The Cipher Brief – Experts on National Security

Best Of: Fault on Both Sides: 25 Years of North Korea Negotiations

Mike Chinoy | May 18, 2018

NEWS AND VIEWS

Violence in Gaza: "An Ugly Witch's Brew"

Cipher Brief Staff
RIP Cyber Coordinator: An Obituary

Jason Healey
Terrorism and the Future Lone Wolf Threat in America

Carol Rollie Flynn

Suzanne Kelly

CEO & PUBLISHER OF THE CIPHER BRIEF

Best Of: Gina Haspel, Unfiltered

With Gina Haspel being confirmed as CIA Director by a vote of 54 to 45, Agency officials tell us that they look forward to getting out of the headlines (as much as they can) and seeing the end to the re-litigating of things like waterboarding -- which was last done in George W. Bush's first term in office. Sighs of relief -- and congratulations poured in to Langley. Including a tweet from the other George Bush -- '41 who said after the Senate vote: "Gina Haspel has selflessly and courageously devoted herself to the service of her country. I have great confidence she will continue effectively leading the men and women of @CIA in their vitally important mission for our nation."

Find out More

Flash Traffic

All 'foreign forces' to leave Syria, Putin tells Assad

Tamara Qiblawi - CNN

Iran nuclear deal: EU moves to avoid impact of US sanctions

BBC News

Ecuador orders withdrawal of extra Assange security from embassy in London

Reuters

U.S. Sanctions Head of Hezbollah in Joint Action With Qatar

Saleha Mohsin - Bloomberg

Senate Confirms Haspel to Lead C.I.A. Despite Torture Concerns

Nicholas Fandos - The New York Times

Iraqi election makes US foe al-Sadr a potential kingmaker

Nicole Gaouette - CNN

Cipher Brief Features

Violence in Gaza: "An Ugly Witch's Brew"

May 17, 2018 | Cipher Brief Staff

Since the United States declared the opening of its new embassy in Jerusalem, violence has broken out along the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip, where thousands of protesters ...

Threat Report 2018: North Korea's Nuclear Doctrine

May 16, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

Months of fruitful engagement between North Korea, South Korea and the United States may soon turn sour. Yesterday, Pyongyang warned that ongoing joint military exercises and aggressive statements made by ...

Recent Columns

Jason Healey RIP Cyber Coordinator: An Obituary	Carol Rollie Flynn Terrorism and the Future Lone Wolf Threat in America	Steven L. Hall In Putin’s Fourth Term, What—If Anything—Threatens His Control?
Suzanne Kelly How Jimmy Hatch Touched the Dragon and Survived	Tim Willasey-Wilsey South Korea Has Reassessed the Value of its American Alliance	Charlie Allen Inside Haspel’s Hearing Room

Africa Infighting Threatens Mali Peace, Creating Space for Al Qaida Bennett Seftel Diminished at Home, Durable Boko Haram May Go Global Levi Maxey Africa in 2018: China Flexes Muscles & Leaders Shuffle Decks Cipher Brief Analysis	Asia Best Of: Fault on Both Sides: 25 Years of North Korea Negotiations Mike Chinoy Threat Report 2018: North Korea's Nuclear Doctrine Cipher Brief Analysis Russia Chooses Autarchy—and Isolation—Over Cooperation William Courtney	Europe Europe Reacts to U.S. on JCPOA: Keep Calm and Negotiate On Nick Fishwick Will US Join UK in Challenging Russia over Nerve Agent Spy Attack? Cipher Brief Analysis Awkward Family Dinner: Blunt Talk in Brussels Targeting Trump Kimberly Dozier
Latin America Witnessing Venezuela’s Exodus Vanessa Neumann Natural Security Series: New Mines Mean Bloodshed in Brazil Emma Myers How Long will Russia and China Underwrite a Collapsing Venezuela? Kaitlin Lavinder	Middle East Violence in Gaza: "An Ugly Witch's Brew" Cipher Brief Staff Best Of: Russia & Iran’s Temporary Marriage Cipher Brief Analysis An Israeli View on Trump's JCPOA Withdrawal: "Hope Is Not a Strategy" Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin	North America A Personal Plea in Support of Haspel’s Nomination Debra Burlingame Macron’s Visit: “Embrace of Trump and a Rejection of Trumpism” Brian Garrett-Glaser Washington Reacts to Bolton’s Replacement of McMaster Cipher Brief Analysis

Purchase The Cipher Brief's 2018 Threat Report.

