Putting Missile Defense on Pause
The United States relies on missile defense systems to protect its allies and its troops stationed all around the world. Yet in some instances, the […] More
Security/Stability
North Korea Tests Missile—and Trump
North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile this weekend, marking Pyongyang’s first provocation since President Donald Trump took office. The test coincided with Trump hosting […] More
The Mideast’s Front Burner Issues
The Middle East went through maelstrom developments during the Obama Administration. Some of these were put into motion by the 2003 American invasion of Iraq. […] More
Trump and the New Map of the Middle East
The Middle East that the Trump Administration must now come to grips with is not the one Barack Obama envisioned leaving his successor when he […] More
Change Has Not Come to the Middle East
At first glance, it would appear that the Middle East President Donald J. Trump now faces is far different than the region which confronted President […] More
Dialing Up Controversy with China
On Thursday February 9th, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping had their first phone call. Accounts from both sides described the call as […] More
Top Cmdr Calls for More Troops in Afghanistan, Warns About Russia
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan wants several thousand more troops from the U.S. and its allies to help break the “stalemate” in the 15 […] More
Islands Controversy Haunts 6th Anniversary of Egypt's Revolution
Six years after Egyptians rose up against the political authoritarianism and economic incompetence of the Mubarak regime, the potential transfer of two strategic islands to […] More
Trump’s Options for an Unchanging Cuba
I remember remarking to Cuban American friends in Miami some 20 years ago and in the wake of the passage of the Helms-Burton Act (which […] More
Insider Threat Special Report: Snowden’s Impact on Business, Government
The impact that the Snowden revelations had on private businesses is one of the most overlooked stories in the Snowden saga, particularly the impact on […] More
Cuba Lingers in Limbo
In an historic proclamation, then President Barack Obama announced in December 2014, “the United States of America is changing its relationship with the people of […] More
Why Trump May Reverse Cuba Policy
President Donald Trump has indicated he will reverse the Obama administration’s policy on Cuba, despite previously saying the deal was fine. The Cipher Brief asked […] More
A Dire Situation in Mexico
Kidnappings in Mexico continue to increase, particularly in the states of Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Morelos, Puebla, Zacatecas, and Tabasco. Although the Interior Ministry reported a […] More
Insider Threat Special Report: Edward Snowden’s Access to Secrets
Among the least understood and considered elements of the Edward Snowden saga are the details around what his job was and what data he could […] More
Insider Threat Special Report: Contracting at the NSA
Steven Bay was a contractor with Booz Allen Hamilton for nine years. He was working on an NSA contract in Hawaii when he hired Edward […] More
Trump So Far: The Middle East View
When Donald Trump was elected as the 45th U.S. President, there was reason for some comfort amongst the United States’ traditional Arab allies in the […] More
Author Q&A: Joshua Kurlantzick, "A Great Place to Have a War"
When President Dwight Eisenhower left office, he told his successor, John F. Kennedy, that Laos was one of the United States’ most important foreign policy […] More
Trump Administration Faces Daunting Challenges in Afghanistan
One of the most daunting foreign policy tasks facing the Trump Administration is determining America’s path forward in Afghanistan. From the time he launched his […] More