New Nuclear START with Russia
A date for Washington-Moscow nuclear arms control discussions could emerge from today’s Washington meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov — first with Secretary of […] More
The Cipher Brief
NATO’s Future Threats
In a declaration issued at the conclusion of last week’s NATO meeting in London, leaders agreed on continuing support for the alliance and they laid […] More
NATO’s Most Elite Operators and their Biggest Challenges
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in April 1949 with the goal of deterring Soviet expansionism and to move European nations closer to […] More
Disruptive Technologies and Operational Energy
This Academic Incubator column is part of an academic partnership with the Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology, presenting regular […] More
NATO’s New Mission
There is little argument that the 70-year-old NATO Alliance today finds itself in one of the most complicated security environments it has ever seen. China […] More
NATO Debrief with General Philip Breedlove (Ret.)
As NATO members meet in London this week, The Cipher Brief tapped former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Philip Breedlove (Ret.) to help […] More
NATO Debrief with Admiral James Stavridis
As NATO members meet in London this week, The Cipher Brief tapped former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Admiral James Stavridis (Ret.) to help […] More
Anticipating the Likelihood of Iranian-Backed Attacks
The Commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East, General Kenneth F. McKenzie, recently warned that the presence of an additional 14,000 U.S. troops sent […] More
A Strategy for Stopping the Cold War Between the U.S. and China
OPINION — Many in the United States and China believe that we’re in a cold war and that conflict is inevitable. If true, that would be tragic […] More
American Foreign Policy on Trial
OPINION – It was supposed to be Senate confirmation hearing for Stephen E. Biegun to be confirmed as Deputy Secretary of State, but really, it […] More
Mexico’s Strategic Security Problem
Nine American women and children were killed by suspected drug cartel members in an attack in northern Mexico earlier this month, refocusing attention on the […] More
Mexico’s Internal War: 5 Questions for Michael Vigil
Mike Vigil is the former Chief of International Operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration. He is one of the most highly decorated agents within the […] More
Harry Potter Fans: If Cyber were a Basilisk, It’s the Pipes
It is no secret that Hermione revealed that the basilisk traveled via the pipes in the second installment of the Harry Potter series. When I […] More
U.S. Foreign Policy: Blurred and Drifting Dangerously
OPINION — American foreign policy has faded into a confusing and dangerous blur as a result of mismanagement, flip-flopping objectives, political turmoil in Washington and […] More
Media and State Control in the Middle East
As street protests continue unabated in Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Algeria, and other Middle Eastern countries, regimes have used the social media platforms and traditional media […] More
How Foreign Leaders Play President Trump
OPINION — Donald Trump as president displays weakness toward those he envies as strong foreign leaders, while he acts like a bully toward leaders he […] More
Confessions of a Public Servant
OPINION — Events in Washington last week were gut-wrenching for many, not least for America’s Foreign Service and the two million other public servants of […] More
A Note to the IC Workforce on the Whistleblower
OPINION — It is common for the leadership of the Intelligence Community to send notes to the workforce. The leaderships’ thoughts on all sorts of […] More