Trump’s North Korea Strategy Remains Unclear
As North Korea’s provocations increase, questions have been raised about whether the Trump Administration’s responses have made matters worse and if there really is a […] More
Adverse
Pence Says U.S. Patience with North Korea is Running Out
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence visited the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Korea on Monday and warned Pyongyang the “patience” of the U.S. […] More
Why is Ahmadinejad Running for President of Iran, Again?
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the firebrand former Iranian president, stunned observers last week by submitting his name as a candidate in his country’s presidential elections next month, […] More
Trump says U.S.-Russia Relations at an All-time Low
Donald Trump entered the presidency committed to improving U.S. ties with Russia, but less than three months into his term, the President says the relationship […] More
Despite Rhetoric, U.S. Policy on Russia Unclear
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow for meetings with Russian officials at a time when U.S. rhetoric toward Russia has intensified in the […] More
How Syria’s Chemical Attack Could Force Shift U.S. Policy?
President Donald Trump on Wednesday said his “attitude” toward Syria and President Bashar al-Assad “has changed very much” in the wake of a deadly chemical […] More
Giving Trump North Korea Policy a Chance
It is fashionable in Washington to deride, or even condemn, every move President Donald Trump makes that is a departure from past, staid U.S. foreign […] More
China’s Defense Budget Needs Transparency to Transcend Suspicion
Two decades of an expanding defense budget coupled with a multi-dimensional modernization effort have enabled China to field one of the world’s most capable militaries. […] More
After Nuclear Deal, Iran Looks to Profit in Syria
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s powerful, ideological military force, is one of the country’s most influential institutions, with major stakes in key sectors of […] More
Explaining Russian Malfeasance to the American Public
As the House Intelligence Committee gathers on Monday to hold its first public hearing into Russian interference in the 2016 election, experts say this marks […] More
Georgetown Salon Series: Russian Hacks Just ‘Tip of the Iceberg’
The controversy surrounding alleged Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election shows no sign of waning, dominating the conversation during The Cipher Brief’s Georgetown Salon […] More
Developing Special Operations Forces in China and Russia
When Syrian government forces retook the ancient city of Palmyra from ISIS for the second time in early March, they had the assistance of one […] More
SOF a Priority in China
Several Chinese government entities perform activities that fall under the rubric of special operations. China’s primary anti-terrorist forces are elements of the civilian Ministry of […] More
Russian Spetsnaz: Learning from Experience
As part of military reforms begun in 2008, Russia has overhauled its special purpose forces, or Spetsnaz to expand its capabilities and professionalization. It also […] More
Vying for Power in Iran
With one of the most complex systems of governance in the world, Iran finds itself at perhaps its most daunting political crossroads since the 1979 […] More
Uncertainty in Iran
In the perennial effort to deduce the likely evolution of the tumultuous relationship between the United States and Iran, all eyes today seem to be […] More
Iranian Leadership: Over the Horizon
As the Islamic Republic readies itself for another presidential election in May 2017, now is a good time to size up the state of affairs […] More
Dealing with a Difficult Iran: Get Smart
Like it or not, the Trump Administration will have to pay attention to Iran. The President’s predecessors, beginning in 1979, have taken multiple paths, usually […] More