Unanswered Questions Amid Whistleblower Reporting
OPINION — White House officials initially learned of the first Whistleblower’s complaint about President Trump’s July 25, telephone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky weeks before […]
Opinion
The Limits of U.S. Influence in Syria
The White House announced Sunday that President Trump will endorse a Turkish military operation near the border with Syria that will target Kurdish forces. Turkey […]
Trump’s Impact on the Five Eyes and Beyond
OPINION — As we digest the Trump administration’s unorthodox style of governing in the foreign affairs arena, it is worth focusing on a key aspect […]
Are We Headed for a Watergate Moment?
OPINION — Could there be a Hugh Scott in 2019? I refer to Sen. Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, in office from 1958 to 1976, who […]
Atkinson’s Dogged Push for Transparency
OPINION — Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson deserves praise along with the Whistleblower for pushing within the law to get President Trump’s highly protected […]
What Future War with Iran Could Look Like
OPINION – It’s still unclear just how President Trump may further respond to the recent coordinated drone attack on a Saudi oil facility that has […]
Negotiating with North Korea
Cipher Brief Expert Ambassador Joseph DeTrani offers his seasoned perspective on negotiating with North Korea. This piece was first published by our friends at 38 […]
Shaping the Air Force’s Future Battlespace
“My personal view is, the first shots of the future fight will be either in the cyber domain or — maybe it’s an ‘and’ — […]
What’s Next for Iran?
The U.S. has decided to send additional troops to Saudi Arabia after an attack on an oil facility that seriously impacted the country’s oil production […]
A Focus on Israel, Iran and Hezbollah
The Cipher Brief’s new Academic Incubator program publishes the work of undergraduate and graduate students, writing short briefs on national security issues. This week’s briefer […]
A Fading Chance for Improvement with North Korea
During 2018 and part of 2019, the DPRK’s Chairman Kim Jong-un, South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in, and U.S. President Donald Trump collectively made diplomatic history […]
China’s Paper Dragon
“This idea may be formulated as follows. The situation is better now than it was ten years ago; therefore ten years from now it will […]
Dunford’s Parting Thoughts on Afghanistan
Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford retires later this month, but in his own quiet way he is leaving behind his recommendation for the current […]
The Risk of Rising Aggression and Declining Action
Oil prices spiked Monday after a drone attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities over the weekend. The attacks impacted more than half of Saudi Arabia’s […]
The Magpies and the Cuckoos: A Disinformation Fable
The Cipher Brief’s new Academic Incubator program publishes the work of undergraduate and graduate students, writing short briefs on current national security issues. This week’s […]
Afghanistan and the Dark Side of No Man Left Behind
As the U.S. administration is contemplating the next steps in our march toward departure from Afghanistan (what some consider a much needed disengagement from an […]
Mattis and the President
OPINION — Don’t be too surprised if former-Defense Secretary James Mattis breaks his silence about President Trump’s performance as commander-in-chief before next year’s election. “There […]
Afghanistan in a Precarious Position as U.S. Prepares to Leave
Even though the Trump administration has yet to settle precisely on the speed, timing or terms of withdrawal from Afghanistan, there is no doubt that […]