International Security - Related

Significant Cyber Events

ian — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A list of significant cyber events since 2006.

Last modified on January 19, 2012.

Afghanistan: The Failed Metrics of Ten Years of War

sherry — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The US has now been at war in Afghanistan for more than a decade, and is committed to stay through 2014 – with a possible advisory, aid, and funding presence that may extend to 2025. There still, however, are no convincing unclassified ways to measure progress in the war, or the trends in the fighting and level of violence.

Islam, Islamism, and Politics in Eurasia Report (IIPER) - No. 51, 8 February 2012

azikibayeva — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Contents:

Russia

The Crisis in Syria

sherry — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: How has President Bashar al-Assad of Syria been able to remain in power in the wake of mounting unrest?

A1: A number of local and regional factors have and are likely to continue to enable Assad to hang on to power, at least in the short to medium term.

U.S. and Iranian Strategic Competition: The Impact of China and Russia

ecurran — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

US competition with Iran has become the equivalent of a game of three-dimensional chess, but a game where each side can modify at least some of the rules with each move.

PacNet #9 - Protecting Chinese Citizens Abroad: What next?

ellise — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The dramatic rise in overseas travel and expatriate work by Chinese was punctuated by the recent kidnappings of Chinese workers in Sudan and Egypt. "Overseas Chinese protection" (haiwai gongmin baohu) has been a critical priority since deadly attacks killed 14 Chinese workers in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2004.

Iraq and the Challenge of Continuing Violence

sherry — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq at the end of 2011 did not leave that country with a functioning democracy or effective governance; nor has it put an end to high levels of local violence, or ethnic and sectarian tension.

Key Official US and IAEA Statements About Iran’s Nuclear Programs

ian — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

There is a great deal of speculation about Iran’s nuclear programs that do not list sources or reflect the views of the US intelligence community.

PacNet #8 - A Moment for Action for the Life Sciences

ellise — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

An important research finding in the life sciences has galvanized and divided the international scientific and security communities.

Hemisphere Insider: Volume II, Issue 1 - January 2012

Mgraybeal — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

IN BRIEF: Cuba, Honduras, Southern Cone, Foreign Relations

UPDATES: Chile's Former President Ricardo Lagos Discusses New Book; Upcoming Events; Elections 2012

PacNet #7A - US-India Relations: Pivot Problems

ellise — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

There is a conundrum at the heart of the Obama administration's "pivot" toward Asia, at least as it relates to India.

PacNet #7 - Return to Asia: It's Not (All) About China

ellise — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

"All right China, come out with your hands up; we've got you surrounded!" When one reads about the US "pivot" to Asia, it is almost always cast in terms of countering China's rise, as if it - and everything else that Washington does in Asia - is always all about China. Of course, Beijing thinks it's all about China . . .

Protection of Health Care in Armed and Civil Conflict

jdunton — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

During recent uprisings in Bahrain, Syria, and Libya, security forces obstructed access to health facilities; harassed, arrested, and prosecuted medical personnel; and even assaulted patients within hospitals.

Measuring the Causes of Instability in the Middle East and North Africa

ian — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Burke Chair at CSIS has developed a new report entitled The Causes of Instability in the Middle East and North Africa, which is available on the CSIS web site at:

http://csis.org/files/publication/120126_MENA_Stability_Slides.pdf

Islam, Islamism, and Politics in Eurasia Report (IIPER) - No. 50, 25 January 2012

azikibayeva — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Contents:

Russia:

PacNet #6A - All Roads to Myanmar

ellise — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

One after another, Western dignitaries are traveling to Myanmar. A standard interpretation of the change in attitude is that Myanmar is finally demonstrating the courage and means to break away from China. But was Myanmar in the Chinese "geopolitical grip" in the first place?

Middle East Notes and Comment: The Arab Decade?

dholodnik — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

One year ago, the protests in Cairo’s Tahrir Square proved that Tunisia was not a fluke. Until January 2011, Tunisia didn’t resonate much in the Arab world. It was too small, too Francophile, and too socially liberal.

PacNet #6 - Myanmar's Reforms: The Challenges Ahead

ellise — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The recent release of many high-profile political prisoners by the Myanmar government has been hailed as a firm step on the country's path toward democracy. While the effects of many reforms have not yet trickled down tangibly to the masses and remain largely confined to major cities and Bamar-majority areas, noticeable changes have undeniably occurred.

Succession and Stability in North Korea

mdumond — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

On January 8, Kim Jong Un celebrated his first birthday as the leader of North Korea. As the country moves further into a post-Kim Jong Il era, the world has begun to think about how to deal with Pyongyang's new leadership.

The FY2013 Defense Budget Submission: Strategy is Easy (and Usually Vacuous); Money is Hard (And Only Meaningful if Used Wisely)

ian — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Obama Administration announced a new strategy early this month, but one in which it failed to provide meaningful details as to changes in deployments, force levels and plans, procurement plans, and spending.

PacNet #5 - Congress and Obama's China Policy, More Bark than Bite

ellise — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The 112th Congress will complete its term in 2012 marked by strong opposition to policies of President Barack Obama on government debt, budget cuts, health care, and other issues.

Egypt in Transition: Insights and Options for U.S. Policy

dholodnik — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Egypt’s leadership has dashed expectations for a swift and complete shift from autocracy to democracy. The inherent conservatism of Egypt’s military leadership, combined with the political ineffectiveness of many of the activists who were at the center of public protests a year ago, is widening the gap between public expectations of the post-Mubarak era and its reality.

Responses to PacNet #1R – North Korea: What Not to Do

ellise — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

I defer to the experts who are debating the likely and/or desirable near-term direction of North Korea's transition from the second to the third generation of the glorious Kim family. Victor Cha calls the stability prediction "optimistic" but worries that it won't happen because someone will do something untoward.

A New Security Architecture for the Arctic

jdunton — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

The Arctic will experience extraordinary economic and environmental change over the next several decades. Commercial, human, and state interaction will rise dramatically. More drilling for oil and gas in the region and growing shipping and ecotourism as new shipping routes come into existence are just a few of the examples of increased human activity in the Arctic.

Key Risks in the New Defense Guidance: What Kind of War and Where?

sherry — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

On January 5, the president announced new foundational defense guidance. Fiscal challenges clearly dictated the timing of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) most recent comprehensive review. However, new guidance was essential at some point if DoD was to transition into the post–Iraq/Afghanistan world in the most deliberate and responsible way possible.

PacNet #4 - South Korea's Policy Toward China After President Lee's Visit

ellise — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Last week, President Lee Myung-bak visited China as a state guest and held a summit with President Hu Jintao. They addressed the Sino-South Korean strategic cooperative partnership and how to strengthen the relationship between their countries' foreign and defense ministries.

PacNet #3 - Comparative Connections Summary

ellise — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

It's been an Asia-centric four months. The US proclaimed America's "pivot" toward Asia, while North Korea faced a pivotal moment following the death of Kim Jong Il.

Needed: A National Economic Security Lens

ecurran — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Last October, a U.S. intelligence report to Congress revealed that foreign economic espionage worth billions of dollars is being driven by China and Russia and represents a “significant and growing” threat to the nation’s prosperity and security.

Comparative Connections v.13 n.3