How Can the Intelligence Community Remain Indispensable to U.S. Policy Makers?
Analysis by experts from the Special Competitive Studies Project EXPERT ANALYSIS — In an era of information overload, the rise of AI and machine learning tools, […] More
policy
On Nuclear: Iran and North Korea are a Package Deal
Cipher Brief Expert John E. McLaughlin served as Acting Director of Central Intelligence from July to September 2004 and as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence […] More
Bahrain’s Opportunity for a Human Rights Reset
Emile Nakhleh is a retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer and founding director of the CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program Office. He is also […] More
A Path to Reset Iran Policy
Norman T. Roule served for 34-years in the Central Intelligence Agency, managing numerous programs relating to Iran and the Middle East. He served as the National […] More
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Is it Time for a New Policy Toward North Korea – A Cipher Brief Debate
North Korea’s party Congress, held earlier this month, offered some insight into what Leader Kim Jong Un is thinking when it comes to the country’s […] More
Through an Israeli Lens: Biden and Iran
Eldad Shavit, Sr. Researcher, INSS Eldad Shavit is a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and previously served in senior roles […] More
The Reckoning: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping
Dr. Kenneth Dekleva served as a Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (including 5 years at the U.S. Embassy Moscow, Russian Federation) with the U.S. Dept. of State […] More
The Real Russian Mission in Afghanistan
The House Foreign Affairs Committee is focusing on reported intelligence that Russia placed bounties on the lives of US troops in Afghanistan. The committee is […] More
Selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia Risks an Arms Race
The Cipher Brief’s Academic Incubator program partners with colleges and Universities across the country to highlight the voices of the next generation of national security […] More
Soleimani and the True Measure of Deterrence
CONVERSATION STARTER — Few would argue that the January 3 drone strike that killed Iranian General and Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani was a […] More
A 2020 U.S. Strategy for Latin America
Patrick Duddy served as the U.S. ambassador to Venezuela from 2007 to 2010. He is now teaches at Duke University where he is also the […] More
An Epilogue for Syria
The Cipher Brief is bringing you a range of expert perspectives on Syria this week. General Jack Keane (Ret.), the chairman of the Institute for […] More
Trump’s Impact on the Five Eyes and Beyond
OPINION — As we digest the Trump administration’s unorthodox style of governing in the foreign affairs arena, it is worth focusing on a key aspect […] More
China’s Paper Dragon
“This idea may be formulated as follows. The situation is better now than it was ten years ago; therefore ten years from now it will […] More
The Risk of Rising Aggression and Declining Action
Oil prices spiked Monday after a drone attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities over the weekend. The attacks impacted more than half of Saudi Arabia’s […] More
Iran: On the Brink, or Not?
As tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to rise, Cipher Brief expert Norm Roule answered subscriber’s questions in a Cipher Brief Members-Only webcast. What […] More
How Will the U.S. Withdrawal Impact Israel’s Strategy in Syria?
Bottom Line Up Front The announced U.S. withdrawal from Syria is compelling Israel to recalibrate its strategy to prevent Iran from further expanding its […] More