By: Annie Kowalewski, Columnist Photo by: Associated Press After Kim Yo-jong’s appearance at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, the media heralded her “charm” and applauded her for “stealing the show”. [i] Kim Yo-jong’s coverage was so positive that even Buzzfeed News stepped in to remind the populace that she is part of one of … Continue reading Burying Our Heads in the Sand: Female Participation in Political Violence (The Kim Yo-jong Story)
Category: United States
US Counterterrorism in the Horn of Africa: A Chance for Ethiopian-Eritrean Cooperation?
By: Harvey Granger, Guest Columnist Photo by: http://www.dvidshub.net In August 2017, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) encouraged the formation of a military partnership between the United States and Eritrea.[[i]] The question is, could a US-Eritrean partnership, added to an existing US-Ethiopian partnership, contribute towards amity between these rival neighbors? Ethiopia has been a major player in … Continue reading US Counterterrorism in the Horn of Africa: A Chance for Ethiopian-Eritrean Cooperation?
Amid Recent Terrorist Attacks, US and NATO-led Efforts In Afghanistan Must Persist
By: Alicia Chavy, Columnist Photo by: http://www.pbs.org With the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul hope for political reconciliation has diminished greatly. The Taliban and the Islamic State’s increasing focus on highly visible targets in densely populated areas signals a change in strategy from rural campaigns to urban ones. This hinders the U.S., NATO, and Afghan … Continue reading Amid Recent Terrorist Attacks, US and NATO-led Efforts In Afghanistan Must Persist
Having Your Cake and Eating It Too: The Paradox of Readiness and Modernization in the US Army
By: Eric Altamura, Columnist Photo by: http://asc.army.mil The recently published National Defense Strategy states that, “without sustained and predictable investment to restore readiness and modernize our military to make it fit for our time, we will rapidly lose our military advantage.”[i] Secretary of Defense James Mattis reinforced this point to the Senate Armed Services Committee … Continue reading Having Your Cake and Eating It Too: The Paradox of Readiness and Modernization in the US Army
We Should Have Seen It Coming: The Inherent Susceptibility of Democracies to Foreign Intervention
By: Evan Cooper, Columnist Photo by: Associated Press The discovery of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election blindsided much of the American public. It seemed unfathomable that the world’s gold standard for democracy could be covertly manipulated by a competitor. But we should have been prepared. Democracies have always been susceptible to foreign … Continue reading We Should Have Seen It Coming: The Inherent Susceptibility of Democracies to Foreign Intervention
Bitcoin and the Dark Web: The New Terrorist Threat?
By: Antonia Ward, Columnist Photo by: money.cnn.com Since it first came into existence in 2009, Bitcoin has been causing controversy, confusion, and consternation in equal measure. The cryptocurrency is valued at 1 bitcoin to $14,122 USD (£10,189.53) at the time of writing (15 January 2017), and is the first decentralized digital currency of its kind, … Continue reading Bitcoin and the Dark Web: The New Terrorist Threat?
Strategic Gridlock in America’s Second Somalia War
By: Brian Hayes, Columnist Photo Credit: Newsweek In the last quarter century, the United States has twice intervened in Somalia. The first intervention—made famous by the book and film Blackhawk Down—ended in failure in 1995. The second intervention, less well known, is now in its eleventh year. From relatively narrow counterterrorism objectives—hunting down a few … Continue reading Strategic Gridlock in America’s Second Somalia War
Sustaining Stability: The Problems and Possibilities of US Stabilization Operations
By: Stan Sundel, Reporter Photo Credit: Center for Complex Operations Are stability operations useful in mitigating foreign conflicts? If so, what policy tools can be leveraged to execute successful stability efforts in today’s challenging security environments? These were two of the key questions addressed by Kim Field, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in … Continue reading Sustaining Stability: The Problems and Possibilities of US Stabilization Operations
The Case Against Hacking Back
By: Sonny Santistevan, Columnist Photo Credit: Slate (via TASS) Cybersecurity breaches are an all too common theme in headlines across the United States. 2017 alone has seen an inordinate amount of cybersecurity breakdowns, including state-sponsored ransomware, leaks of spy tools from intelligence agencies, electoral campaign hacking, and a myriad of public and private sector breaches, … Continue reading The Case Against Hacking Back
National Security Figures Need to Explain the Impacts of Climate Change
By: Evan Cooper, Columnist Photo Credit: Task and Purpose In a 2014 Department of Defense document, then Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel sounded the alarm that “Rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, climbing sea levels, and more extreme weather events will intensify the challenges of global instability, hunger, poverty, and conflict.”[i] Hagel’s warning has borne … Continue reading National Security Figures Need to Explain the Impacts of Climate Change