Al Qaeda In Africa | Interview with Robert Cassidy
AUDIO | Although the death of Osama bin Laden was a major blow to the terrorist group, al Qaeda, it has found new life in Africa, where groups aligned with its goals and terrorist methods have created what NATO is calling an arc of instability stretching from West African into continent's Horn. We’ll talk with experts on this development and find out what’s at stake for the U.S.
Blood lust in Pakistan | by Hayat Alvi
The Jerusalem Post
They’re targeted because they are ethnic Hazaras. No, they’re killed because they’re Shi’ites. No, Hazaras. No, Shi’ites. This is an actual debate going on between those who wish to whitewash the sectarian hatred long brewing in Pakistan, and those who are cognizant of anti-Shi’ite hatred pervading among militant Sunni terrorist groups.
Beating Back the Sharia Bullies in Mali | by Hayat Alvi
It’s amazing that some people protested against the French-led campaign in Mali. Surely the French have a host of national interests in doing so, including sustaining ties to its former colony. No one is naïve enough to believe that it was done out of true altruism.
Security Force Assistance: It's Not Just for Weak States | Derek Reveron
Doctrinally, security force assistance (SFA) is a set of activities to develop the capacity and capabilities of foreign security forces and their supporting institutions. We often associate SFA with weak states, where the United States enables partner countries such as Pakistan, Colombia, and Yemen to combat challenges that threaten their own security and regional stability.
The Realist Prism: Energy Independence a Game-Changer for U.S. Defense Posture | by Nikolas Gvosdev
World Politics Review
For the past 60 years, there has been convergence between the strategic logic of America's strategy of forward deployment in key regions of the world and the economic imperative of securing the nation's prosperity. Despite the constant protests on college campuses about "banana republics" and "no blood for oil," there was, in fact, generally a strong correlation between the places where the American military was engaged...
Not So Fast: Pyongyang’s Nuclear Weapons Ambitions | by Dana Struckman and Terence Roehrig
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
Once again, North Korea has reminded the world of its intention to develop a nuclear weapons capability. North Korea’s February 12 nuclear test is reported to have been in the six to ten kiloton (kt) range, a relatively modest yield in comparison to most nuclear weapons tests. As North Korea continues its efforts, it is important to consider the enormous difficulty that even developed states have encountered on their way to becoming members of the nuclear club.
Spiking the Navy PME Rumor Mill | by Joan Johnson-Freese
U.S. Naval Institute
With sequestration hovering like a black cloud, PME like everything in the Defense Department is under the hammer and in flux regarding present operations and future planning. Nobody knows quite what to expect and many decisions are beyond internal control. Nevertheless, there are decisions being made or apparently being considered that are within Navy control that have PME faculty in a tailspin.