Learning, Relearning, and Not Learning the Lessons of COVID-19
Several recent announcements have demonstrated how little has been learned from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential need for a national reckoning to assess shortfalls and develop recommendations for preparing for and responding to future pandemics and other biological risks. To this end, the United States should create a national commission—not unlike the 9/11 Commission—to develop a way forward.
Aug 12, 2022 The Hill
Time for a U.N. Peace Enforcement Operation in Northern Ukraine?
Now that the Russian military in Ukraine has retreated north, a de facto cease-fire is in place in Kyiv and central Ukraine. This could present an opportunity for the United Nations to call for a formal cease-fire in reclaimed territory and issue a recommendation to willing states to move into Ukraine with a peacekeeping force.
Apr 27, 2022 Lawfare
Charting a Strategic Path Forward for DHS in an Evolved Threat Landscape
In the 20 years since 9/11 and the establishment of DHS, there have been profound changes in the threats facing the United States. It may make sense to consider a new operational and organizational path forward.
Sep 22, 2021 Homeland Security Today
Difficult Choices in the Race to Innovate and Compete
Senate passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act recognizes the fierce competition across the globe for leadership in key technology areas. The potential for such a momentous national investment in resources and attention brings with it options and choices for policymakers to consider.
Jun 21, 2021 The Hill
Origin Story: How Did the Coronavirus Emerge?
President Joe Biden has called for the U.S. intelligence community to redouble efforts to determine the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conducting this investigation, it might be useful to avoid only focusing on a binary choice. That is, either the virus escaped from the laboratory or from a spillover from an infected animal to a human.
Jun 2, 2021 The National Interest
Could the Bioweapons Treaty Be Another Tool for Addressing Pandemics?
What might governments do to reduce the risk of future large-scale biological attacks or naturally occurring pandemics? Perhaps now is the right time to revisit the 46-year-old Biological Weapons Convention treaty and make it a better tool against future biological threats.
Mar 12, 2021 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
The Essential Role of DHS in the Economic Recovery from COVID-19
The name Department of Homeland Security belies an important set of roles, missions, and functions of the department related to the economic security of the United States. Wielding these powers to their full extent during the COVID-19 pandemic could set the conditions for a more rapid recovery.
Feb 11, 2021 The Hill
Biosecurity Is the Lesson We Need to Learn from the Coronavirus Pandemic
Biological outbreaks have been a fear among experts for decades and human activities present windows of vulnerability. To address this, America needs to have a new approach to biosafety and biosecurity that addresses the full range of biological threats that humankind and the global environment will face in the future.
May 11, 2020 The National Interest
Inventions Birthed by Necessity of Coronavirus
If necessity is the mother of invention, the new coronavirus is quickly birthing a lot of innovations. Parts of U.S. society may be forever changed by this pandemic. The national emergency will eventually end, but the longer it lasts, the less likely that the pre-pandemic business-as-usual ways will return.
Apr 20, 2020 Domestic Preparedness Journal
On the Horns of the COVID-19 Dilemma
COVID-19 poses two dire threats to the United States: the potential deaths of many thousands of Americans, and the devastation of the $22 trillion annual economy. Protecting the health of as many people as possible by shutting down ordinary life seems completely justifiable, but that necessarily inflicts damage to the economy. This is truly a dilemma.
Mar 30, 2020 CNN
Three 'New Rules' Worth Considering for the Internet
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has called for new internet regulation starting in four areas: harmful content, election integrity, privacy, and data portability. But why stop there? His proposal could be expanded to include much more: security-by-design, net worthiness, and updated internet business models.
May 10, 2019 TechCrunch
Who Should Fund U.S. Research and Development?
The United States is in a global technology competition with important economic and national security implications. Government leadership and funding for shaping national research and development priorities will be essential.
Feb 22, 2019 The Hill
Ethics of Germline Editing Must Keep Up with Technology
Mainstream interest in genome editing is now surging. If this research is to go forward, the science should be well understood by those conducting the research. Best practices and the highest scientific standards should be employed to limit risks and prevent unintended consequences.
Jan 10, 2019 United Press International
Achieving the Trump Administration's National Biodefense Strategy
The Trump administration recently published its National Biodefense Strategy, which says that managing the risk of biological threats is in the “vital interest” of the United States, however they might present. The document provides a solid foundation, but more may be required to fully realize its goals and objectives.
Oct 2, 2018 RealClearDefense
The Military's Search for Innovation
Militaries have historically sought ways to incorporate new weapons, armaments and methods of fighting into their operations. As the United States military continues to vigorously pursue innovation, history has provided important lessons which can help guide future innovation efforts.
