Photo Credit: Quartz By: Trisha Ray, Columnist On November 8, 2016, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unexpectedly announced that all high-value currency notes would no longer be legal tender, effective midnight.[i] This declaration made valueless 86% of the currency in circulation at the time.[ii] The lack of transparency, forethought and planning that accompanied this policy … Continue reading Demonetization: The Stumbling Block in Modi’s India?
Category: Terrorism & Transnational Threats
Bioterror: The Known Unknown
Photo Credit: NPR By: Shannon Mizzi, Columnist It is increasingly clear that nation states no longer have a monopoly on biological weapons. At the same time, new technology is making the information and equipment needed to create them cheaper and more accessible. Both state and non-state actors could weaponize known bacteria or viruses such as … Continue reading Bioterror: The Known Unknown
Hezbollah’s Tenure in Syria: Tactical and Strategic Implications
Photo Credit: NationalSecurity.com By: Sarah Gilkes, Columnist In a televised address on May 25, 2013, Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah formally announced the organization’s involvement in the Syrian conflict.[i] In the weeks and months that followed Nasrallah’s address, commentators declared Hezbollah’s engagement in Syria the group’s Vietnam: a high-risk conflict that was likely to … Continue reading Hezbollah’s Tenure in Syria: Tactical and Strategic Implications
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: The Necessity of Continuity in Uzbekistan
Photo Credit: Kremlin Official Website By: Patrick Savage, Columnist On December 4th, 2016, Uzbekistan will go to the polls to choose its second president in its 25 years as an independent state. The results of that election will likely have no impact on the political status quo within Uzbekistan. Considering ongoing global instability, a continuation … Continue reading Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: The Necessity of Continuity in Uzbekistan
Drone Policy, International Law, and the Next Administration
Photo Credit: CNN.com By: Jake Howry, Columnist As the United States prepares for the transition to the next administration, we should grapple with the fact that the next President of the United States will inherit multiple wars, both overt and covert. Perhaps the defining aspect of President Obama’s counterterrorism legacy is the dramatic expansion of … Continue reading Drone Policy, International Law, and the Next Administration
Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Rollie Flynn and Dr. Jeffrey Connor on Spring 2017 Course Offering, National Security Critical Issues Task Force
By: Brian Wickizer, Reporter This spring, SSP students will convene the third session of the National Security Critical Issues Task Force (NSCITF). Students in the NSCITF course work as a team to produce an actionable report on an issue of high-level government and policy interest; their work will be published in the Georgetown Security Studies … Continue reading Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Professor Rollie Flynn and Dr. Jeffrey Connor on Spring 2017 Course Offering, National Security Critical Issues Task Force
Kabyle’s Forgotten Grievance: Implications for Algeria’s Internal Security Outlook
Photo Credit: Al-Khalidiyah Blog By: Emily Gilbert, Columnist Algeria is a critical security partner in North Africa and the Sahel.[i] However, faced with the continued instability of its neighbors to the east and south, Algeria is also contending with an uncertain political and economic future.[ii] While incidents of terrorism are significantly down within Algeria, many … Continue reading Kabyle’s Forgotten Grievance: Implications for Algeria’s Internal Security Outlook
Demythologizing the Foreign Fighter
Photo Credit: PBS By: Kaitlin Sandin, Columnist Nearly every time an American is revealed to have a connection to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin is quoted about the danger this poses to the United States: “We have a responsibility to stop those who … Continue reading Demythologizing the Foreign Fighter
Reframing Reversals: The Islamic State’s Media Jihad
Photo Credit: Yahoo.com By: Ryan Pereira, Columnist In response to recent setbacks, the Islamic State (IS) has tried to frame itself as a determined underdog. Gone are the days of predicting the imminent Apocalypse; in their place are repeated calls for supporters to remain resilient and steadfast. The group’s recent messaging shift revolves around four … Continue reading Reframing Reversals: The Islamic State’s Media Jihad
The Looming Threat of the Islamic State in Pakistan
Photo Credit: Long War Journal By: Nicole Magney, Columnist In the battle against the Islamic State (IS), the United States and its allies have rightly focused on areas where the group controls territory, like Iraq and Syria, as well as IS ‘provinces’ of particular concern, like Libya. However, the group’s presence further east in Pakistan … Continue reading The Looming Threat of the Islamic State in Pakistan