Did Mideast Crises Hamper Obama's Asia Pivot?
With the incoming Trump presidency, much ink has been spilled regarding the “end” of President Barack Obama’s pivot to Asia. The pivot was centered on […] More
Adverse
Russia Is At "Info War" with the United States
The Putin government of Russia is conducting cyberspace-enabled Information Operations, including political “destabilizing operations” (a form of warfare), against the United States. Moscow is competing […] More
Is a Trump Presidency Music to Russian Ears?
Just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump spoke for the first time since the election, Russia launched a major offensive […] More
In the Strait of Hormuz, Little has Changed with Iran
When the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was signed in July 2015, you might have been forgiven for […] More
Pushing the Boundaries
Iran’s supreme leader implemented a dramatic overhaul of Iranian military leadership in June 2016, and in so doing, effectively consolidated control of the Iranian military […] More
The Risk of Miscalculation
According to U.S. Navy officials, confrontations between American and Iranian naval vessels in the Persian Gulf have risen by roughly 50 percent. This despite the […] More
China's Fall 2016 Latin America Charm Offensive
In recent months, the People’s Republic of China has successfully faced and largely overcome a significant crisis in its relationships with Latin America, even while […] More
A New Low in U.S.-Russian Relations
As U.S.-Russia tensions escalate, the sharply deteriorating bilateral relationship between the former Cold War foes may be at an inflection point. Experts say that in […] More
Great Power Rivalry Is Here to Stay, Say National Security Leaders
With a decline in U.S. global influence since the 2008 financial crisis, China’s emergence as an economic and increasingly political world power, and Russia striving […] More
Nuclear North Korea: A No-Win Scenario?
The latest North Korean nuclear test was the largest to date, yet the international consensus on a response is as fractured and indecisive as ever. […] More
Lessons from the Past
The fifth North Korean nuclear test has left policy makers scrambling for both short term and long term solutions to a problem that, so far, […] More
Reenergizing North Korea Policy in a New Administration
The United States and its allies in East Asia have had sound reasons for the current approach to dealing with North Korea. However, it carries […] More
North Korea’s 5th Nuclear Fait Accompli
North Korea announced Friday morning that it had successfully conducted its fifth nuclear test at the subterranean Punggye-ri test site. The U.S. geological survey confirmed […] More
The Chinese Communist Party Under Xi Jinping
Nationalist fervor, a more aggressive military posture, and curbs on free speech in China today are the hallmarks of one man: President Xi Jinping. He […] More
Xi's Policies: Squeezing Out Business
As 2016 draws to a close, The Cipher Brief revisits its feature on the architect of China’s most recent and expansive policies, Xi Jinping. One […] More
Iran Deploys Long Delayed Russian-Made Defense System Around Nuclear Site
Iran has deployed a Russian-made air defense system around its underground Fordow nuclear facility, state media reported this week. Given the timing of the announcement, […] More
North Korea Successfully Test Launches Missile from Submarine
Yesterday, at 5:30am Pyongyang time, North Korea achieved what, as little as two years ago, many experts thought was impossible: it test launched a missile […] More
Why Russia is the GOP’s Foreign Policy Litmus Test
Russia is back in the U.S. political spotlight in a way it hasn’t been since the Cold War. President Vladimir Putin is increasing Russia’s show […] More