Category: Conflicts and Terrorism

Conflicts and Terrorism International Relations

Defending Taiwan: What Should the US Do?

By Xiumei Dong on August 27, 2016 china, Military, national security, Taiwan, US, weapon

The challenge for the U.S. is to maintain diplomatic relations with China while meeting the commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act. “The fundamental problem is not the Chinese weapon or China’s strategy. The fundamental problem is political…We don’t even recognize the Republic of China, which is Taiwan’s official name, we don’t even recognize it as a real country,” said Ian Easton, a research fellow at the Project 2049 Institute, where he conducts research on defense and security issues in Asia.

Announcements Conflicts and Terrorism

Medill, Foley Foundation Launch Safety Guide for Journalists

By Ellen Shearer on August 4, 2016 James Foley

Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation — with partners Reporters Without Borders and A Culture of Safety Alliance — have published an online curriculum guide for college journalism educators to teach students about the growing risk of reporting on conflicts, terrorism and violent unrest around the world.

Conflicts and Terrorism

Shortage of trained experts leaves doors open for cyber attacks

By Thomas Vogel on August 3, 2016 international relations, national security

Cyberattacks against U.S. companies and government bodies are driving demand for security experts beyond the numbers that the nation’s training schools and partnerships programs can provide.

Announcements Conflicts and Terrorism

‘Ghazals for Foley’ book published honoring slain journalist James Foley

By Ellen Shearer on July 11, 2016 James Foley

McNaughton/Gunn has published in limited quantities Ghazals for Foley (ISBN: 978-0- 9845398- 7-1/ $12.95), an anthology of ghazals written to, for, or about American Combat Journalist, James Foley. It was created by HINCHAS Press through a Kickstarter campaign. The books can be purchased online through Square Up.

Conflicts and Terrorism Domestic Politics

Donald Trump: A National Security Threat, experts say

By Emiliana Molina on June 14, 2016 democrat, Donald Trump, hillary clinton, national security, national security threat, presidential campaign 2016, republican, rising threats, Trump national security threat, USA presidential campaign

Former Secretary os State Hillary Clinton believes “Donald Trump’s ideas aren’t just different– they are dangerously incoherent. They’re not even really ideas, just a series of bizarre rants, personal feuds, and outright lies.” She’s not the one who has criticized the business mogul. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Guiliani, who voted for Trump in the past, now believes his ban on Muslims “violates the First Amendment. You have no reasonable basis for it,” Giuliani said in a Fox News interview.

A FIGHTER OF THE KURDISH WOMEN'S DEFENSE UNITS (YPJ) (FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

Conflicts and Terrorism

YPJ: The all-female Kurdish militia in the fight against Daesh

By Satvika Khera on June 13, 2016June 13, 2016 ISIS

The YPJ (pronounced Yuh Pah Juh) is an all-women militia group created in 2012 to resist against the “traditional conservative patriarchy” breeding in Syria over the last five years of the Baath regime.

Conflicts and Terrorism International Relations

Security at Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

By Benjamin Cohen on June 6, 2016 Brazil, national security, Olympics

Brazil is notorious known internationally for its violent crime, which has made the country “the murder capital of the world,” according to Newsweek.

Conflicts and Terrorism Environment

Global action needed to prevent water-fueled conflicts

By Marisa Endicott on June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 agriculture, Canada, conflict, drought, environment, India, international aid, Mexico, Middle East, resources, scarcity, treaties, United Nations, United States, water, water stress, world bank

Water stress is an increasing reality in many parts of the world, and the instability that goes along with it has the potential to leave no nation untouched.

Conflicts and Terrorism International Relations

Civ-Mil relations hinder stabilization operations worldwide

By Meggie Morris on June 6, 2016June 6, 2016 humanitarian aid, post-conflict stablization, stabilization operations, u.s. military, UN, United Nations

As wars in Iraq and Afghanistan drag on, and as new conflicts emerge, stabilization operations around the world are becoming increasingly crowded and complex.

Protesters in Sidi Bouzid calling for Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki to leave their town in December, 2012. (FETHI BELAID / AFP / Getty Images)

Conflicts and Terrorism Domestic Politics International Relations Privacy and Civil Liberties

Democracy, Human Rights in the Federal Budget Request for the MENA region

By Satvika Khera on June 2, 2016June 3, 2016 Egypt, Human Rights, MENA, politics, Syria

Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia in an act of “desperation” and rebellion against the government. Five years on, the protests in Sidi Bouzid have set a precedent for democratic governance in the region. With the release of FY17 budget requests for assistance for human rights and governance to countries in the region, we analyze the US priorities in Egypt, Tunisia and Syria and break down the idea of an “overly securitized” approach in the MENA region with the FY2015 expenditure on democracy and governance programming reaching an all-time low. With pro-democracy organizations playing a limited role in a “repressive environment,” how can we leverage on the assistance to bring reform in the political scenario in the region and what does this reform look like? We also look at a 14 million USD request in the FY17 proposal for political competition and consensus building in Syria and what that implies for the region.