North Korea’s 5th Nuclear Fait Accompli
North Korea announced Friday morning that it had successfully conducted its fifth nuclear test at the subterranean Punggye-ri test site. The U.S. geological survey confirmed […] More
News & Analysis
Fifteen Years After 9/11: Much Accomplished, Much to be Done
Sunday marks the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, the date that altered the trajectory of America’s national security apparatus. The country’s focus turned from defending against […] More
Not Letting Up One Inch
Reflecting on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, Congressman Will Hurd of Texas said that there have been both successes and room for improvement as the […] More
The Potential Danger of Classified Intel Briefings in a Bitter Campaign
NBC’s Wednesday night “Commander-in-Chief Forum” gave some insights into how Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump might handle the job, but I first want to deal […] More
Intel Chiefs Warn on Cyber, ISIS Threats
The “Big Six” of U.S. intelligence on Thursday broke down the major threats facing the next administration and their respective agencies, warning that ISIS will […] More
The Prospects are Bleak
U.S. – China relations have deteriorated appreciably over the past few years. The prospect for improved relations are bleak, with a strong likelihood that bilateral […] More
Syrian Government Again Accused of Using Chlorine on Civilians
The Syrian government is suspected of dropping barrel bombs containing chlorine gas on an opposition-held neighborhood in eastern Aleppo. The Syrian Civil Defence, a rescue […] More
What’s at Stake in the South China Sea?
As the G20 summit in China came to a close, something far more worrisome than Air Force One’s stairway gaff overshadowed the summit. The Philippines […] More
China Wants Everything, But Its Sea Claims Are More ‘Core’
In Asia, there is now a “whiff of 1914,” a reference by Australian University Professor Hugh White to the lead up to World War One. […] More
Pakistan’s Embattled Lawyers: A Long Quest for Justice
On September 2, a suicide bomber struck a court in Pakistan’s northern city of Mardan, killing twelve. On August 8, a suicide bomber dressed in […] More
Nation’s Top Spy: U.S. Faces "Perpetual State of Suppression" of Terror
The Russians hack the United States’ systems “all the time,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a conference of intelligence professionals on Wednesday. He […] More
America and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Shortly after arriving at the G20 economic summit in Hangzhou China last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada would join a long […] More
An Imagined Threat from China
When a multilateral bank, based in China, finances an upgrade of slums in 154 cities in Indonesia, do Americans need to be concerned about a […] More
Infrastructure as a Tool of Foreign Policy
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is China’s answer to the multi-trillion dollar infrastructure spending gap in Asia. However, many see the bank as an […] More
Obama’s Meeting with Erdogan: “Minor Uptick” in U.S.-Turkey Relations
President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan met this weekend for the first time since the July 15 failed coup attempt. “This […] More
Uzbekistan After Karimov: Examining External Influences
The funeral for Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan’s president since the country’s independence in 1991, took place over the weekend. With no apparent successor, The Cipher Brief’s […] More
Will Theresa May's Britain Stay Committed to European Defense?
The meaning of security in Europe is changing. The continent faces a revanchist neighbor to the east, a cauldron of instability to the south (with […] More
Remaining Relevant
The British people shocked the international community when they voted to quit the European Union (EU) this summer. Markets tumbled and fears mounted that the […] More