Columns And Op‑Eds

Better Buying is Key to Russia-China Strategy

by Robert Eatinger

This unique national-security focused expert insight can’t be generated for free.  We invite you to support this kind of quality content by becoming a  Cipher Brief Level I Member . ...

Conflict in Idlib Escalates Between Turkey and Syria While Civilians Suffer

by Intel Brief

  Bottom Line Up Front The nine year-long Syrian civil war continues to rage, with most of the intense fighting taking place in northwestern Syria in Idlib Province. Hay’at Tahri al-Sham, one...

France Reconsiders Force Posture in the Sahel Amid Surging Violence

by Intel Brief

  Bottom Line Up Front Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS) is now seen by France and Sahelian countries as the greatest security threat in West Africa. Reports about a drawdown of U.S....

What Does Another Nuclear Warhead Do?

by Walter Pincus

This unique national-security focused expert insight can’t be generated for free.  We invite you to support this kind of quality content by becoming a  Cipher Brief Level I Member . ...

U.S. Struggles to Formulate Central America Policy Amidst Destabilization

  Bottom Line Up Front Central America is among the most dangerous regions in the world, with a mixture of political corruption, powerful criminal groups, and high-murder rates. Violence and...

Energy Geopolitics in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Battle for Libya

by Intel Brief

  Bottom Line Up Front Just last week, France agreed to send war frigates to the eastern Mediterranean, a decision welcomed by Greece and decried by Turkey. The potential for an energy bonanza...

The Death of the Two-State Paradigm

by Emile Nakhleh

This unique national-security focused expert insight can’t be generated for free.  We invite you to support this kind of quality content by becoming a  Cipher Brief Level I Member . ...

Diminishing Returns from Iran Sanctions

by Intel Brief

  Bottom Line Up Front Virtually every sector of Iran’s civilian economy is now subject to U.S. secondary sanctions, rendering additional sanctions progressively less significant. Most of the...

The Many Faces of Chairman Kim Jung Un

by Kenneth Dekleva

At the recent December 2019 plenum, Chairman Kim, rather than giving his traditional New Year’s speech, outlined a different strategy toward the US moving forward in 2020. In doing so, he...

Who is the Islamic State’s New Leader?

by Intel Brief

  Bottom Line Up Front On October 26, 2019, U.S. Special Forces launched a major operation that resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Less than one week later, ISIS...