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Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Felbab-Brown draws on interviews and fieldwork in some of the world's most dangerous regions to explain how belligerent groups have become involved in drug trafficking and other illicit activities, including kidnapping, extortion, and smuggling.
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Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 29, 2009, 3:00 PM to 5:15 PM
On October 29, the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings, the Institute for Environmental Security, CNA, E3G and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a discussion on the real dangers for conflicts and disputes resulting from resource shortages, water rights and natural disasters.
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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel says this weekend’s attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, the military center of Pakistan, underscores the volatility and fragility in the world’s second largest Muslim country. Riedel argues that the United States must encourage Pakistan too keep moving against extremists while assuring them we will not abandon the fight in the region.
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Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While President Barack Obama and his advisers complete a study on U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Bruce Riedel warns of the consequences of delaying new action. Riedel says it is vital for the administration to avoid lengthy delays in deciding on a course of action in its planning for the Af-Pak war theater.
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Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Iraq remains between peace and war while the situation in Afghanistan still appears to be deteriorating, and Pakistan is doing better than Afghanistan but more progress is needed. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine leading metrics from all three countries to assess how well the counterinsurgency and stabilization operations are faring.
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Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 05, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Afghanistan and Pakistan have challenged President Obama since he took office, as questions persist about the success of U.S. policies in the region. On October 5, Brookings hosted the launch of a new Pakistan Index with a discussion on the state of the Afghanistan mission and the effort to address extremist activities in Pakistan.
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Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In testimony before the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Vanda-Felbab Brown discussed illicit economies, organized crime, and their impact on U.S. and global security. Felbab-Brown concluded by offering recommendations for counternarcotics strategies as well as other measures local and foreign governments can take to address the issues.
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Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The spring 2009 operation to rescue the captain of the Mersk Alabama did not end the problem of piracy and it was not a model for the future, writes Michael O’Hanlon. Instead, he believes a U.S. House idea to insert U.S. military personnel onto cargo ships for dangerous parts of the journey is a good one because they are well trained and can use force carefully.
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Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As President Barack Obama considers alternatives to increasing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Vanda Felbab-Brown argues his administration's new counternarcotics policy represents a courageous break with previous misguided efforts there and thirty years of U.S. counternarcotics policies around the world.
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Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel says the attempted assassination of Saudi Arabia's counterterrorism chief raises questions about whether al-Qaeda's Saudi branch has recovered from recent crackdowns against the group. Riedel examines al-Qaeda's regrouping in next-door Yemen and analyzes what this first major terror opreation in the country since 2006 means.
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Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The rise of Islamic militancy in Pakistan during 2008 and 2009 and the resulting military operation in the Swat valley can be traced back to the inculcation of radical ideologies among the youth in the Frontier region, many of whom attended madrassas. Saleem Ali provides recommendations to the Pakistani government as well as to U.S. policy makers and the international donor community regarding madrassas in Pakistan.
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Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Vanda Felbab-Brown believes the August 20 Afghanistan elections represent a test for at least three critical issues in that country – accountability, military strength and governance. Felbab-Brown argues that ushering in more effective and responsible governance is critical, and she concludes it must be built by Afghan hands rather than forced by international actors.
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Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel writes that elections in Afghanistan on August 20 are both an opportunity and a challenge for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Though statistics have recently been on the Taliban's side, the ability for NATO and the Afghan government to pull off a credible election could be an important initial milestone in turning things around.
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Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:19:35 GMT
Afghans voted on August 20 in the second presidential election since the Taliban were ousted by U.S.-led forces in late 2001. Despite a resurgent Taliban, Bruce Riedel says that victory in Afghanistan is attainable and that a clean election is absolutely critical to the legitimacy of the government.
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Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though there have been increased attacks, growing casualties and falling popular support, Michael Fullilove and Anthony Bubalo write that Afghanistan is still winnable. They believe the Obama administration has done well by increasing resources and refocusing on what can be achieved, and say there is too much at stake for the West to conclude Afghanistan is the graveyard of foreign armies and depart.
