The U.S.-Japan Alliance: Reform and Uncertainty
Japan is a nation in flux. Economically, the government is struggling to stoke growth with expansionary monetary policy and reform; demographically, it is challenged by […] More
International
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
Sticking with the Complicated U.S.-Iran Relationship
U.S.-Iran tensions are likely to rise in the coming months. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (United […] More
Dealing with a Difficult Iran: Get Smart
Like it or not, the Trump Administration will have to pay attention to Iran. The President’s predecessors, beginning in 1979, have taken multiple paths, usually […] More
Georgetown Salon Series: A Tale of Two Seas
The South China and East China Seas present flashpoints for maritime conflict, though the assembled experts at The Cipher Brief’s Georgetown Salon Series could not […] More
Change of Tone for Trump? Views from The Cipher Brief Network
The bombastic, bleak tone from his Inaugural Address was gone. In his address to Congress Tuesday night, President Donald Trump was more optimistic, talking about […] More
Bureaucracy and Jihadism
A number of trends now seem to be accepted truths after nearly 16 years of fighting against jihadi terrorism. We have achieved concrete victories in […] More
What in the World is Happening in Pakistan?
The last couple of weeks have seen almost daily terrorist attacks across Pakistan from a variety of bad actors: February 13: A suicide bombing during […] More
DNI Nominee Vows to Work with Lawmakers on Russian Probe
President Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said on Tuesday that the U.S. needs to look at Russian actions “with eyes […] More
Adm. Stavridis: U.S. Needs Hard & Soft Power for Security
The Trump Administration’s proposal to hike military expenditures at the expense of foreign assistance is being challenged by a group of former military leaders. “We […] More
Empowering the New National Security Advisor
General Michael Flynn’s resignation and the selection of H.R. McMaster as the new National Security Advisor has brought the roles and responsibilities of this position […] More
Cyber Under the Next NSC
Rumors about a planned Trump Administration cybersecurity executive order offer signs of hope that many of the cyber policy lessons learned, often the hard way, […] More
Three Ideas to Consider in Defeating ISIS
After a 30 day review, the Department of Defense has delivered to the White House a preliminary plan to defeat ISIS. While this is an […] More
U.S. Reassures Europe of Commitment to NATO
This year’s Munich Security Conference (February 17-19) brought together leaders from all over the world to discuss the current state of global affairs and the […] More
Trump’s NSC: A Bureaucratic Balancing Act
The appointment of Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster as National Security Advisor was not the Trump Administration’s first shake-up on the National Security Council, and it […] More
Homeland Season 6: "The Return"
The central plot of this season’s Homeland has now been revealed to be a full-blown right wing conspiracy against an incoming President considered soft on […] More
The Future of Transatlantic Defense: More Europe
Europe faced a wave of ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks last year, from Brussels to Nice to Berlin. As ISIS-occupied territories in Iraq and Syria continue to […] More
NATO Is Vital to European Security
European-wide defense is based on two elements: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union. Understanding how each institution may develop in the coming […] More