Mastermind of 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks Arrested
Bottom Line Up Front Pakistani authorities have arrested Hafiz Saeed, founder of the terrorist group LeT and mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan […] More
U.S.
The Belt and Road Initiative and Increased Chinese Military and Security Presence Abroad
Bottom Line Up Front: In July 2019, China conducted joint military exercises with two European powers, Germany and France. Through Chinese president Xi Jinping’s […] 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
A Political Breakthrough in Sudan?
Bottom Line Up Front Following months of fighting, Sudan’s current ruling military government and the political opposition have forged a power-sharing agreement. What happens […] More
Iran Crisis Returns to Nuclear Issues
Bottom Line Up Front Heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran have now returned to the core issue of Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s recent […] More
Iran’s Next Surprise
When he became Secretary of Defense in early 2001, Donald Rumsfeld publicly expressed his concern about the inevitability of surprise. He often reminded other officials […] More
Houthi Rebels Step Up Attacks Against Saudi Arabia
Bottom Line Up Front Since April, Houthi rebels have conducted at least ten separate missile or drone strikes on Saudi targets, including airports, oil […] More
Preparing for Iran’s Next Move
From The Cipher Brief’s Open Source Collection newsletter, U.S. officials and Cipher Brief experts are warning U.S. businesses to remain vigilant as tensions between Iran and […] More
The U.S.-Iran Crisis
Bottom Line Up Front The U.S. and Iran are close to a conflict that would have no clear end and could quickly spread throughout […] More
Protests in Hong Kong are Pushing Back against Chinese Rule
Bottom Line Up Front: In recent weeks, peaceful demonstrators in Hong Kong have gathered in large numbers to protest a controversial extradition bill with […] More
Congress Debates Whether the AUMF Has Outlived Its Mandate
Bottom Line Up Front For the first time since 2001, there might be meaningful Congressional oversight over the Authorization for the Use of Military […] More
Challenges in Transitioning From Violence to Politics
Bottom Line Up Front Shortly after being released from prison, Seuxis Pausias Hernandez, a former commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) […] More
U.S. Bolstering Troop Presence in Poland to Strengthen Posture in Europe
Bottom Line Up Front Last week, President Trump announced that the U.S. would be deploying an additional 1,000 troops to Poland. The deployment is reflective […] More
Limited Options for Dealing with Iran
A spokesman for the Iranian atomic agency said Monday that within 10 days, the country will pass the allowed limit for low-grade uranium enrichment under the nuclear […] More
Tanker Blasts in the Gulf of Oman Escalate Tensions Between U.S. and Iran
Bottom Line Up Front On June 13, two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman were damaged by apparent sabotage, as explosions ripped through […] More
A Strategy to Constrain Iran
In the midst of recent escalatory statements and actions between the U.S. and Iran, a spokesman for the Iranian atomic agency said Monday that within […] More
Tensions Continue to Escalate Between the U.S. and China over Taiwan
Bottom Line Up Front: The U.S. Congress was recently notified about a potential arms sale between the U.S. and Taiwan, estimated at close to […] More
In For a Penny, In for a Pound? The U.S. View on European Defense Spending
Bottom Line Up Front The U.S. is continuing to pressure the E.U. about defense spending, continuing a trend that has stretched back through previous […] More