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Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel warns not to be fooled by some of the positive news from Pakistan, because the Taliban and their allies have gained significant power there recently. Riedel says we face the potential of a nuclear-armed state run by Islamic extremists, shows the devastating consequences of such and offers ideas to keep it from occurring.
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Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
CIA Director Leon Panetta has cancelled a secret CIA plan to train anti-terrorist assassins, but Daniel Byman notes that strikes by U.S. military drones have had mixed success as a tactic for combating al Qaeda in Pakistan. Given the humanitarian and political risks, each strike needs to be carefully weighed. But equally important is the risk of not striking—and inadvertently allowing al Qaeda leaders free reign to plot terrorist mayhem.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In early May, the Pakistan army launched its biggest-ever counterinsurgency operation in Swat. Only two months earlier, the Brookings Institution, with support from the National Defense University and the Government of Pakistan, held a three-day workshop exploring American and Pakistani approaches to counterinsurgency and low intensity conflict. Stephen Cohen and Shuja Nawaz provide an overview of the topics discussed, in the context of the current situation in Pakistan.
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Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though there are parallels between Iraq and Afghanistan, says Michael O’Hanlon, Afghanistan’s history of war makes the Afghan people realistic in their expectations about the future—and grateful for even modest progress.
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Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the United States launches a surge in Afghanistan and weariness grows among other nations, the Taliban and al-Qaeda smell victory in the second-longest war in American history. Bruce Riedel discusses what G8 leaders—and President Obama—must do at their summit this week to shift the momentum.
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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the G8 summit nears, Bruce Jones highlights the problems involved in holding international decision-making meetings with just a handful of countries in an increasingly interconnected world. Jones argues that it is time to get serious about new modes of cooperation that gives a stronger voice to rising powers such as India and China.
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Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A dictum of counterinsurgency theory is that no two insurgencies are exactly alike. The conflict underway in Pakistan’s northwest frontier, in many respects, bears little resemblance to the wars that have been fought by U.S.-led forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Joshua T. White takes the basic principles learned from the American counterinsurgency experience, and analyzes how each of those principles may be applicable to the frontier context, while also providing recommendations for first steps that can be taken by the Pakistani military, in conjunction with the U.S. government.
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Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As G8 foreign ministers meet in Italy prior to the G8 summit in July, Bruce Riedel comments on an interview in which an al Qaeda operative predicts the group will take over Afghanistan and Pakistan then use Pakistan's nuclear weapons against the United States. Riedel says the foreign ministers need to be clear and unequivocal that they will provide the resources needed to defeat al Qaeda and the Taliban to lessen the chance of a nuclear Armageddon.
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Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Heading into the eighth year of the war against Al-Qaeda, the overall results are still inconclusive. Anouar Boukhars highlights reasons to be optimistic that the group will eventually disappear and he encourages the Obama administration to continue its narrative with the Muslim world in order to undercut Al-Qaeda's message and ideology.
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Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The American troop buildup is proceeding in Afghanistan while Iraq—despite several recent attacks—continues to slowly progress on many fronts. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine leading metrics from both conflicts to assess how well the counterinsurgency operations are going.
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Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 18, 2009, 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- June 19, 2009, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
On June 18 and 19, 2009, the Foresight project held its second major regional symposium in Washington, D.C. Organized by the Alfred Herrhausen Society in partnership with Policy Network and the Brookings Institution, it provided a unique opportunity to advance the task of forging a new global consensus on the shape of the emerging world order and the role of the United States within it.
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Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual delivered the commencement address at Fort Leavenworth Command and General Staff College. Pascual challenged graduates to make operational the perspectives of American leadership in a globalized world.
