Photo Credit: International Business Times By: Morgan Byrne-Diakun, Editor-in-Chief Given the relative size of the Sultanate of Oman’s economy, population, and military, few typically consider the country’s role in international and regional affairs as more than an afterthought to those of its larger, more powerful neighbors. However, as the Middle East has descended into turmoil … Continue reading Lessons in the Exercise of Soft Power: Oman’s Role in the Middle East
Why International Law Matters to Decision Makers
Photo Credit: French Ministry of Defense By: Lorris Beverelli, Guest Contributor Since September 2014, an international coalition has been conducting military operations in Syria aimed at degrading and destroying the self-proclaimed “Islamic State” (ISIS). The coalition, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, have invoked their right to self-defense and the consent of the … Continue reading Why International Law Matters to Decision Makers
Old Tricks, New Targets: Russia’s Involvement in the 2016 Elections and the US Response
Photo Credit: Fortune.com By: Emily Kangas, Columnist While the United States’ 2016 presidential election can be described as anything but ordinary, perhaps one of the most controversial aspects was Russia’s alleged involvement in the election process.[i] This month, new evidence of Russian meddling emerged, with recent reports accusing Russia of coordinating a campaign of “botnets,” … Continue reading Old Tricks, New Targets: Russia’s Involvement in the 2016 Elections and the US Response
The Dangers of White Nationalism: The Rise and Normalization of Online Racism in the United States
Photo Credit: RawStory By: William Haynes, Columnist The 2016 presidential elections results have re-invigorated the white nationalist movement and brought its message to the forefront of the mainstream media and online platforms, yet little is being done to combat the radicalization of these groups online. Left unchecked, white nationalism poses a threat to human security … Continue reading The Dangers of White Nationalism: The Rise and Normalization of Online Racism in the United States
Time to Police INTERPOL
Photo Credit: The Independent By: Annie Kowalewski, Columnist At the 85th session of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) General Assembly in November 2016, Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security Meng Hongwei was elected President.[i] His appointment raises concern about whether he will abuse INTERPOL’s resources to crack down on Chinese political dissidents abroad, particularly … Continue reading Time to Police INTERPOL
Banning Killer Robots? A Way Forward
Photo Credit: Military.com By: Paul Kumst, Columnist The upcoming Fifth Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) may set the stage for a preventive ban of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), also referred to as “Killer Robots.” However, a variety of factors make it doubtful that a capable and committed Group of … Continue reading Banning Killer Robots? A Way Forward
Why the Trump Administration Should Embrace CVE
Photo Credit: Chicago Tribune By: Kaitlin Sandin, Columnist Before and since the election, president-elect Trump and his allies have made clear that the new administration is willing to discard policies and programs that they believe add little value, regardless of their popularity within either political party. While some may welcome a dizzying reorganization of the … Continue reading Why the Trump Administration Should Embrace CVE
Demonetization: The Stumbling Block in Modi’s India?
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?
NATO’s Perfect Storm: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
Photo Credit: NATO By: Andrew Watts, Columnist In his first press conference since voters elected Donald Trump into the Oval Office, President Obama sought to reassure allies that the president elect has “a great interest in maintaining our [US] core strategic relationships” and that “there [will be] no weakening of resolve” when it comes to … Continue reading NATO’s Perfect Storm: Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin
Kobe Confidential: Japan’s Yakuza War One Year In
Photo Credit: Daily Beast By Jake Howry, Columnist For more than a year, the Japanese underworld has been engaged in the largest gang war the country has seen in more than three decades. On August 27, 2015, as Japan’s largest criminal organization—the Yamaguchi-gumi, which represents approximately 45% of all yakuza in the country—celebrated the 100th … Continue reading Kobe Confidential: Japan’s Yakuza War One Year In