Mosul: Winning the Battle and the War
The Trump Administration has inherited a complex set of problems in Iraq. Most pressing among them is the ongoing campaign to recapture Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest […] More
News & Analysis
Former Colleagues Say New National Security Advisor is “Type A” Individual
Strong-willed and innovative, at times even iconoclastic, are the words being used to describe President Donald Trump’s choice for National Security Advisor, Lieutenant General H.R. […] More
DIY Defense Tech: More Countries Seek Advanced Homegrown Weaponry
Lockheed Martin is in the midst of a lucrative deal to move production of America’s venerable F-16 fighter jet to India. While there are no […] More
South Korean Defense Industry: Time to Take Off the "Training Wheels?"
After decades of government support and investment, the South Korean defense industry can now produce advanced tanks, ships, and submarines and is poised to become […] More
India’s Defense Industry: Reach Still Outpaces Grasp
India’s growing wealth and regional influence has afforded it the ability and cause to develop a more technologically advanced defense industry. However, since India opened […] More
Cyber as a Facilitating Factor: Key Takeaways from RSA 2017
For many, cybersecurity is a technical problem and therefore requires technical solutions. But for policymakers and the national security community, a key takeaway from this […] More
The Gulf Cooperation Council Operates in a Tumultuous Region
At a time that several Middle Eastern nations are plagued with civil strife, the Gulf Cooperation Council is a beacon of unity that has contributed […] More
GCC: A Force for Regional Stability
The Cipher Brief sat down with Marcelle Wahba, President of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab […] More
Saudi-Iranian Tension Drives GCC Policy
The Cipher Brief sat down the Former U.S. Ambassador to Oman, Gary Grappo, to discuss the current state of affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council. […] More
Day 4: Dispatch from RSA Conference
This week I am attending the RSA Conference, a global convention bringing together government and business approaches to secure the digital channels people depend on […] More
Civilians and the Military Under Trump
In the wake of retired Lieutenant General Michael Flynn’s resignation as National Security Advisor on Monday over his communications with the Russian Ambassador to the […] More
What Mattis Needs to Do As Defense Secretary
The arcane art of measuring the health of civil-military relations is experiencing a renaissance. Although it is welcomed by those who practice it, the reasons […] More
Rethinking Civil-Military Relations
Compared to most of his proposed cabinet, President Donald Trump’s pick of retired Marine Corps General James Mattis for Secretary of Defense has been one […] More
Reclaiming Defender's Advantage in Cybersecurity
The cybersecurity industry, much like other sectors, is dealing with an influx of data. In response, security experts hope to harness the power of artificial […] More
Legal Questions Swirl Around Flynn's Fall
President Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned this week over his contacts with the Russian Ambassador to the United States and his […] More
Day 3: Dispatch from RSA Conference
This week I am attending the RSA Conference, a global convention bringing together government and business approaches to secure the digital channels people depend on […] More
The Power of Persuasion in Countering Terror
As part of the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) during the Obama administration, Michael Ortiz helped develop and launch a […] More
Countering Extremism: A Problem for Civil Society
The Cipher Brief‘s Executive Producer and Reporter Leone Lakhani, spoke with Haras Rafiq, CEO of Quilliam, to discuss how the organization works to counter the […] More