Al Qaeda Growing Stronger By the Minute
Fifteen years to the date after the U.S. launched its invasion of Afghanistan, al Qaeda still remains a force to be reckoned with. And with […] More
ISIS
China's Ongoing Struggle to Clamp Down on Terrorism
On September 10th in the restive Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China, as many as 10 people were killed or injured when police […] More
Gen. John Allen: Fighting Extremists in 3-D
The United States and its allies need a three-dimensional strategy for beating back the Islamic State and its allies, one that looks beyond the immediate […] More
Turkish Leverage Over the United States and European Union
Since its birth, modern Turkey has occupied a delicate position in the world. Straddling both Asia and Europe, the ancient Ottoman capital of Istanbul captures […] More
Measured Progress
In the aftermath of 9/11, the American intelligence community (IC) went through one of the most transformative periods in its history. From the creation of […] More
Preparing for a Fight Beyond the Next Decade
The Cipher Brief sat down with Matthew Olsen, Former Head of the National Counterterrorism Center to discuss the progress that the U.S. has made over […] More
Turkey Faces a Muddled and Constantly Changing Situation in Syria
Turkey is claiming its forces, along with Western-backed Syrian rebels, have completely cut off the Islamic State’s access to the 500-mile long Turkish/Syrian border. Though […] More
Fifteen Years After 9/11: Much Accomplished, Much to be Done
Sunday marks the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, the date that altered the trajectory of America’s national security apparatus. The country’s focus turned from defending against […] More
Not Letting Up One Inch
Reflecting on the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11, Congressman Will Hurd of Texas said that there have been both successes and room for improvement as the […] More
Intel Chiefs Warn on Cyber, ISIS Threats
The “Big Six” of U.S. intelligence on Thursday broke down the major threats facing the next administration and their respective agencies, warning that ISIS will […] More
After ISIS: A New ISIS
In August, U.S. President Barack Obama reassured the Pentagon that the Islamic State will “inevitably be defeated.” U.S. government officials, generals, and pundits have been […] More
Nation’s Top Spy: U.S. Faces "Perpetual State of Suppression" of Terror
The Russians hack the United States’ systems “all the time,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a conference of intelligence professionals on Wednesday. He […] More
Trump’s Statements: More than Just Words Abroad
What presidential candidate Donald Trump says on the spur of the moment about foreign events – without understanding, or perhaps caring about its impact overseas […] More
Algeria: A Bulwark Against ISIS
With the Islamic State (ISIS) facing imminent defeat in its Libyan stronghold of Sirte, questions have arisen over where the group might seek refuge next. […] More
Obstacles to ISIS Expansion
On September 21, 2014, a group of Algerian jihadists, named Jund El Khilafa (The soldiers of the Caliphate) kidnapped Hervé Gourdel, a 55-year-old French nature […] More
Is Algeria Next for the Islamic State?
Fighting jihadi groups has been compared more than once to whack-a-mole. You thump a group here and it pops up there. You thump it again […] More
ISIS' Number Two Killed in Air Strike: Will It Weaken the Terrorist Group?
ISIS’ Amaq News Agency reported that Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, one of the group’s most prominent and longest-tenured leaders, was killed in an air strike on […] More
Why Nation Building is Needed to "Halt the Spread of Radical Islam"
Before Donald Trump speaks out again on the subject of nation-building, I suggest he – or his staff – study what the Pentagon terms “Building […] More