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Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Ongoing fighting in Pakistan's SWAT Valley and a deadly suicide attack on a hotel in Peshawar are foreboding indicators about the prospects for suppression of jihadism and peaceful stabilization in Pakistan. Bruce Riedel examines the nature of the "existential threat" jihadist extremism poses to Pakistan and suggests a strategy for U.S. support.
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Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The United States has a long but convoluted history of counterinsurgency, or COIN. Janine Davidson outlines the American experience with insurgency, describes the basic principles of successful COIN operations, and provides a glossary of the often confusing and controversial terminology used by the U.S. military and government in the context of non-traditional military operations.
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Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Battles between the Pakistani army, al Qaeda and the Taliban are the latest in a deadly struggle for nuclear-armed Pakistan. Bruce Riedel assesses the history of Pakistan's nuclear program as well as the danger of extremists gaining access to weapons should Pakistan fall into the wrong hands.
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Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Vanda Felbab-Brown discussed the threats posed by strengthening drug cartels in Mexico, weakening central governments in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as transnational security threats to the U.S.
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Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A country rarely fights the same war twice in one generation, especially from opposite sides. Yet Bruce Riedel writes that in many ways describes the U.S. role in Afghanistan today. Pakistan’s role as a safe haven is remarkably consistent in both conflicts, but that similarity misses the fundamental differences between the two wars. Riedel addresses the differences, and assesses how Pakistan’s role is impacting the possibilities for success today.
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Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel joined MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan. Riedel argued that Pakistan is the most dangerous country in the world and that the United States must attempt to support the civilian government, because other options could be disastrous for the region and world.
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Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a speech to the International Peace Institute, Bruce Riedel said the situation in Pakistan is “dire and deteriorating,” while al Qaeda's core leadership is alive and remains a deadly threat. He also offered policy suggestions for U.S. policy toward Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as dealing with the issue of terrorism emanating from South Asia.
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Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Pakistan—a country with nuclear weapons, extremist groups linked to al Qaeda and, in all likelihood, Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al- Zawahiri—concerns many throughout the world. However, Michael O'Hanlon finds reasons to be optimistic. He notes that the country is not a failed state, its leaders are getting serious about counterinsurgency and President Obama has made the region his utmost foreign policy priority.
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Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon reacts to the announcement by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates that General David McKiernan is being relieved of command in Afghanistan. O'Hanlon believes McKiernan can leave Kabul knowing he improved the dynamics on the ground during his tenure and that the region is far better off now than when he took over.
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Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Piracy has been a growing problem in the waters off Somalia for several years, and was recently thrust into the headlines with an April hijacking of a United States-flagged cargo ship. Michael O'Hanlon and Stephen Solarz outline a process in which the United States and international partners can combat piracy by using of World War II-style convoys.
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Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In an interview with the Council on Foreign Relations, Bruce Riedel noted "the situation remains dire" in Pakistan. Riedel believes there is a real possibility of a jihadist state emerging in Pakistan and argues it is crucial for Congress to pass the five-year $7.5 billion economic aid package so that "we can send a signal to Pakistan that we're in this for the long haul and that it's not a conditions-based relationship."
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Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Pakistani military launched a new offensive against the Taliban in the country’s North-West Frontier Province, officials and former officials in Washington continued to discuss what the American response should be to the heightened conflict. Bruce Riedel offers his views on the situation.
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Wed, 06 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Pakistani military launched a new offensive against the Taliban in the country’s North-West Frontier Province, officials and former officials in Washington continued to discuss what the American response should be to the heightened conflict. Michael O'Hanlon offers his views on the situation.
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Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In conventional warfare, identifying the momentum of battle is a fairly straightforward undertaking, but counterinsurgency and stabilization operations are different, and more complex. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine a range of indicators in both Afghanistan and Iraq to reach policy conclusions for current and future counterinsurgency operations.
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Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama took office with a sweeping agenda to restore America’s image and rebuild U.S. alliances to meet the common challenges of the 21st Century. As the new administration passes the 100 day milestone, the Managing Global Insecurity Project (MGI) assesses progress toward a new era of U.S. global leadership and compares the early actions of the Obama administration to the recommendations of MGI.
