By: Farnaz Alimehri, Columnist Photo Credit: Amnesty International In the past decade, there has been a disturbing increase in the use of chemical weapons by states and non-state actors alike. While the international community and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons have been prompt to act and condemn the use of chemical weapons … Continue reading Turning a Blind Eye to Chemical Weapons: Will Anyone Investigate What Happened in Darfur?
Category: Terrorism & Transnational Threats
By, With, and Through: Securing US National Interests in Africa
By: Doug Livermore, Columnist Photo Credit: Author, Northern Mali (2011) President Donald Trump’s recently released annual budget request, characterized as a “hard power” budget, emphasizes military spending over diplomatic and developmental aid.[i] As such, there is a perceived risk that the United States’ new foreign policy will de-prioritize our engagement with Africa, which accounts for … Continue reading By, With, and Through: Securing US National Interests in Africa
How the ISIL War Changed the Political System in Iraqi Kurdistan
By: Frzand Sherko, Guest Contributor Photo Credit: KRG Department of Foreign Relations The continuation of a de facto autocracy in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has led to an extension of oligarchic authority and created a neglected nation, poor society, locked economy, and an irresponsible and corrupt government. The persistence of this situation would direct … Continue reading How the ISIL War Changed the Political System in Iraqi Kurdistan
Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Elizabeth Grimm Arsenault, SSP Director of Teaching
By: Antonia Ward, Reporter Photo Credit: Rick Sincere Professor Elizabeth Grimm Arsenault is Assistant Professor of Teaching for the Security Studies Program, having previously taught at the College of William & Mary. She has worked in the intelligence and defense sectors of the US government, and is an expert in terrorism, intelligence, international law, and … Continue reading Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Elizabeth Grimm Arsenault, SSP Director of Teaching
Civilian Casualties and the United States’ Dilemma in Syria and Iraq
By: Sara Sirota, Columnist Photo Credit: The Independent As many as 200 civilians died on March 17 in western Mosul, when the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria conducted an aggressive series of airstrikes to destroy ISIS targets.[1] Another 30 died on March 22 in a school, when the coalition pursued targets near Raqqa. And … Continue reading Civilian Casualties and the United States’ Dilemma in Syria and Iraq
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
Reply to ‘Why Aren’t Terrorism Experts Looking Right?’
By: Professor Bruce Hoffman, Director of the Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University Photo Credit: Federal Bureau of Investigation In “Why Aren’t Terrorism Experts Looking Right?” two cherished alumnae of the Security Studies Program take umbrage that the conference on “What the New Administration Needs to Know About Terrorism and Counterterrorism,” jointly held with the … Continue reading Reply to ‘Why Aren’t Terrorism Experts Looking Right?’
Why Aren’t Terrorism Experts Looking Right?
By Guest contributor Camille Pease Photo Credit: ThinkProgress As two recent alumnae of the Georgetown University Security Studies Program, we paid close attention to the recent joint conference and follow up report between Georgetown and the University of St Andrews on ‘What the New Administration Needs to Know About Terrorism & Counterterrorism.’ Our disappointment that … Continue reading Why Aren’t Terrorism Experts Looking Right?
Iranian Support for Kurds Threatens US Security Interests; Here’s How the US Can Respond
By: Christopher Moede, Guest Contributor Photo Credit: The Daily Beast Complex relationships among state and non-state actors in the Middle East require due diligence for the United States to effectively employ the full range of its national instruments of power. These interests, protected through a nuanced application of diplomatic, informational, military, and economic power, lead … Continue reading Iranian Support for Kurds Threatens US Security Interests; Here’s How the US Can Respond
Unconventional Assassinations: Why the Assassination of Kim Jong-nam Has Greater Implications
By: Farnaz Alimehri, Columnist Photo Credit: New Straits Times On February 13, 2017, Kim Jong-nam, the older half brother of the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, was assassinated in a Malaysian airport in Kuala Lumpur.[i] He was attacked by two women, Doan Thi Huoung and Siti Aisyah, who were said to have doused their hands … Continue reading Unconventional Assassinations: Why the Assassination of Kim Jong-nam Has Greater Implications