Kashmir in Crisis—Again
In the latest cross border clash between Pakistan and India, an elderly woman and Indian soldier were killed and two others were injured, according to […] More
Pakistan
Encouraging Signs, Continuing Dangers
India and Pakistan have experienced numerous militarized engagements and three wars over the disputed territory of Kashmir. Of particular note is that India’s and Pakistan’s […] More
Combatting Haqqani Network is Key to Afghan Strategy
The Taliban is mounting an increasingly deadly insurgency across Afghanistan, including a breakthrough into Lashkar Gah, the capital of Afghanistan’s southern Helmand Province, earlier this […] More
Deadly and Effective
The Cipher Brief sat down with Bruce Riedel, Director of the Intelligence Project at the Brookings Institution to discuss the current threat posed by the […] More
Pakistan's Influence and Control
The Haqqani network’s continued presence in Pakistan, as well as recent Taliban advances in Afghanistan, have resulted in a “steady deterioration in U.S.-Pakistan relations over […] 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
Pakistan’s Embattled Lawyers: A Long Quest for Justice
On September 2, a suicide bomber struck a court in Pakistan’s northern city of Mardan, killing twelve. On August 8, a suicide bomber dressed in […] More
The Importance of Engaging with Pakistan
I served as an undercover officer in the CIA in South Asia’s three largest countries: India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. While in Pakistan, I had the […] More
Water Security in South Asia: Running Dry and Running Out of Options
In the latest dispute between India and Pakistan, Islamabad has taken New Delhi to the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague over a longstanding […] More
Stoking Tensions in an Already Volatile Region
South Asia’s critical transboundary waterways are facing unprecedented pressures as a result of rapidly increasing populations, high demand for natural resources, and the consequences of […] More
Why Rising Unrest in the Kashmir Valley Matters for the United States
A week ago, Indian armed forces killed Burhan Wani, the infamous 21 year-old commander of the Kashmiri militant separatist group Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Burhan had […] More
Implications of Top Pakistani Taliban Leader’s Death
The leader of one of the deadliest factions within the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), Omar Mansoor, was killed in an airstrike in Afghanistan on Wednesday, U.S. […] More
Nuclear Standoff in South Asia
A May 15 test of India’s anti-ballistic missile system fanned the flames of a nuclear standoff 45 years in the making. Pakistan voiced “serious concern” […] More
Deterrence vs. Coercion
The adversarial history between India and Pakistan is compounded by each nation’s firm stance on the possession of nuclear weapons. As each country moves to […] More
A Need to Rebalance U.S. Nonproliferation Policy
South Asia is the region of the world at highest risk of suffering a nuclear crisis due to an explosive mixture of unresolved territorial disputes, […] More
The Taliban's Persistent Threat
Last week the Taliban announced the opening of its annual spring offensive. The year ahead is going to be a difficult one for the Afghan […] More
A Stark Reminder
The latest devastating attack by the Taliban in Kabul raises the question about the ongoing capabilities of the insurgency. Jeffrey Eggers, a former assistant to […] More
Nawaz Sharif: A Force to be Reckoned with in Pakistan
Nawaz Sharif was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan for the third time in March 2013. The euphoria of the elections brought to light Sharif’s pro-business, […] More