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Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Twice in the last 25 years the United States has squandered great victories achieved in Afghanistan by failing to follow up battlefield success with a commitment to helping build a stable government. Bruce Riedel analyzes these past victories and explains how the new administration can avoid replicating past mistakes that would have greater consequence today.
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Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 30, 2009, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
On April 30, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy hosted Bruce Riedel and Carlos Pascual to discuss President Barack Obama's newly introduced strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which marked the conclusion of an extensive interagency policy review in which Riedel was chairman.
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Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On April 8, a United States-flagged cargo ship carrying U.S. government food aid destined for Africa was hijacked by Somali pirates 300 miles off Somalia's coast. Hady Amr and Areej Noor examine the growing problem of of piracy and offer solutions to empower Somalia's new government and effectively end the string of hijackings.
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Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual and Brent Scowcroft joined Charlie Rose to discuss President Obama’s ambitious new approach to U.S. foreign policy. Pascual also commented on his new book, Power & Responsibility, and the realist perspective behind it.
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Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Vanda Felbab-Brown and several other authors produced a report evaluating Plan Columbia for review by the United States Agency for Development. The study provides an assessment of the success of counternarcotics strategies to date and offers recommendations for the U.S. government to strengthen future efforts.
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Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:51:07 GMT
Mauricio Cárdenas, director of the Latin America Initiative, says the focus of the fifth Summit of the Americas will be the global economic crisis. He also explains that the nations need to agree on strengthening regional development banks and that certain countries need open trade.
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Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Leaders of the Western Hemisphere gathered in Trinidad and Tobago on April 17-19, 2009 for the fifth Summit of the Americas. In a series of commentary articles focused on the summit's agenda and key challenges, Brookings experts discuss critical economic, social, energy and climate change issues facing the leaders attending the summit and propose recommendations for policy action.
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Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:20:20 GMT
As NATO celebrates its 60th anniversary, Visiting Fellow Steven Pifer says the alliance has serious business to conduct. President Obama and other alliance leaders will address issues of critical importance including unrest in Afghanistan and Russia’s relationship with its neighbors.
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 01, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
On April 1, 2009, the Brookings Doha Center hosted a luncheon with the recently-appointed foreign minister of the Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar, to discuss the new unity government of Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, brokered by the Djibouti peace process, and the prospects for reconciliation, security, and reconstruction in the country.
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Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual believes short- and long-term issues of globalization cannot be considered independently from one another. Rather, the biggest challenge for transnational governance lies in the scale of the global agenda, and the complexity and interconnectedness of individual issues. Pascual calls for a redefinition of global responsibilities in order to tackle the essential challenges of a globalized world.
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Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 30, 2009, 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
When President Barack Obama and NATO leaders met in early April to celebrate the NATO alliance’s 60th anniversary, they also confronted the daunting challenges facing NATO today. Prior to the event, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings held a public discussion to preview President Obama’s first NATO summit.
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Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Saleem Ali argues that the dominance of a few thousand militants in a narrow valley being suggestive of a larger movement towards Talibanization of Pakistan is preposterous.
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Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following President Obama’s announcement regarding additional troops and a new approach to fighting insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bruce Riedel spoke to Charlie rose to explain what changes are planned and why they need to be made.
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Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama has recently stated that any new approach in Afghanistan will require an exit strategy from the get-go. Michael O'Hanlon believes the U.S. can have both a success strategy and an exit strategy at once, writing that we must work with our NATO allies and plan on handing over responsibility to U.S.-trained Afghan security forces slowly over the course of several years.
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Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Daniel Byman writes that talking with insurgents is often a necessary first step toward defeating them or reaching an acceptable compromise. Pointing to successes in Iraq and elsewhere, Byman addresses the costs and advantages of talking with insurgents to draw conclusions about how lessons learned may be applied to Afghanistan.
