An Understanding of the Mission: Former Military in Trump’s Cabinet

by Leon E. Panetta

Compared to the rest of his proposed cabinet, President Donald Trump’s pick of retired Marine Corps General James Mattis for Secretary of Defense has been one of his least controversial....

Questions Remain Until Trump Makes Russia Intentions Clear

by John Sipher

President Donald Trump has never shown much interest in foreign policy issues.  The few consistent themes he has supported are to defeat ISIS, restructure trade deals, and radically improve...

The Many Faces of Vladimir Putin: A Political Psychology Profile

by Kenneth Dekleva

In 2000, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, then a relative unknown outside of Russia, visited Japan.  Part of his trip included a visit to the Kodokan, the historic Judo school founded by Jigoro...

Putin's Perfect Gift

by Michael Morell

Noon on January 20th provides an excellent opportunity for Russian President Vladimir Putin to give President-Elect Donald Trump the perfect inauguration gift – Edward Snowden. A reminder:...

North Korea: A Vexing Problem for the New U.S. President

by Joel S. Wit

Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s speech has triggered fevered speculation about the possibility of an impending North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, even provoking President-elect...

Cybersecurity Lessons Learned for 2017

by Jack Harrington

Pundits will pick over the lessons of 2016 for a long time, and as they do, cyber experts are looking at the past year and finding lessons as well, with far-reaching implications for our nation’s...

Uncertainty Ahead: Defense Technology and Acquisition Trends in 2017

by Cynthia Cook

The crystal ball may be unusually cloudy when it comes to predicting defense technology and acquisition trends for 2017, but the causes of this cloudiness are clear. The change in administration,...

Counter Messaging, Not Divisive Rhetoric: Effective Counterterrorism in 2017

by Matthew Olsen

The Cipher Brief sat down with Matthew Olsen, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, to discuss the terrorist threat in the coming year. According to Olsen, the most pressing...

Putin Meets His Match?

by Jill Dougherty

Russian President Vladimir Putin, a leader known for his unpredictability, may have met his match: the new President of the United States, Donald Trump. Until now, Mr. Putin knew who he was dealing...

A Happy Ending for Europe in 2017?

by Mathew Burrows

A comparison with the 1848 domino-like revolutions that spread across Europe is a bit of a stretch, but far-right populism is definitely on a roll, throwing the whole European project in doubt. Will...