Aug 13, 2018 RealClearDefense
FEMA's Transformation
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's strategic plan shows several shifts in U.S. disaster relief policy. Redirecting longer-term recovery operations to state and local authorities would allow FEMA to concentrate its assets on the catastrophic disasters it is uniquely designed to handle.
Jun 8, 2018 CNN
What Does Mission Accomplished in Syria Really Mean?
The use of chemicals cannot be allowed to become an acceptable form of warfare either in Syria or anywhere else. Mission accomplishment in Syria, just like in chemical weapon nonproliferation, will require far more than missile strikes alone.
Apr 30, 2018 United Press International
Russian Nerve Agent from Skripal Attack a Deadly Game-Changer
The use of Novichok in last week's attack against Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia demands global condemnation and an insistence that Russia account for how the nerve agent came to be used at all, much less on foreign soil.
Mar 19, 2018 Axios
Could Putin's Speech Signal the Erosion of Nuclear Nonproliferation?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has linked the development of new nuclear weapons capabilities to the United States' refusal to collaborate on arms control. Perhaps before Russia goes down this path, another attempt at dialogue would be beneficial as both nations have expressed a shared interest in limiting nuclear proliferation.
Mar 7, 2018 The Hill
Can the U.S. Afford to Reduce Global Public Health Funding?
The United States may be preparing to downsize funding for global epidemic prevention. Without renewed funding, the long-term outlook could include an increased likelihood of global disease outbreaks.
Feb 8, 2018 The Hill
Return of Tactical Nuclear Weapons Would Send a Dangerous Signal
A change in the U.S. nuclear posture to include low-yield nuclear weapons could make nonproliferation goals harder to achieve. But it could also signal a new willingness to consider these weapons as part of a spectrum of warfighting capabilities, rather than as a necessary component of the U.S. deterrence posture.
Jan 19, 2018 CNN
Reauthorizing DHS: Contemplating Major DHS Organizational Realignments
As Congress considers DHS reauthorization, having clear organizational realignment principles could help assess the degree to which expectations will be met. Those principles could examine whether mission effectiveness would improve and whether implemented changes would introduce new issues.
Oct 30, 2017 The National Interest
Reauthorizing DHS: Aligning Requirements, Research, Development and Acquisition
As part of the discussion about reauthorizing the Department of Homeland Security, Congress might want to consider how to improve acquisitions. Rather than focusing only on the steps in the acquisition process, that discussion could also include consideration of pre and post-acquisition activities.
Oct 23, 2017 The National Interest
Reauthorizing DHS: Improving Operational Control
One area of focus in the debate on reauthorizing the Department of Homeland Security should be its role in directing homeland security operations. The debate should include a comprehensive discussion of the future role for the department headquarters.
Oct 23, 2017 The National Interest
Reauthorizing DHS: The Case for Reauthorization
Reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security is vital to clarifying responsibilities and setting expectations for the continued evolution of the department. Policymakers might also wish to conduct an external review, which could help inform a broader future reform bill.
Oct 20, 2017 The National Interest
Rethinking Disaster Evacuation
Before a storm hits, officials must decide whether to evacuate the public or advise them to shelter in place. Other, more targeted choices — such as sheltering in safer locations within a city — could be available if an analytic basis for making such judgments were fully developed.
Sep 11, 2017 Domestic Preparedness Journal
How Did North Korea Get Its Nuclear Capabilities So Far So Fast?
The recent North Korean missile tests and other provocations have sent shock waves through the global national security community and heightened tensions throughout the region. How has North Korea increased its missile capabilities so dramatically in such a short period of time?
Aug 14, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
A Countering Bioterrorism Facility Worth a Second Look
President Trump's proposed budget would close a laboratory dedicated to countering bioterrorism and providing the science behind bioterrorism response and recovery. Policymakers should assess whether the lab's capabilities are worth the price when weighed against the potential cost of a bioterror attack.
Jun 7, 2017 The Hill
WannaCry Virus: A Lesson in Global Unpreparedness
The WannaCry ransomware attack provides important lessons about how to secure cyber networks. History indicates that other attacks will follow. Preparedness is crucial.
May 22, 2017 The National Interest
Regional Action Needed to Prevent Syrian Chemical Attacks
Action must be taken to deter future use of chemical weapons. Regional leaders could call for the International Criminal Court to indict Assad for war crimes. Also, borders with Syria could be sealed to prevent any of the remaining stocks from leaving the country.
