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Agentic AI and the “Human-in-the-Loop” Luxury in Modern Defense

Joey Gagnard

Agentic AI and the “Human-in-the-Loop” Luxury in Modern Defense

THE IRON TRIANGLE — Welcome to the inaugural edition of “The Iron Triangle”, my new Cipher Brief column that serves the three pillars of modern [...] More

Joey GagnardTech/Cyber

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Human Agency in a Technology-Mediated World

Jennifer Ewbank

Human Agency in a Technology-Mediated World

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Occasionally, a speech does more than mark a leadership transition or outline institutional priorities. It captures, with [...] More

InternationalTech/Cybernational security

Venezuela was a Surprise. What Could be Next?

Glenn Corn

Venezuela was a Surprise. What Could be Next?

CIPHER BRIEF EXPERT Q&A -- Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is scheduled to appear in a U.S. courtroom on Monday for the first time since [...] More

Americas

Building U.S. Drone Dominance Brick by Brick

Phil Waymon, Master Sergeant (Ret.)

Building U.S. Drone Dominance Brick by Brick

OPINION — One of the things I loved about LEGO as a child was the ability to mix and match an endless amount of parts to create unique builds. [...] More

Alternative PerspectivesTech/Cybermilitary

A Trained Eye Sees Strategic Patterns in Venezuela

Masoud Andarabi

A Trained Eye Sees Strategic Patterns in Venezuela

OPINION -- Venezuela presents a long-standing challenge tied to narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal networks. For years, the country has [...] More

Americas

Putin Again Bungles Strategy: Why His War of Attrition will Sink Russia

Gregory Sims

Putin Again Bungles Strategy: Why His War of Attrition will Sink Russia

OPINION — On February 14, 2022, with Russia poised to invade Ukraine, I questioned whether Vladimir Putin’s reign to that point had revealed him to [...] More

RussiaUkraineEuropeAlternative Perspectives

Pope Leo XIV Has an Opportunity with the 2026 World Day of Peace

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Pope Leo XIV Has an Opportunity with the 2026 World Day of Peace

OPINION — On January 1, 2026, in his planned first message for the 59th World Day of Peace, Pope Leo XIV will reflect on peace, justice, and global [...] More

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

The World Leaders to Watch in 2026

Kenneth Dekleva

The World Leaders to Watch in 2026

OPINION — The recent release of President Trump’s new National Security Strategy (NSS), with its emphasis on “the Trump corollary to the Monroe [...] More

national securityAlternative Perspectives

Modeling the Earth with AI is Now a Strategic Intelligence Imperative

Mark Munsell

Modeling the Earth with AI is Now a Strategic Intelligence Imperative

EXPERT OPINION / PERSPECTIVE — We are currently witnessing a mobilization of technical ambition reminiscent of the Manhattan Project, a realization [...] More

Tech/Cyber

A Bold 2025 National Security Strategy

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

A Bold 2025 National Security Strategy

OPINION — Out with a “rules-based international order” and in with “U.S. core national interests”, according to the U.S. National Security Strategy [...] More

ChinaAmbassador Joseph DeTraniAsia

Why the ‘Double Tap’ Incident Matters Far Beyond a Single Strike

Geoffrey Corn

Why the ‘Double Tap’ Incident Matters Far Beyond a Single Strike

EXPERT OPINION — For about a week we experienced significant controversy over the first military attack on alleged narco-trafficker small boats off [...] More

AmericasGeoffrey CornLatin America

The Push and Pull Between Washington and Beijing in the South China Sea

Emmanouil M. Karatarakis

The Push and Pull Between Washington and Beijing in the South China Sea

OPINION — China uses a layered approach in the South China Sea that blends military power, paramilitary forces, legal instruments, and political [...] More

ChinaAlternative PerspectivesAsiaEmmanouil M. Karatarakis

This is Perhaps Ukraine’s Most Dangerous Time

Glenn Corn

This is Perhaps Ukraine’s Most Dangerous Time

EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Each of my eight trips to Ukraine since retiring from the CIA in the summer of 2023 has been filled with unique challenges. Each [...] More

UkraineEurope