Assessing US Credibility in the Trump Era

By: Stephanie Pillion, Columnist Photo Credit: BBC Within the first seven months of his term in office, President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from three critical international agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Paris Climate Accord, and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The TPP, Paris Climate Accord, and JCPOA are all multilateral … Continue reading Assessing US Credibility in the Trump Era

American Amnesia: Counterterror Strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa

By: Evan Cooper, Columnist Photo Credit: The Nation Prior to the disclosure that four United States special forces members had been killed in Niger, there was almost no discussion of the United States’ military presence in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the news broke, it has become clear that American policymakers continue to see the use of … Continue reading American Amnesia: Counterterror Strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa

Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Dr. Keir Lieber, Incoming CSS/SSP Director

Dr. Bruce Hoffman, who has served as the Director of CSS/SSP for seven years, announced in September that he would be stepping down. He will be succeeded Dr. Keir Lieber, whose appointment takes effect January 1, 2018. Dr. Lieber is an Associate Professor in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and the Department … Continue reading Faculty Interview Series: An Interview with Dr. Keir Lieber, Incoming CSS/SSP Director

Hawalas’ Role in the Financial War on Terrorism

By: Kailey Pickitt, Guest Contributor Photo Credit: Los Angeles Times After the attacks on September 11, 2001, President Bush declared that the United States would destroy al-Qa’ida using “every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, and every financial influence;”[i] the last of these largely determines the success of a … Continue reading Hawalas’ Role in the Financial War on Terrorism

Rethinking US Missile Defense in Times of Diplomatic Madness

By: Benedikt Meng, Guest Contributor Photo Credit: US Army Gone are the days of the post-Cold War ‘American Hyperpower’ which dominated global economic and strategic security in a world of relatively stable nuclear security. While the Cold War world presented an uneasy nuclear balance resting on the actions of two superpowers, today’s nuclear environment is … Continue reading Rethinking US Missile Defense in Times of Diplomatic Madness

Finding a Place for Political Islam

By: Andrew Swick, Columnist Photo Credit: Al-Jazeera Two recent publications by prominent Washington researchers aim to tackle the difficult question of how the United States should approach political Islam—especially in the Arab world. Rethinking Political Islam, by Shadi Hamid and William McCants, reviews a multi-year study by the Brookings Institution, providing country case studies and … Continue reading Finding a Place for Political Islam

Death from Above? The United States Must Address Air Defense Challenges

By: Patrick Savage, Columnist Photo Credit: FighterSweep United States ground forces have not been killed by enemy aircraft since 1953.[i] That record is certainly due in large part to the advantages in training and equipment afforded to the United States Air Force and the United States Army’s air defense units. However, it is also important … Continue reading Death from Above? The United States Must Address Air Defense Challenges

Former CIA and NSA Director, General Michael Hayden, Discusses Shifts in Global Security

By: Tiffany Classie L. Williams, Reporter Photo Credit: Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) kicked-off the first of its Rethinking Seminar Series on Thursday, September 28, 2017 with retired US Air Force General Michael Hayden as the featured speaker. This year’s series, entitled “Rethinking Future Environments and Strategic Challenges,” is … Continue reading Former CIA and NSA Director, General Michael Hayden, Discusses Shifts in Global Security

Students Reflect on Personal Ethics in National Security

By: Andrew Johnian, Reporter Photo Credit: Code of Ethics Logo (Clipart Library) Last weekend nearly 40 students in the Security Studies Program participated in a two-day workshop on personal ethics in national security. The workshop was geared toward providing skills and peer-to-peer engagement on personal ethics in national security that can be used in the … Continue reading Students Reflect on Personal Ethics in National Security

Ambassador Hartley Draws a Critical Contrast Between Trump and Macron’s Foreign Policies

By: Patrick McNamara, Reporter Photo Credit: U.S. Department of State Speaking at the Oscar Iden Annual Lecture on American foreign policy in a talk entitled “The US, France, and Europe: Where Do We Go From Here,” former US Ambassador to France Jane Hartley criticized President Trump’s foreign policy and support of Marine Le Pen in … Continue reading Ambassador Hartley Draws a Critical Contrast Between Trump and Macron’s Foreign Policies