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North America

Loosening the Gordian Knot of Global Terrorism: Why Legitimacy Must Anchor a Counterterrorism Strategy

Christopher Costa

Loosening the Gordian Knot of Global Terrorism: Why Legitimacy Must Anchor a Counterterrorism Strategy

OPINION — The global terrorism landscape in 2026 — the 25th anniversary year of the 9/11 terrorism attacks — is more uncertain, hybridized, and [...] More

AmericasNorth AmericaUnited StatesTerrorismChristopher Costa

The Latest

We Need More Than Just a Command Shakeup in the U.S. Military

Renee Pruneau Novakoff

We Need More Than Just a Command Shakeup in the U.S. Military

EXPERT OPINION — Reports came out last week that claim the Chairman of Joint Staff, General Dan Caine, is preparing a new unified command plan (UCP) [...] More

AmericasNorth AmericaRenee Pruneau NovakoffUnited Statesmilitary

Dear Mr. President: A Former CIA Officer’s Unvarnished Brief on Putin

Glenn Corn

Dear Mr. President: A Former CIA Officer’s Unvarnished Brief on Putin

Dear Mr. President:I am hoping you remember me. I spent about 90 minutes with you and much of your cabinet in the Oval Office in the spring of 2017, [...] More

AmericasUkraineNorth AmericaUnited StatesEurope
The Challenges – and Opportunities – of a ‘Golden Dome’ Defense System
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deep dive

The Challenges – and Opportunities – of a ‘Golden Dome’ Defense System

DEEP DIVE – Donald Trump vowed Tuesday to finish building a “Golden Dome” defense shield before the end of his term that would protect the nation [...] More

militaryAmericasNorth AmericaReporting
Arctic Worries: Melting Ice, and a Russia-China Partnership

Arctic Worries: Melting Ice, and a Russia-China Partnership

DEEP DIVE – As more Arctic ice melts and more avenues for navigation and commerce open up at the top of the world, there’s a geopolitical competition [...] More

EuropeAmericasNorth AmericaReporting

Expert Q&A: The U.S. Takes On the Mexican Cartels

Ray Donovan

Expert Q&A: The U.S. Takes On the Mexican Cartels

EXPERT INTERVIEW — The Trump administration is prioritizing going after Mexican drug cartels as a key national security objective. It has designated [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesNorth AmericaLatin AmericaRay Donovan

The National Security Rationale for U.S.-Funded Academic Research 

Ambassador Patrick Duddy

The National Security Rationale for U.S.-Funded Academic Research 

OPINION — Since World War II, the federal government and American universities have developed a deep, symbiotic relationship. That relationship is [...] More

national securityNorth America
Can the CIA and U.S. military stop the Mexican cartels? 

Can the CIA and U.S. military stop the Mexican cartels? 

CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING — On January 20, the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump formally labeled Mexico’s crime cartels as [...] More

North AmericaAmericasReporting
20 Years Later, Assessing the Value of the ODNI

20 Years Later, Assessing the Value of the ODNI

EXPERT INTERVIEWS — The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) marks an anniversary today — 20 years since its creation as the top [...] More

IntelligenceAmericasNorth AmericaReporting

Expert Q&A: Winning the Recruiting and Retention Battle in the U.S. Military

Beth Asch

Expert Q&A: Winning the Recruiting and Retention Battle in the U.S. Military

EXPERT Q&A — Discussions about the future of war and whether the U.S. is ready for the next conflict often center on the adoption of advanced [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesBeth AschNorth Americamilitary

Conservatives of America: Putin Is Not Your Ally

Gregory Sims

Conservatives of America: Putin Is Not Your Ally

OPINION — American conservatives be advised: Vladimir Putin does not share your values and is not your friend. You may be tempted to regard the [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesNorth America
Trump Administration Says Narco-Trafficking is #1 Threat - and Tries All-Hands Approach to Stop It
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Trump Administration Says Narco-Trafficking is #1 Threat - and Tries All-Hands Approach to Stop It

DEEP DIVE — When the U.S. intelligence community (IC) declared last week that the greatest danger to American national security is old-fashioned [...] More

Latin AmericaAmericasNorth AmericaReporting

If It’s Trump v. Greenland’s Leaders, I’m Betting on Greenland

Walter Pincus

If It’s Trump v. Greenland’s Leaders, I’m Betting on Greenland

OPINION — “We respect that the United States needs a greater military presence in Greenland, as Vice President Vance mentioned this evening [last [...] More

Fine PrintNorth AmericaWalter Pincus