Reckoning with Defeat: How to Move Forward in Afghanistan

By: Evan Cooper, Columnist Photo by: Getty Images Defeat is always a possibility in war, but it is not a possibility in the minds of most Americans. Nowhere is this pathology more evident than the war in Afghanistan. The Taliban controls substantial territory and is estimated to threaten 70 percent of Afghanistan.[i] The Afghan government, … Continue reading Reckoning with Defeat: How to Move Forward in Afghanistan

Going Viral: Combating ISIS on Its New Battlefield

By: Tina Huang, Columnist Photo by: Wall Street Journal As the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is physically deteriorating, it is digitally strengthening. As of December 2017, ISIS has lost 98 percent of its territory in Syria and Iraq, forcing fighters to continue their movement online.[i] In fact, this past January there was … Continue reading Going Viral: Combating ISIS on Its New Battlefield

Ukraine Set to Go Ballistic

By Alexander Begej, Columnist Photo by: Ukraine Defense and Security Council The Ukrainian defense industry is on the verge of implementing several independently developed missile projects, which will enhance Ukraine’s tactical capabilities, strategic deterrence, and defense of maritime assets in the Black and Azov Seas. Advancements in Ukraine’s missile program Ukraine’s domestic missile program remained … Continue reading Ukraine Set to Go Ballistic

A Long Game in Syria: Turkey Versus Al-Qaeda

By: Patrick Hoover, Columnist Photo by: The Century Foundation The relationship between Turkey and al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS and previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra), is a complex and ambiguous one. Since the Syrian civil war began in 2012, Turkish-HTS dynamics have ebbed and flowed largely according to regional and local conditions. On … Continue reading A Long Game in Syria: Turkey Versus Al-Qaeda

The Frozen Conflict in Transnistria: Why the West Should Pay Attention to Moldova

By: Shawn Stefanick, Columnist Photo by: Getty Images On February 17, 2018, at the annual Munich Security Conference, Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip renewed his calls for Moscow to withdraw Russian troops from the Trans-Dniester Republic (commonly referred to as Transnistria), a Russian-backed separatist enclave in eastern Moldova.[i] Judging by the lack of discourse in … Continue reading The Frozen Conflict in Transnistria: Why the West Should Pay Attention to Moldova

Post-Karimov Reform in Uzbekistan: Illusion or Reality?

By: Will Chim, Columnist Photo by: Asia Times For two and half decades, the words “Uzbekistan” and “Karimov” were inextricable – one could not discuss the Central Asian country without mentioning its brutal leader. But since Uzbekistani President Islam Karimov’s death in 2017 after 25 years of rule, many are wondering what comes next. For … Continue reading Post-Karimov Reform in Uzbekistan: Illusion or Reality?

Failing Ghouta’s Civilians: Why the International Community Consistently Avoids Humanitarian Interventions

By: Yasmin Faruki, Columnist Photo by: Reuters The Assad government’s assault on Eastern Ghouta this month has produced some of the deadliest days of the Syrian Civil War since 2013. According to the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights, between February 18 to February 23, a series of regime strikes killed more than 500 civilians, and … Continue reading Failing Ghouta’s Civilians: Why the International Community Consistently Avoids Humanitarian Interventions

A Bridge Too Far?: US Strategy Towards Iran’s “Land Bridge”

By: Kailey Pickitt, Guest Contributor Photo by: Hudson Institute At a Pentagon press conference last month, reporters questioned Defense Secretary Jim Mattis about the status of Iran’s so-called “land bridge.” The bridge, a territorial corridor that connects Iran to Lebanon via Iraq and Syria, is one of Tehran’s more important strategic priorities. “I don't think … Continue reading A Bridge Too Far?: US Strategy Towards Iran’s “Land Bridge”

Weathering North Korea’s “Charm Offensive”: Maintaining the U.S./South Korean Alliance After the Winter Olympics

U.S. Marines, left, and South Korean Marines, wearing blue headbands on their helmets, take positions after landing on the beach during a joint military combined amphibious exercise in Pohang, South Korea. By Doug Livermore, Columnist Photo by: Kim Jun-bum/Yonhap via AP Ever since North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, a perpetual state of war … Continue reading Weathering North Korea’s “Charm Offensive”: Maintaining the U.S./South Korean Alliance After the Winter Olympics

Normative Persuasion and the Impact of IMET Programs on U.S. National Security Goals

By: Simone Bak, Columnist Photo by: NDU Audio Visual Every year, U.S. International Military Education and Training (IMET) programs are used to train approximately 6,000-7,000 foreign officers from roughly 120 friendly and allied nations in US military schools alongside their US counterparts.[i] The Department of State runs and funds IMET programs, while the Department of … Continue reading Normative Persuasion and the Impact of IMET Programs on U.S. National Security Goals