The International Criminal Court, Under Pressure, Turns Eyes on U.S.
The United States is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Yet Americans could still be indicted by the Court for alleged crimes […] More
News & Analysis
Mass Withdrawals from the ICC Unlikely
A number of countries are pushing back against the International Criminal Court (ICC). South Africa notified the UN-Secretary General in October that it is withdrawing […] More
The ICC Lacks Legitimacy
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has, in many ways, had a strong year. Two new preliminary investigations have been opened, in Burundi and the Gabonese […] More
Tillerson’s Task: Mastering Mind-Numbing Expectations at State
Exxon Mobil Chief Rex Tillerson, like almost all post World War II Secretary of State nominees, if confirmed, will come to the job with extensive […] More
Japan and the TPP: Opportunity Knocks
During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly slammed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a “bad deal” that would harm U.S. workers and export jobs to […] More
Whither Trump Trade in Asia
The election of Donald Trump and the demise of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement has unleashed a flood of anxiety-ridden commentary […] More
Trump's Attacks Do Not Bode Well for the CIA, Former Officers Say
What impact will President-elect Donald Trump’s attack on the Intelligence Community have on the CIA as it steels itself to deal with its already contentious […] More
Espionage Strategy: Russia's Long View vs. America's Short-Term Goals
As part of our special coverage of Foreign Influence, Domestic Division: Russia, the 2016 Election, and Trump’s Rebuke of the U.S. Intelligence Community, The Cipher […] More
Trump's Rift with CIA Could Damage Allies' Confidence in U.S.
The statement by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump dismissing the CIA’s findings that Russia had interfered in the recent election has implications for the Agency, the […] More
An Open Letter to the Secretary of Defense Nominee
President-elect Donald Trump recently announced he will nominate retired United States Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis for Secretary of Defense. Gilman Louie, founder […] More
Fmr. CIA Acting Dir. Michael Morell: "This Is the Political Equivalent of 9/11"
The Washington Post report on a secret CIA assessment concluding that Russia intervened in the U.S. Presidential election with the intention of helping President-elect Donald […] More
Beijing Adds Veneer of Legal Legitimacy on Censorship
Do Chinese authorities need more laws to surveil people? From the earliest days of the Chinese Communist Party, authorities have kept the closest of eyes […] More
China’s Intentions: Sovereignty, Stability and Technological Independence
Last month, China’s legislature passed the Cybersecurity Law, which is due to take effect next summer. The controversial law has received a number of criticisms […] More
Trump in East Asia: No Time for Spring Training
President-elect Donald Trump’s first meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears to have gone smoothly, though it remains too soon to say what policies […] More
Security Risks amid South Korea’s Turmoil
Political turmoil in South Korea, following its president’s impeachment, could be exacerbated if North Korea tries to take advantage of a vacuum. That’s according to […] More
Playing the Taiwan Card
On November 25th, six Chinese aircraft—two nuclear-capable H-6K bombers, two Su-30 fighters, and two surveillance planes—participated in an exercise near Taiwan’s airspace. Four of the […] More
Catching China Off Guard
The December 2nd phone call between President-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen is the first such communication between a U.S. president or president-elect […] More
Al Qaeda Assessment Off the Mark
Throughout his two terms in office, President Barack Obama faced an array of challenges from both al Qaeda and ISIS. In an interview with The […] More