May 8, 2017 The Arab Weekly
China's Role in Dissuading North Korea from a Chemical Weapons Attack
North Korea's brash pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and disregard for chemical weapons norms are enormously troubling. China's engagement will be essential in convincing Kim Jong Un that the use of chemical weapons is a red line that cannot be crossed.
Apr 24, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
Why the Syria Chemical Attack Is a Big Problem for Putin
The growing use of chemicals and toxins as tools of assassination and terrorism are troubling trends. Global expressions of outrage over the latest attack in Syria could weaken Assad’s international support. Russia should listen and abandon its support for the regime while joining the international chorus of denunciation.
Apr 6, 2017 Fortune
Two Very Different Views of Terrorism and What to Do About Them
Does the public want fewer government initiatives aimed at fighting terrorism, or more? The answer could lie in the type of attack involved as well as in individual perceptions of risk and how much inconvenience people are willing to accept in the name of public safety.
Apr 6, 2017 The National Interest
A More Public National Security Strategy Discussion
President Trump has proposed an increase of $54 billion in defense spending, about 10 percent more than the current budget. But what is the national security strategy that supports this reallocation of resources? A comprehensive discussion of threats to U.S. interests and strategies to address them is in order.
Mar 7, 2017 RealClearDefense
The Mission to Counter WMD: Avoiding Missteps While Transitioning Responsibility
U.S. Special Operations Command will soon lead the Pentagon's anti-WMD efforts. SOCOM is well positioned to contain and reduce threats, but will need new expertise to prevent the acquisition of related material and respond to crises.
Feb 10, 2017 Defense One
Kelly as DHS Chief Should Focus on Improving Employee Morale
Building the morale of the Department of Homeland Security workforce should be a priority of the incoming leadership team. Strong communication with career employees, team building, and demonstrating respect for work that has already been done is needed.
Jan 13, 2017 The Hill
Presidential Policy Directive 1: Forming the National Security Council
If precedent holds, the National Security Council will be defined in the first policy directive that President Trump signs in the early weeks of his administration. Several important questions should be considered.
Dec 5, 2016 The Hill
America's Shifting Labor Market in a Technology-Driven World
Making America competitive in a transitioning market will require examining future labor market requirements. Workforce development programs that target building labor capacity for a new economy will be essential.
Nov 25, 2016 U.S. News & World Report
Protect Nuclear Nonproliferation Norms
Strong and viable global nuclear nonproliferation norms should remain a cornerstone of U.S. security now and into the future. Friends and allies must continue to have confidence in the U.S. strategic nuclear guarantees.
Oct 9, 2016 U.S. News & World Report
Can the Bioweapons Convention Survive Crispr?
Crispr is a biotechnology that's making genetic editing easier, cheaper, and far more accessible, but it has also been called a major security threat. Do such advances in biotechnology make the bioweapons convention obsolete?
Jul 29, 2016 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
How to Handle the Infectious Diseases Threat
The reactive approach to emerging infectious disease should be augmented with an anticipatory model that accounts for the dramatic changes occurring through globalization, greater interactions between human and zoonotic populations, and changes to the environment and climate patterns.
Jun 3, 2016 CNN
Understanding and Addressing the Unaccompanied Minor Immigration Issue
The number of unaccompanied child immigrants apprehended at the U.S. southwest border is on the rise again, the majority of them coming not from Mexico, but from Central America. Research could provide valuable information to policymakers as they try to find ways to help young immigrants.
Apr 22, 2016 The Hill
Walls Won't Keep Us Safe
Experience along the U.S. southern border demonstrates that even with fortifications, a wall provides only modest capacity to stop illegal crossings. More emphasis should be placed on expanding border security beyond the physical dimension.
Apr 15, 2016 U.S. News & World Report
The False Choice at the Core of the Apple-FBI Standoff
The Apple-FBI case should spark a broader debate among technology companies concerning their role in maintaining the privacy and security balance. A starting point should be to recognize that the majority of cyberattacks are related to phishing—and a user's action—not to whether a device can be secured.
Mar 21, 2016 The National Interest
Russia on the Horns of a Nuclear Dilemma
While the murder of Alexander Litvinenko is a human tragedy, broader concerns about the lowering of WMD norms and violations of international law should be addressed. The use of radioactive matter to kill him represents a serious breach of international agreements.
Feb 19, 2016 Foreign Policy Concepts
Troubling Truth Beneath Litvinenko Headlines
Slipping radioactive material into a spy's tea in the middle of London may not sound like a CBRN attack, but it is, as the Owen report has confirmed. Hopefully, the report's release will help focus global attention on the growing threat posed by these devastating weapons.
