Politics in the Time of Corona
Bottom Line Up Front The spread of the coronavirus will pose significant challenges to voting and elections in the United States in the lead […] More
Posts Tagged ‘Intel Brief’
The Social Media Weapons of Authoritarian States
Bottom Line Up Front Conflict is no longer relegated strictly to the physical battlefield but extends through cyberspace, often manifesting in social media disinformation […] More
Libya’s Growing Criminal Enterprise
Bottom Line Up Front Throughout Libya’s civil war, widespread allegations have surfaced that strongman Khalifa Haftar operates as a modern-day warlord, using his power […] More
Iran Crisis Spills over to UK
Bottom Line Up Front Iran’s recent responses to U.S. pressure, including to the UK-led seizure of a Syria-bound Iranian oil tanker, have brought the […] More
Sudan Protests Gain Momentum and Are Met With More Bloodshed
Bottom Line Up Front Pro-democracy protesters in Sudan reemerged in full force to demand a transition to a civilian-led government; demonstrations were met with […] More
Designating The Muslim Brotherhood Will Yield Few Benefits
Bottom Line Up Front The Trump administration is reportedly considering designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Given the history of […] More
Turkey’s Uncertain Path
Bottom Line Up Front On May 5 the Turkish Foreign Minister said his country would accept delivery of Russian S-400 missiles. The prospect of […] More
The Consequences of Collapse in Yemen
Bottom Line Up Front President Trump’s veto of attempted Congressional limits on U.S. involvement in the war in Yemen increases the likelihood of a […] More
Has the Arab Spring Finally Reached Algeria?
Bottom Line Up Front On 2 April 2019, Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced his immediate resignation, ending his nearly 20-year rule. For decades, real […] More
The Trump Administration’s Budget Misses the Mark
Bottom Line Up Front On March 11, the Trump administration submitted a $4.7 trillion-dollar budget proposal that details its spending priorities. The administration’s proposed […] More
Reports of the Islamic State’s Demise Are Premature
Bottom Line Up Front Within days, coalition forces expect to retake the Syrian village of Baghouz, the final sliver of territory held by the […] More
China as the Third Player in the Hanoi Summit
Bottom Line Up Front: The second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, held on February 28, produced […] More
Iran Seeking to Further Its Influence in Iraq
Bottom Line Up Front Iran has built leverage over Iraq’s key power centers and its economy through its arming of Iraqi Shia militias and […] More
Shifting Geopolitical Tides in Syria
With the so-called Islamic State losing its remaining territory, the focus has pivoted to geopolitical competition between the major powers involved in Syria. Assad […] More
Iran’s Foreign Minister Resigns
Bottom Line Up Front The announced resignation of Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, reflects a growing domestic power struggle over the 2015 multilateral […] More
Right Wing Terrorism and ‘The Enemy Within’
Bottom Line Up Front Between 2009 and 2018, 73.3% of all domestic extremist-related killings have been perpetrated by right-wing extremists. On February 15, authorities […] More
A Tenuous Peace Deal in the Central African Republic
Bottom Line Upfront Earlier this month, fourteen armed groups from Central African Republic agreed to a peace agreement following talks in Khartoum, Sudan. The […] More
The Islamic State Will Live on Through Its Affiliates
Bottom Line Up Front Even after the collapse of the territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State will live on through its […] More
Ending Support for the War in Yemen
Bottom Line Up Front On February 13, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 248-177 to require the administration to end support for Saudi Arabia’s […] More
Trump-Kim Nuclear Diplomacy: Round Two in Vietnam
Bottom Line Up Front At the end of February, U.S. President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will meet in Vietnam following […] More
Is Peace with the Taliban Possible?
Bottom Line Up Front After nearly two decades at war in Afghanistan, the United States seems to be seriously pursuing a negotiated peace agreement […] More
What’s in a Name? Membership in NATO
Bottom Line Up Front On January 31, Greece announced it would vote on the proposed NATO accession plan put forward by the newly anointed […] More
Southeast Asia’s Vulnerability to Terrorism
Bottom Line Up Front Given its history, geography and demographics, Southeast Asia has proven to be hospitable terrain for myriad terrorist and insurgent groups. […] More