Sticking with the Complicated U.S.-Iran Relationship
U.S.-Iran tensions are likely to rise in the coming months. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear agreement between Iran and the P5+1 (United […] More
Adverse
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
Why Trump Should Keep Obama’s Cuba Policy
On Feb. 3, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer announced “we are in the midst of a full review of all U.S. policies towards Cuba.” […] More
Little Margin for Error in South China Sea Policy
President Donald Trump and his cabinet are now responsible for U.S. policy on one of Asia’s most contentious regions: The South China Sea. While China’s […] More
Red Lines and Red Carpets in the South China Sea
Few security challenges are as vexing as the South China Sea. With multiple claimants and murky claims, the contours of the conflict can be difficult […] More
Defining the Ends, Means, and Ways of SCS Strategy
Since China undertook a massive artificial island building program in 2013 with the intention of militarizing the islands, the U.S. has grown increasingly worried about […] More
Advice to Trump from the Georgetown Salon: “The Russians Understand Force”
Two former CIA officers with decades of experience offered up some advice to President Donald Trump on how to deal with his Russian counterpart Vladimir […] More
Mixed Signals to Moscow: The Trump Administration's Russia Policy Puzzle
In his first news conference since July, President-elect Donald Trump revealed he now agrees with the unanimous verdict of the U.S. intelligence community: Russia was […] More
Improving Relations with Russia – From a Position of Strength
Donald Trump will take office at the lowest point in Washington’s relations with Moscow since the end of the Cold War. He has consistently talked […] More
Russia Will Continue Setting the Agenda
As Donald Trump prepares to take office, one of his earliest—and most important— foreign policy decisions will be how to move forward with the United […] More
Sanctions Push On Hill as Senators Hear More on Russia Hacking
As a bipartisan group of senators on Tuesday unveiled a bill to impose more sanctions on Russia, leaders of the U.S. Intelligence Community gathered again […] More
U.S. Intel Leaders Resolute on Russian Hacking
Top United States intelligence officials on Thursday defended the intelligence agencies’ findings on Russian hacking and interference in the election, pushing back at the public […] More
Sanctions Against Russia: Too Little, Too Late?
Whether President-elect Donald Trump will keep in place the Obama administration sanctions against Russia for its interference in the U.S. election remains to be seen. […] More
Presidents vs. The Kremlin
New presidents often think they can redefine relations with Russia. But will Washington ever get along with Moscow if the Kremlin does not share Western […] More
The Party Endures: China and the World in 2016
Editor’s Note: Over the coming days, The Cipher Brief presents some of our most incisive coverage on key issues of 2016 and a look ahead […] More
China’s Supremo
Since coming to power in 2012, China’s Xi Jinping has reforged the Chinese Communist Party with his anti-corruption campaign and his accumulation of titles. In […] More
Obama's Legacy on Russia and China: Making the Grade
When asked recently by The Atlantic about President Barack Obama’s foreign policy legacy with China, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger replied: “I’d say B-plus.” […] More
Obama Failed to Understand Putin
As 2016 draws to a close and along with it the presidency of Barack Obama, it is perhaps time to reflect on the relationship with […] More