Security/Stability

U.S. President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that he will leave 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan through the end of his presidency, considerably slowing the drawdown […] More

The intelligence community (IC), in coordination with government entities and private organizations, is working together to tackle a growing national security threat: wildlife trafficking. At […] More

In the years since 9/11, the FBI has refocused its efforts beyond law enforcement to include, and even prioritize, intelligence gathering and counterterrorism operations.  As […] More

After the San Bernardino terrorist attack there were the usual cries “to do something” to better protect the nation. We will surely again hear similar […] More

When the Cipher Brief asked me to write an article assessing how well the FBI has done since 9/11 in protecting our country from terrorism […] More

On May 9, the Filipino nation chose “Tunay na Pagbabago” or radical change. Rodrigo Duterte, the pugnacious Mayor of Davao City, was elected as the […] More

More than two years after fighters from the Islamic State  (ISIS) captured the city of Fallujah, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) liberated the embattled city last […] More

The beginning of the end of ISIS’s dominance over the Sunni Arab region of Iraq is at hand, following the Iraqi security forces’ clearance of […] More

Last Sunday, Iraqi forces announced that Fallujah, the first major city captured by the Islamic State (ISIS) has been fully liberated. This is a significant […] More

The Brexit referendum threatens European cohesion and, thus, could have serious consequences for defense of the European continent. The Cipher Brief spoke with Rachel Rizzo […] More

The Department of Homeland Security launched a pilot project on Monday to place employees into private sector companies for training stints of up to six […] More

The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas this week signed an historic ceasefire, bringing the two sides one step closer […] More

Often hailed as an island of stability amidst a region of chaos, Jordan’s security remains an issue of paramount importance for the United States. Jordan’s […] More

On June 6, five Jordanians were killed during an assault on a General Intelligence complex twelve miles north of Amman. The incident was Jordan’s largest […] More

Despite a recent wave of terrorist attacks in northern Jordan, the country’s government remains strong. In fact, according to Sultan Barakat, Director of Research at […] More

Filling the big shoes of a larger than life leader presents special challenges for leadership succession. Under a larger than life leader, the roles and […] More

As Kurdish forces battle the Islamic State (ISIS) on the frontlines in Iraq and Syria and the government in Baghdad struggles to preserve a cohesive […] More

For much of the past century, the Kurds have rebelled against their respective rulers only to be brutally crushed each time. The 21st century is […] More