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National Security and Terrorism

International Diplomacy
commentary
South Korea–Japan Tensions Complicate U.S. Efforts to Leverage Allies in Competition with China
Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold
Sep 17, 2019
Institut Montaigne
The rapid deterioration of ties between South Korea and Japan not only undercuts America's Indo-Pacific strategy, it also increases the risks to U.S. allies and partners in the region. Just how consequential is the growing South Korea–Japan tension for U.S. strategy and what is Washington doing to address the issue?
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Democracy
commentary
African Dictators Have Been Losing Power—Some to Democratic Governments. Militaries Can Tip the Scales Toward Democracy
Nathaniel Allen, Alexander H. Noyes @alexhnoyes
Sep 16, 2019
The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog
Africa's security forces most often make headlines when they commit atrocities, crack down on protesters, or seize power in coups. But Africa's troops can also contribute to democracy and peace when they lay down their arms or refuse orders to turn their guns against the people.
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Israel
commentary
Israel’s War with Iran May Be Going Too Far
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Sep 16, 2019
The National Interest
Israel has a right to defend itself from Iranian threats to its country. American leaders should consider balancing support for Israel's efforts to counter Iran with firm redlines about activities negatively impacting American interests.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Southeast Asia Loves ISIS, but Is the Feeling Mutual?
Zachary Abuza, Colin P. Clarke
Sep 16, 2019
Foreign Affairs
As the ISIS core in Iraq and Syria attempts to rebuild, Baghdadi and his lieutenants will have to make difficult decisions about where to allocate resources. Now that the caliphate is gone and ISIS must transform into an insurgency, the largely untested lands of Southeast Asia may yield rich rewards.
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Civil-Military Relations
commentary
Americans Have Faith in the Military, but They Don't Understand It
Paula G. Thornhill
Sep 13, 2019
The National Interest
The U.S. military is a central element of America's power and history. It dominates discretionary spending and remains the country's most trusted institution. However, it is peripheral to the daily life of most citizens.
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Artificial Intelligence
commentary
A Code of Conduct for AI in Defense Should Be an Extension of Other Military Codes
Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc
Sep 11, 2019
Friends of Europe's Debating Security Plus 2019 Programme
An AI code of conduct for defense should look a lot like all other defense codes of conduct. A global society that would create the Geneva Convention is a society that believes in a moral code for warfare, and this same moral code could extend into its weaponized algorithms.
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Military Doctrine
commentary
Anticipating a New Russian Military Doctrine in 2020: What It Might Contain and Why It Matters
Dara Massicot @MassDara
Sep 9, 2019
War on the Rocks
The United States and its allies should anticipate the possibility of an updated Russian military doctrine as early as 2020. Evaluating this document closely is important for understanding Russian threat perceptions and the leadership's methods to address those threats.
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Al Qaida
commentary
Al Qaeda Is Ready to Attack You Again
Colin P. Clarke, Charles Lister
Sep 5, 2019
Foreign Policy
As al Qaeda continues to evolve, one of the most pressing questions is to what extent the group is still focused on attacking the West. Does the absence of spectacular attacks attributed to al Qaeda since 9/11 represent a lack of capability or merely a shift in priorities?
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United States
commentary
Time to Return to the Basics of Statecraft
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Sep 4, 2019
The Wall Street Journal
After two decades of setbacks abroad, it's time to ask whether the decline in American influence is irreversible. Ultimately, neither China nor Russia is responsible for these difficulties. Washington's failures have been self-inflicted, the result of flawed policy rather than any decisive shift in the global balance of power.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
Counterproductive Counterinsurgency: Is Mozambique Creating the Next Boko Haram?
Hilary Matfess, Alexander H. Noyes @alexhnoyes
Sep 3, 2019
Lawfare
Despite recent claims of ties to the Islamic State, the threat in Mozambique from the Islamist insurgent group al-Sunnah wa Jamaah appears to be domestic, with scarce evidence of direct ties to international extremist groups. But if the Mozambique government continues to respond in a heavy-handed manner, the threat is likely to grow, with potentially devastating effects for the country and region.
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China
commentary
The Contours of China's Evolving Counterterrorism Strategy
Colin P. Clarke
Aug 27, 2019
Slate
In discussing terrorism, China often uses language that seems lifted directly out of U.S.-style war on terror rhetoric. But no one should be fooled. Beijing's sole strategy for counterterrorism is widespread surveillance and repression, completely out of proportion to the level of threat it faces. It is using the threat of terrorism to mute international criticism of these practices and to export them abroad.
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Intelligence Analysis
q&a
Intel, Ethics, and Emerging Tech: Q&A with Cortney Weinbaum
Aug 23, 2019
Cortney Weinbaum studies topics related to intelligence and cyber policy as a senior management scientist at RAND. In this interview, she discusses challenges facing the intelligence community, the risks of using AI as a solution, and ethics in scientific research.
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Wargaming
essay
A Wargame at RAND Puts Teen Girls in Command
Aug 20, 2019
RAND analysts developed and hosted a wargame to help young women learn firsthand about national security. It's a lesson in strategy, in the hard realities behind news headlines, but also in agility and resilience. In that, it's not so far removed from the daily life of a teenage girl.
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Law of the Sea
commentary
Why Vanguard Bank and Why Now? Explaining Chinese Behavior in the South China Sea
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Aug 19, 2019
Maritime Issues
What can Vietnam do now to make Chinese assertiveness against it less likely going forward? Although deepening the U.S.-Vietnam defense partnership in the short-term may be contributing to trouble with China, closer cooperation in the long-run could serve to deter China. Enhancing cooperation with Vietnam's other defense partners—namely Australia, Japan, and India—could help to deter Beijing as well.
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Iran
commentary
Syria Changed the Iranian Way of War
Ariane M. Tabatabai @ArianeTabatabai
Aug 16, 2019
Foreign Affairs
To get a sense of the playbook that Tehran might consult in any future conflict with the United States, Washington should pay close attention to what the Iranians have learned in Syria.
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Japan
commentary
Japan's Hormuz Dilemma
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Aug 16, 2019
The Hill
Japan is a staunch U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific. But any decision to support a coalition against Iran in the Middle East is likely to put Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a tough position.
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