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Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The United States is committed to Afghanistan and over the course of 2009 will roughly double its troop strength there. Michael O'Hanlon analyzes the prospects for further development of the security sector and what will need to be accomplished for political reconciliation in Afghanistan.
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Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As President Obama looks to reduce the number of troops in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan is increasingly cloudy. Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro examine leading indicators of progress—or lack thereof—in both countries.
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Fri, 20 Mar 2009 11:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 20, 2009, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
On March 20, the Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy hosted Carlos Pascual and Bruce Jones for a public lecture on their new book, Power and Responsibility: Building International Order in an Era of Transnational Threats.
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Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 18, 2009, 6:00 PM to 8:00:00 PM
On March 18, 2009, the Brookings Doha Center hosted a policy discussion related to a recently-published book by the first Brookings Doha Center Visiting Fellow Saleem H. Ali entitled Islam and Education: Conflict and Conformity in Pakistan. The discussion focused on Pakistani madrassahs and what links these Islamic educational institutions may or may not have to the rise of militancy in the region.
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Mon, 16 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
When it comes to global security threats, there has been no shortage of wake-up calls. Bruce Jones, Carlos Pascual and Stephen Stedman examine a world of transnational threats where the actions -- or inaction -- of people and governments anywhere in the world can harm others thousands of miles away.
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Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 10, 2009, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
On March 10, the Brookings Institution will host the launch of Power and Responsibility. The authors and distinguished members of the Managing Global Insecurity Project Advisory Group will discuss the importance of restoring American leadership and strengthening the international system in a time of crisis.
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Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Drug-related violence and the breakdown in security in Mexico have escalated to extraordinary levels over the past two years. Vanda Felbab-Brown examines this growing threat to civil society in Mexico, the spillover of crime into the U.S., how the situation compares to similar struggles in Colombia, and offers recommendations for a new strategy in the region.
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Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jeremy Shapiro spoke with Spiegel Online about how to move forward in Afghanistan and why a troop surge may not be the answer.
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Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Mexico's Attorney General says his country does not need help in its fight against drug cartels. But some including Vanda Felbab-Brown see the increased violence as a national security threat to U.S. Felbab-Brown joined Diane Rehm and guests to discuss drug violence in Mexico and how it is affecting its northern neighbor.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Bush administration came to a close, U.S.-Russian relations had fallen to their lowest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Steven Pifer discussed how the Obama administration can engage Russia to meet challenges such as controlling nuclear materials, pressing Iran to forgo nuclear arms, maintaining access to Afghanistan, and countering international terrorism.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Andrés Rozental and Stanley Weiss examine Mexico's difficult fight against drug cartels and how the continued high number of Americans using illicit drugs is helping push Mexico toward the brink. As Mexico fights its war on supply, Rozental and Weiss argue the U.S. must fulfill its responsibility to curb the war on demand while also considering gradual legalization of some substances.
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Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 25, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
On February 25, the Center on the U.S. and Europe (CUSE) hosted Afghanistan’s Minister of Interior, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, for a public address on promoting good governance, fighting corruption and building the Afghan National Police.
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Tue, 17 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting four Asian countries this week, including China, and speculation about the issues she will discuss has become a major topic. Hao Zheng discusses how the U.S. and China can cooperate on the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the nuclear crisis in North Korea.
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Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
These are extraordinary times in American national security policy. The nation remains involved in two of the longest conflicts of its history in Iraq and Afghanistan, with more than 4,000 lives lost over six years in Iraq and more than 600 lost over nearly eight years in Afghanistan. In this Foreign Policy Working paper Michael O'Hanlon examines the multi-facted "hard power" budget options moving forward.
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Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Ted Piccone writes that it is time for the United States, including the national security establishment, to close the gap between ends and means, in this review of Andre Bacevich’s latest book, The Limits of Power: The End of American Exceptionalism. (Spanish)
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Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Vanda Felbab-Brown analyzes the role that the illicit narcotics economy has played in violent conflict in Afghanistan since the 1990s and the relationship between counter-narcotics and counter-insurgency policy in the country today. Felbab-Brown provides policy recommendations on the security role of peacekeeping forces with respect to illicit economies.
