Defeating Boko Haram
On March 7, 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIS. Nearly a year later, has either of these terrorist groups gained from this partnership? For […] More
International
The Role of Private Security
Nearly one year since Boko Haram pledged its allegiance to ISIS, its threat to Nigeria has changed, though still remains. “Clearly, the snake has been […] More
The ISIS Connection
The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) was established on May 22,1964 through the Fort Lamy (now N’Djamena) Convention to ensure equitable and sustainable management of […] More
Kiev’s Two-Front War
Following the Euromaidan revolution, Ukraine is engaged in a two-pronged fight that integrates domestic and foreign components. The first battle is Russia’s desire to dismember […] More
The Battle for Ukraine
Russia, seemingly at will, ramps up the pressure in Ukraine. And it looks as if another uptick is underway. So far, the West has yet […] More
No End in Sight
Closely supported by Russian air power and artillery, Syrian army attacks against rebel forces near Aleppo, Syria coincide with a significant intensification of fighting in […] More
Trump and The Wizard of Oz
In this GOP presidential nomination campaign, when the issue is national security, Donald Trump reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. I thought of that […] More
Syrian Ceasefire: Total Subterfuge
The Cipher Brief reached out to General Jack Keane to get his thoughts on the Syrian ceasefire agreement announced on February 12. Keane dismissed the […] More
The Shifting Threat Landscape
From Russia’s reemergence as a top U.S. adversary to Iran’s reentry into the global market place, the 2016 national security landscape is fraught with challenges […] More
Understanding Homegrown Terrorism
In the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombing, terrorism expert Peter Bergen had a pressing question on his mind: Who are these homegrown Islamist terrorists, […] More
What it Means for the Digital Economy
There has been a good deal of hype touting the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement as the first “21st Century” trade pact. Whether it […] More
Stabilizing Iraq
The alarming spread of ISIS, coupled with competition amongst Iraq’s sectarian groups, has accelerated the Iraqi government’s disintegration. This downfall began during the tenure of […] More
Can Baghdad Step Up?
Victory in Ramadi City against ISIS by the Iraqi Army, despite ISIS holdouts, has given a shot in the arm to the Iraqi government and […] More
No Signs of Improvement
In Iraq, the fight to rid the country of the Islamic State (referred to colloquially in Arabic as Daesh) is taking longer than officials and […] More
On Worldwide Threats
The Islamic State (ISIS) is the “preeminent global” threat and remains determined to execute direct attacks against the U.S. homeland, the top U.S. intelligence official […] More
The Caucasus: Instability Increasing
The Caucuses region is simmering with tension, and, due to its strategic geographic location and Caspian energy markets, the international community cannot afford to let […] More
Radicalization of a Region
For two decades, hundreds of Russian citizens have become victims of terrorism rooted in the turbulent North Caucasus region of Russia. This area has also […] More
The ISIS Factor
The situation in the Russian North Caucasus has been complex for over 25 years now. A host of economic and social reasons, as well as […] More