Al Qaeda Takes Advantage in Syria
While the U.S. remains focused on defeating ISIS in Syria and Iraq, al Qaeda in Syria is accumulating strength at an alarming pace and may […] More
Archive for ‘Bennett Seftel’
Hawala Networks: The Paperless Trail of Terrorist Transactions
An integral component of U.S. counterterrorism strategy has centered on disrupting terrorist finances. Terrorist groups have exploited resources and industries in various countries – poppy […] More
Vying for Power in Iran
With one of the most complex systems of governance in the world, Iran finds itself at perhaps its most daunting political crossroads since the 1979 […] More
Defining Objectives for the U.S.-Iran Relationship
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Administration have been quick to use forceful rhetoric when discussing U.S. policy towards Iran during their first five weeks […] 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
Doubling Down Against the Jihadist Message
With the recent U.S. military raid in Yemen and the ongoing campaign in Mosul, the Trump Administration is so far continuing the United States’ longstanding […] More
Israel and U.S. Turn a New Leaf but Signal a Shift In Policy
With no firm commitment to a two-state solution, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signaled a potential shift in U.S. policy […] More
Designating the Muslim Brotherhood As Terrorists Is Complicated
The Trump Administration is considering whether to designate the Muslim Brotherhood – a movement that espouses a doctrine of political Islam and has millions of […] More
Trump Administration Faces Daunting Challenges in Afghanistan
One of the most daunting foreign policy tasks facing the Trump Administration is determining America’s path forward in Afghanistan. From the time he launched his […] More
Take It or Leave It: The Future of the Two-State Solution
Among his numerous campaign promises, U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem continues to reverberate across domestic and […] More
Mali’s Instability: Advantage, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) propensity for kidnapping was back on display earlier this week, as al Qaeda’s North African branch released a […] More
A Changing of the Guard: U.S. Counterterrorism Policy
Though January will see a major transition in American power, the global threat of terrorism will remain. As the Obama Administration enters its final weeks […] More
Terrorists Don't Have to Win – They Just Have to Survive: Counterterrorism in 2016
Editor’s Note: Over the coming days, The Cipher Brief presents some of our most incisive coverage on key issues of 2016 and a look ahead […] More
Egyptian and Israeli Cold Peace Has Never Been Warmer
Although relations between Egypt and Israel have often been referred to as a “cold peace,” the emergence of mutual security threats over the past few […] More
President Obama's Counterterrorism Legacy
In what many expect to be the final national security speech of his presidency, U.S. President Barack Obama reflected on U.S. counterterrorism achievements during his […] More
Developing and Sticking With a Clear Strategy in Afghanistan
President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly said that fighting Islamic extremism is one of his administration’s top priorities. Determining the path forward in Afghanistan, where the […] More
The Global Debate Over the Legality of Drones Continues
While lethal U.S. drone strikes have successfully removed many key terrorists from the battlefield, the legal justifications for such actions remains a heavily debated topic […] More
The Powers and Pitfalls of Drone Warfare
The use of drone strikes to eliminate terrorists around the globe has become a defining pillar of the United States’ post-9/11 counterterrorism strategy. And although […] More
Border Security: Much More than Illegal Immigration
Border security has been one of the most heavily debated topics in the U.S. presidential race, with most of the discussion focusing on illegal immigration. […] More
Al Qaeda in Syria: The Split That Wasn't
Regardless of its name change and highly publicized “split” from al Qaeda this past summer, Jabhat Fateh-al Sham (JFS), formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, remains […] More
Can Hamas Elections Shift the Status Quo?
With a new administration set to enter the White House early next year, there is hope for a renewal of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. One […] More
Objective: Mosul
With the Islamic State (ISIS) having lost more than 40 percent of its territory in Iraq since its height of control in January 2015, all […] More
The Fall of Moscow Station: Thinking Outside the Box
Mark Henshaw’s latest spy thriller could have been ripped straight from today’s headlines as tensions between Moscow and Washington continue to mount. The Fall of […] More
Combatting Haqqani Network is Key to Afghan Strategy
The Taliban is mounting an increasingly deadly insurgency across Afghanistan, including a breakthrough into Lashkar Gah, the capital of Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province, earlier this […] More