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Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bilal Saab writes that Israeli and Palestinian leaders are either incapable or unwilling to think strategically about ways they can resolve, or at least effectively manage, the many issues that have divided their people for more than sixty years.
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Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following a three-week war with Israel, Hamas officials have recently emerged from weeks in hiding for a "victory celebration." Bilal Saab argues that while support for Hamas remains strong, anger and fears have been on the rise among Palestinians. Saab examines the war in Gaza and where Hamas can go from here.
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Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Bruce Riedel says new special envoy Richard Holbrooke inherits a "dim and dismal" situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan. What is needed, he says, is for Holbrooke to reverse the negative momentum in both countries.
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Tue, 27 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 27, 2009, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
On January 27, Chatham House hosted the European launch of Power and Responsibility: Building International Order in an Era of Transnational Threats. In Power and Responsibility, MGI Co-Directors and Brookings Fellows Bruce Jones, Carlos Pascual, and Stephen Stedman provide the conceptual underpinnings for a new approach to sovereignty and cooperation.
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Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though substantial progress was made on the homeland security front by the Bush administration, Michael O'Hanlon writes that the list of vulnerabilities is still very long. Targets are numerous, but O'Hanlon notes many are hard to protect and preventing catastrophic attacks should be the primary goal.
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Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Barack Obama has said that his priority in the war on terrorism is Afghanistan, and is poised to increase troop levels there, perhaps by as many as 30,000. Bruce Riedel joined several other analysts to discuss military and political strategy in the region.
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Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 15, 2009, 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
A new American president must model leadership for a global era, partnering with other powers to build an international security system for the 21st Century. On January 15, Carlos Pascual presented his recommendations to President Obama on how to restore credible American leadership; galvanize cooperative action against major global challenges; and revitalize key international institutions.
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Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 14, 2009, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The 21st century will be defined by security threats that transcend borders, from climate change, nuclear proliferation and terrorism to conflict, poverty and economic instability. The greatest test of global leadership will be building partnerships and institutions for cooperation that can meet the challenge. On January 14, Carlos Pascual, vice president and director of Foreign Policy at Brookings, and Politico's John Ward Anderson discussed how President-elect Barack Obama can restore credible American leadership.
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Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- January 12, 2009, 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
On January 12, Foreign Policy Studies and the Wolfensohn Center for Development at the Brookings Institution hosted a workshop to examine Development in Fragile States: The Toughest Cases. The event engaged experts in a discussion of how the U.S. and its partners can more effectively sustain development in autocratic states and states in transition.
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Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual analyzes the imprecise science of peace-building and what it means to failed or near-failed states. Pascual outlines the stages of progress needed to increase the chances of sustainable peace and explores ten key steps to meet the challenges of stabilization and reconstruction.
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Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
What happens when the world's best counterinsurgency force meets a witch's brew of terrorists, multiple insurgencies and hardened narco-traffickers deep in the interior of Eurasia? In Afghanistan in 2009, Michael O'Hanlon says we are about to find out, with huge consequences for that country and the region, as well as American security.
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Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
There are significant and little appreciated differences in the trajectory of Sunni extremist terrorism and that of Shi’a extremism. 2007-2008 Federal Executive Fellow Thomas F. Lynch explores the differences that exist across six key areas that impact American policy considerations, especially in light of steadily escalating tensions with Iran.
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Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- December 18, 2008, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Seven years after the 9/11 attacks, the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains the front line in the war on terror. On December 18, Brookings Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown offered a public memo to President-elect Obama with recommendations to expand an agenda of peace and stability to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama will face a series of challenges in the Middle East demanding urgent attention: an Iraq that could still unravel, an Iran approaching the nuclear threshold, a faltering Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and weak governments in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. Martin Indyk and Richard Haass outline what the initial goals of the Obama administration should be in the region.