Jan 21, 2016 CNN
Countering Bioterror
While advances in biotechnology have brought a wide range of benefits, biological weapons are now within the reach of many rogue nations and possibly some terrorist groups. Reports show that the U.S. is ill prepared to address this threat.
Jan 18, 2016 The Cipher Brief
Solving the Geometrical Problem of Terrorism
Think of terror organizations as being composed of four elements, organized in concentric circles with the leaders at the center bull's eye, operational elements in the second ring, supporters in the third, and sympathizers in the fourth. Neutralizing each group will require different strategies.
Jan 13, 2016 U.S. News & World Report
The U.S. Needs to Exercise Leadership at the Biological Weapons Convention
The world is one rogue microbiologist away from a potentially devastating biological attack. In this new, evolving environment, the United States should establish its goals and objectives and build coalitions to help meet them.
Dec 28, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
Anonymous vs. ISIS: Wishing the Vigilante Hackers Luck Against the Murderous Jihadists
While ISIL uses the Internet to recruit fighters and incite violence, the Anonymous counter initiative could lower the volume of the online echo chamber, and yield support for the war against ISIL and its extremist ilk.
Dec 14, 2015 New York Daily News
Time to Prepare for the Unthinkable
Given ISIS's strategy, it seems only a matter of time before these extremists might attempt an attack in the United States. The irony is that the very rights that Americans hold so dear (liberty, privacy, freedom) place it at greater risk. So what should America do to prepare?
Nov 16, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
The Two Sides of Cybersecurity
Securing government networks is certainly necessary, but authorities should not lose sight of the need to couple their defense of America's networks with appropriate resources dedicated to combatting criminal, terrorist, and other threats in cyberspace.
Nov 13, 2015 GlobalSecurity.org
Define Acceptable Cyberspace Behavior
While a U.S.-China cyberspace agreement is a welcome step, it also underscores the greater issues facing the United States and the international community in this largely ungoverned space. A precondition for securing U.S. networks should be the development of an overarching cyber doctrine that defines acceptable behavior and allows the U.S. to defend its networks against threats.
Sep 27, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
20 Years Later, the Lessons of Bosnia-Herzegovina
U.S. intervention in Bosnia ended the fighting, bought time for a political solution to be reached, and halted the humanitarian crisis. But 20 years later, the prospects for lasting peace and a true multiethnic society to emerge in Bosnia are not encouraging.
Aug 19, 2015 FOX News Channel
Ebola and Syria's Chemical Weapons Show U.S. Can Leave Nothing to Chance
There are key takeaways from the Ebola outbreak, Syria's chemical weapons, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The U.S. and its international partners should view these events as learning opportunities that could help improve preparedness and response capabilities before the next crisis strikes.
Jul 9, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
The Forgotten Cornerstone in the Immigration Reform Debate
The Executive Office for Immigration Review manages the U.S. immigration court system and thereby plays a pivotal role in assuring the timely processing of foreign nationals and the security of the nation and its borders. It should not be left out of discussions of immigration reform.
Apr 30, 2015 The Hill
The Clash of Internet Civilizations: Why Neither Side Should Prevail
The debate over net neutrality pits two opposing philosophies against each other — one pushing for the continued evolution of the Internet as an open information superhighway, the other asserting that the Internet's evolution needs to take more account of the many ways it is and will be used.
Apr 10, 2015 Government Technology
To Know the Future of Biological Weapons, Look to the Past
A panel chaired by former Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Gov. Tom Ridge will review U.S. policy on biodefense. Looking back to the end of the U.S. offensive biological warfare program would provide valuable lessons.
Apr 10, 2015 U.S. News & World Report
Managing Technology in an Unmanageable World
The need for purposeful and focused R&D in the U.S. has never been greater, but technology is advancing so quickly that the structures available to manage it have not kept pace. A comprehensive examination of the technological landscape is needed to help the government take a more holistic approach to investing in and regulating technologies.
Feb 19, 2015 The Hill
Go Back to Basics to Reform Homeland Security
The Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986 made the broadest and most sweeping changes to the Pentagon since its establishment in 1947. With the Department of Homeland Security in a similar state just over a decade after its hurried creation, it's time for DHS to have a Goldwater-Nichols of its own.
Jan 28, 2015 Politico
What Have We Learned from the Ebola Outbreak?
For much of 2014, the world has confronted the most deadly Ebola outbreak since the discovery of the disease in 1976. What lessons have emerged? What should the world do to better prepare for transnational outbreaks?
Dec 31, 2014 U.S. News & World Report
