By: Doug Livermore, Columnist Photo Credit: Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty The United States National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18), which the US Congress resolved and sent to the White House in mid-November 2017, includes in it a requirement for the interagency to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to counter … Continue reading Standing Up to the Russian Bear: Time for A Comprehensive Strategy for Countering the Threat of the Russian Federation
Category: Russia
Preventing Russian Dominance in the Arctic
By: Will Chim, Columnist Photo Credit: CIMSEC The lands and seas of the Arctic Circle remain one of the last great frontiers on Earth and hold up to 13% of total undiscovered oil and 30% of undiscovered natural gas in the world.[1] Out of all the countries with an interest in the Arctic, the Russian … Continue reading Preventing Russian Dominance in the Arctic
The US-Russia Race to Beat ISIS in Eastern Syria
By: Patrick Hoover, Columnist Photo Credit: Daily Sabah The race to rule eastern Syria after the defeat of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is quickly and quietly escalating into a focal point of US-Russian tension and competition. The US-backed, Kurdish-majority Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Russian-backed Syrian regime are conducting separate, but competing, … Continue reading The US-Russia Race to Beat ISIS in Eastern Syria
It’s Not Me, It’s the System: The Inevitability of Failure in Russia-US Relations Under President Trump
By: Emily Kangas, Columnist Photo Credit: Politico The United States’ airstrike on a Syrian airfield marked the end of the honeymoon phase of Russia-US relations under the Donald Trump administration, despite vocal support for improvement by both states. On April 6, 2017, the United States fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at the airfield after the Syrian … Continue reading It’s Not Me, It’s the System: The Inevitability of Failure in Russia-US Relations Under President Trump
Libya Could Be the Trump Test for US-Russia Cooperation in the Middle East
By: Yasmin Faruki, Columnist Photo Credit: Middle East Eye President Trump has no issue cooperating with Russia in the Middle East. Just earlier this year, he suggested cooperating militarily with Russia in Syria, despite the fact that the United States and Russia have fundamentally different objectives in the region.[i] Though it seems Trump has backed … Continue reading Libya Could Be the Trump Test for US-Russia Cooperation in the Middle East
Russia’s Information Warriors Don’t Care If We Disprove Their Lies
By: Sam Skove, Columnist Photo Credit: The Economist The Kremlin has successfully used digital media to stoke conflict in Russian-speaking communities abroad, ranging from Ukraine to Germany. The West and its allies have responded with a variety of measures, chiefly aimed at providing informed counterpoints to Russia's misinformation. However, one RAND study indicates that merely … Continue reading Russia’s Information Warriors Don’t Care If We Disprove Their Lies
Containing NATO: Russia’s Growing A2/AD Capability in the Mediterranean
By: Emily Kangas, Columnist Photo Credit: US Naval Institute On January 20, 2017, Russia signed a long-term agreement with Syria to expand their naval and air base in Tartus and Latakia, respectively.[i] Though the agreement was arguably signed under the auspices of supporting counterterrorism, the base expansions will bolster Russia’s regional military presence in scope … Continue reading Containing NATO: Russia’s Growing A2/AD Capability in the Mediterranean
Russia Trumps Up Charges Against Its Own
By: Sam Skove, Columnist Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons The FSB, Russia’s successor to the KGB, unmasked two cyber-crime investigators this December as spies for the United States, according to Russian media.[i] It is extremely unlikely, however, that the accused ever spied for the CIA or FBI. Indeed, the treason charges against the two officers, as … Continue reading Russia Trumps Up Charges Against Its Own
Balancing Neutrality Between Russia and NATO: The Case of Finland
By: William Haynes, Columnist Photo Credit: Deutsche Welle Since the end of World War II, Finland has remained relatively neutral when it comes to military and political relations with Russia and the West. While Finland occasionally works with NATO and cooperates with Russia on trade agreements, it almost never fully commits to aligning with either … Continue reading Balancing Neutrality Between Russia and NATO: The Case of Finland
Old Tricks, New Targets: Russia’s Involvement in the 2016 Elections and the US Response
Photo Credit: Fortune.com By: Emily Kangas, Columnist While the United States’ 2016 presidential election can be described as anything but ordinary, perhaps one of the most controversial aspects was Russia’s alleged involvement in the election process.[i] This month, new evidence of Russian meddling emerged, with recent reports accusing Russia of coordinating a campaign of “botnets,” … Continue reading Old Tricks, New Targets: Russia’s Involvement in the 2016 Elections and the US Response