Network Spotlight

Mary Margaret Graham

Mary Margaret Graham served for 29+ years at the Central Intelligence Agency, holding numerous field and headquarters assignments. She was appointed as the first Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Collection in 2005 and worked on behalf of the Director of National Intelligence to conceptualize and manage DNI oversight of intelligence collection programs across the IC. Mrs. Graham previously served as CIA's ...

Best Of: Fault on Both Sides: 25 Years of North Korea Negotiations

May 18, 2018 | Mike Chinoy

RIP Cyber Coordinator: An Obituary

May 17, 2018 | Jason Healey

Violence in Gaza: "An Ugly Witch's Brew"

May 17, 2018 | Cipher Brief Staff

Terrorism and the Future Lone Wolf Threat in America

May 16, 2018 | Carol Rollie Flynn

Threat Report 2018: North Korea's Nuclear Doctrine

May 16, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

A Personal Plea in Support of Haspel’s Nomination

May 15, 2018 | Debra Burlingame

Threat Report 2018: Al-Qaida Patiently Rebuilding

May 15, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

In Putin’s Fourth Term, What—If Anything—Threatens His Control?

May 15, 2018 | Steven L. Hall

Threat Report 2018: ISIS In the Spotlight

May 14, 2018 | Cipher Brief Analysis

How Jimmy Hatch Touched the Dragon and Survived

May 14, 2018 | Suzanne Kelly

South Korea Has Reassessed the Value of its American Alliance

May 11, 2018 | Tim Willasey-Wilsey

Inside Haspel’s Hearing Room

May 10, 2018 | Charlie Allen

Flash Traffic

All 'foreign forces' to leave Syria, Putin tells Assad

Tamara Qiblawi - CNN

Iran nuclear deal: EU moves to avoid impact of US sanctions

BBC News

Ecuador orders withdrawal of extra Assange security from embassy in London

Reuters

U.S. Sanctions Head of Hezbollah in Joint Action With Qatar

Saleha Mohsin - Bloomberg

Senate Confirms Haspel to Lead C.I.A. Despite Torture Concerns

Nicholas Fandos - The New York Times

Iraqi election makes US foe al-Sadr a potential kingmaker

Nicole Gaouette - CNN

South Korea offers to mediate to clear doubts over North Korea-U.S. summit

Lee/Yang - Reuters

US, Qatar, Gulf nations join to bolster Hezbollah sanctions

Josh Lederer - AP

Italy's 5-Star and League put final touches to government deal

Scherer/Fonte - Reuters

Suspect Identified in C.I.A. Leak Was Charged, but Not for the Breach

Shane/Goldman - The New York Times

North Korea threatens to cancel Trump summit over US nuke demands

Griffiths/Jeong - CNN

Justice Department and F.B.I. Are Investigating Cambridge Analytica

Rosenberg/Confessore - The New York Times

Merkel says Germany remains committed to Iran nuclear accord

Frank Jordans - AP

Turkey expels Israeli consul in spat over Gaza killings

Al Jazeera

Top intelligence official says Chinese ZTE cellphones pose security risk to U.S.

Ken Dilanian - NBC News

Shi'ite cleric's election win puts Iran to the test in Iraq

Georgy/Davison - Reuters

Israel Arrests Palestinians for Trying to Infiltrate From Gaza During Border Protests

Ben Zikri et al - Haaretz

Tension in Gaza as Palestinians begin to bury 58 dead

BBC News

Afghan Forces Battle Taliban for Control of Western City, Farah

Sukhanyar/Nordland - The New York Times

Iran hails "constructive meeting" with EU on nuclear deal

AP

South and North Korea to hold another round of high-level talks on the border

Jeremy B. White - The Independent

At Least 28 Palestinians Die in Protests as U.S. Prepares to Open Jerusalem Embassy

Halbfinger/Kershner/Walsh - The New York Times

In Iraq Election, Voters Freed From War Focus on Daily Struggles

Margaret Coker - The New York Times

Security researchers outwit, bypass popular email encryption

AP

China's first homegrown aircraft carrier heads out for sea trial

Westcott/Lendon - CNN

Trump offers US aid to penalized Chinese telecom company

AP

Iran vows to restart nuclear program if deal collapses

Pleitgen/Masters - CNN

Damage to North Korea’s Nuclear Test Site Worse Than Previously Thought