Conservatives, and White … Continue reading The Moral Foundations of Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
The Foreign Policy of U.S. Arms Transfers
Photo by U.S. Army/Flickr By Paul Khuri | State actors frequently use arms transfers as a tool of foreign policy, distributing weapons for a variety of reasons. In many cases, a supplier state providing arms to another state or sub-state group has played a significant role in determining status and perceived influence over the recipient … Continue reading The Foreign Policy of U.S. Arms Transfers
Anatomy of a Winning Insurgency: Learning From Hizballah’s Victory Over Israel in the 1982-2000 South Lebanon Conflict
Photo by yeowatzup/Flickr By Jeff Burdette | In both Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States was pitted against a resilient and adroit insurgency. And each time, the United States struggled to respond effectively. Given the growing presence of al-Qaeda linked or inspired insurgents in numerous countries throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, … Continue reading Anatomy of a Winning Insurgency: Learning From Hizballah’s Victory Over Israel in the 1982-2000 South Lebanon Conflict
Energy Security and North Korea: A Failed Pursuit for Self-Reliance
Photo by Roman Harak/Flickr By Martin J. Cool | With the announcement in late 2013 of the execution of Jang Song-thaek, the uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) was once again thrust into the international spotlight.[1] Jang, believed to have been the second most powerful individual in … Continue reading Energy Security and North Korea: A Failed Pursuit for Self-Reliance
Blast from the Past: Using History to Shape Targeted Strikes Policy
Photo by Bobbi Zapka/U.S. Air Force By Damian Mencini | Drone strikes are sensational events. As such, scholars, pundits, and government officials have exhausted reams of paper and hours of airtime arguing whether they are legal, ethical, or effective. Few commentators, however, have expanded the spectrum of study to include an analysis of the years … Continue reading Blast from the Past: Using History to Shape Targeted Strikes Policy