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Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- December 17, 2008, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Seven years after the 9/11 attacks, the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains the front line in the war on terror. Pakistan is suffering from its greatest internal crises in decades, while Afghanistan remains far from stable with a resurgent Taliban. On December 17, Vanda Felbab-Brown answered questions in a live web chat with Politico about foreign policy challenges President-elect Barack Obama faces in this volatile region.
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Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Strobe Talbott and Thomas Pickering of the U.S. Advisory Group of the Managing Global Insecurity Project joined co-directors Carlos Pascual, Bruce Jones, and Stephen Stedman to assess several lessons of the current global financial crisis and resulting G20 summit. They argue that even though this is a trying time, it has brought about renewed prospects of broader cooperation, which is something the global community needs now more than ever.
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Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- December 05, 2008, 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
- December 06, 2008, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- December 07, 2008, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
On December 5-7, in the month before the new U.S. administration enters office, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings brought together top Israeli and American policymakers, journalists, and members of the public and private sectors, as well as leaders from Britain and Turkey to discuss the most critical issues in the Middle East.
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Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Carlos Pascual writes that President-elect Obama’s choice of a national security team reflects seriousness, pragmatism and bipartisanship. Pascual believes the selections indicate Obama will take a twenty-first-century view toward national security: energy, power, economics, human rights, terrorism and poverty must be part of the agenda.
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Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Martin Indyk and Richard Haass note that President-elect Obama will face a series of critical, complex, and interrelated challenges in the Middle East that will demand his immediate attention: an Iran apparently intent on approaching or crossing the nuclear threshold as quickly as possible; a fragile situation in Iraq that is straining the U.S. military; weak governments in Lebanon and Palestine under challenge from stronger Hezbollah and Hamas militant organizations; a faltering Israeli-Palestinian peace process; and American influence diluted by a severely damaged reputation.
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Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- December 02, 2008, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
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Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Daniel Benjamin says Mumbai will stand as the most consequential terrorist attack since 9/11. He argues the strategic implications could be devastating, because it could further destabilize Pakistan and accelerate that failing state's collapse into a failed one.
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Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The attacks on multiple targets in downtown Mumbai in late November is only the latest in a long series of horrific terrorist operations in India. Brookings senior fellow Bruce Riedel examines the complex phenomenon of terrorism in India and its connections to the global jihad.
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Sun, 30 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown writes that the bloody terrorist attacks in Mumbai have serious repercussions for NATO efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban insurgency. Among other recommendations, Felbab-Brown believes the U.S. and NATO must discourage Afghanistan's political leaders from exploiting regional tensions.
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Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Stephen Cohen joined PBS's NewsHour to discuss the terrorist attacks on Mumbai. Cohen offered clues into who may be behind the attacks, what the reaction from the Indian government could be, and he noted possible effects for the broader region.
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Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Bilal Saab examines the Salafi-jihadi movement in Lebanon which he believes has no operational ties to the tribal areas of Pakistan-Afghanistan. He writes that the movement in Lebanon is neither fictional nor a creation of Syrian intelligence services, and instead has a Lebanese constituency not entirely made up of Palestinians.
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Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 20, 2008, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
To face the daunting problems of the global financial crisis to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and transnational threats such as nuclear proliferation, terrorism and global climate change, the new Obama administration will need to forge global partnerships and usher in a new era of international cooperation. On November 20, the Managing Global Insecurity (MGI) Project released "A Plan for Action,” a comprehensive set of foreign policy recommendations for the next U.S. president—and other world leaders—to address the most critical challenges facing the world today.
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Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The war in Afghanistan is not going well, but that does not mean the U.S. should give up. Michael O'Hanlon argues it is imperative that the U.S. help the Afghanistan government recruit, vet, train, and equip 300,000 to 400,000 new Afghan troops.