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Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On a recent weeklong visit to Afghanistan sponsored by the U.S. military, Michael O'Hanlon met with Afghan and U.S. officials whose assessments partially countered the current general outlook on the country's status and future. O'Hanlon's visit left him with guarded optimism about U.S. prospects for creating a safe and stable Afghanistan.
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Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
On a recent weeklong visit to Afghanistan sponsored by the U.S. military, Michael O'Hanlon met with Afghan and U.S. officials whose assessments partially countered the current general outlook on the country's status and future. O'Hanlon's visit left him with guarded optimism about U.S. prospects for creating a safe and stable Afghanistan.
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Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
According to Peter Singer, video games have become an effective recruiting tool for the military, and gaming technology has been used in everything from battle training to dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. However, while creating a new generation of soldiers primed for the fast-pace of modern warfare, Singer cautions that these games may also be desensitizing young people to the realities of war.
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Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Lost in the ongoing Afghanistan debate is a promising effort to foster reform in building the Afghan police force, writes Michael O'Hanlon. Just back from a trip to the country, O'Hanlon notes several areas in which new efforts are encouraging and draws on lessons learned from reforms that occurred coincident with the 2007 surge in Iraq.
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Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In recent months, Colombia has experienced increased isolation from its neighbors in the Western Hemisphere, due to border and military disputes, refusals to cooperate on economic and political fronts and disenchantment with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Diana Negroponte examines the reasons for this isolation, and possible remedies the Obama administration may apply.
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Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In October, Kenneth Pollack travelled to Iraq as part of an evaluation team for the Iraq Joint Campaign Plan - the fully integrated political, military, economic and diplomatic approach to be pursued there. During his trip, Pollack witnessed a growing sense of security and normalcy, but also a continued need for U.S. presence to stem the threat of renewed civil war.
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Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Amidst growing use of robotics in warfare, Peter Singer explores the future of unmanned systems in the Middle East and South Asia. Singer concludes that while the United States remains -- and likely will remain -- the top developer of such technology, it is only a matter of time before other nations begin deploying robotics in large numbers.
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Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Kenneth Pollack says the massive bombings in Baghdad on October 25 that killed over 150 people are a problem for both Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki and U.S. President Obama. Pollack concludes the bombing calls Maliki's claims of keeping Iraq secure into question while also bringing forward the idea that U.S. troops may need to return to Baghdad – despite previous U.S. plans – back into consideration.
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Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Although violence in Iraq has decreased, Raj Desai states other transitions are needed before U.S. businesses feel comfortable about the Iraqi investment climate. In addition to security, Desai offers three sets of fundamental reforms to convince investors that Iraq is really "open for business."
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Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In testimony before the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, Vanda Felbab-Brown discussed how narcotics production influences the security, political, and economic developments in Afghanistan. Felbab-Brown also examined the effectiveness of policies to mitigate these effects and offered recommendations for the future of U.S. policy on the issue.
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Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While the United States faces budget deficits and economic challenge of a scale not seen in decades, earmarks and wasteful "pork" continue to be built into defense policy bills. Peter Singer explains why, especially during a time of war and economic crisis, this wasteful behavior can hurt defense priorities while funding unneeded projects.
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Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Congressional leaders and the Obama administration discussing "intermediate options" in Afghanistan, but could such an approach prove successful? Michael O’Hanlon and Stephen Solarz offer insight into what middle-ground steps General Stanley McChrystal is already taking and explain how an active U.S.-Afghan partnership is essential to providing security, safety and success in Afghanistan.
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Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 16, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
President Obama's decision on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan is being portrayed as the most momentous of his young presidency. On October 16, Brookings hosted a discussion of the president's policy options for Afghanistan, drawing on experts with a diverse range of views.
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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As the Afghanistan strategy debate continues, Vanda Felbab-Brown says policymakers should not be fooled by options that lie “in the middle” of a beefed-up counterinsurgency mission and a scaled-back counterterrorism operation. Felbab-Brown believes the United States and NATO must decide how important the stakes are, and either properly resource the current mission or cut losses now rather than later.
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Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon joined Bob Shieffer, and guests on Face the Nation, to discuss the current and future U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. O'Hanlon focused on the growth of the Taliban as grounds to back additional troop increases for the counterinsurgency mission and argued the counterterrorism strategy advocated by some has already been tried and did not work.
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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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Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has come under fire for making public comments about the war. Michael O'Hanlon writes that while McChrystal was indeed too blunt, the criticism goes too far because McChrystal critiqued an option – scaling back to a counterterrorism mission – directly at odds with the current policy.
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Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Correctly sizing the military force and tracking results on the ground are key to success in counterinsurgency and stabilization missions, write Jason Campbell, Michael O'Hanlon, and Jeremy Shapiro. To determine how the U.S. strategy is working, they assess a range of indicators to measure progress in Afghanistan and relate them to lessons learned from the conflict in Iraq.
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Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon says an apparent gap has emerged between the military leadership in Afghanistan and President Obama's advisers who have growing doubts about the mission there. Though additional troops may be needed, O'Hanlon believes it is it is sensible to tie a commitment of more resources to the Afghanistan government doing more and addressing corruption within their country.
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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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Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Afghanistan's drug economy needs urgent attention, but it also needs a smart policy. Emphasizing rural development and legal livelihoods while interdicting drug traffickers and reducing demand worldwide are the best options, says Vanda Felbab-Brown.
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Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As questions about future military deployments to Afghanistan grow more numerous, Michael O'Hanlon and Bruce Riedel dissect the argument that the United States can again narrow the mission to only address counterterrorism. O'Hanlon and Riedel conclude the correct path remains the one outlined by President Obama in March, even though it may require more time and resources.
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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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Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon and Jane Harman write that the Afghanistan metrics delivered to Congress last week sorely understate the issue of government corruption. They conclude success in Afghanistan hinges on success of an anti-corruption effort and offer suggestions for both internal and external actors to address the problem.
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Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The U.S. Air Force recently announced a plan to explore purchasing 100 "light fighters" for use in counterinsurgency operations in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Peter Singer explores why the Air Force should not follow through on this plan, and he argues that unmanned systems already developed are better options moving forward.
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Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A recent statement by Gen. Stanley McChrystal calling for a dramatic increase in troops on the ground in Afghanistan has sparked a new nationwide debate over U.S. strategy in the country. Vanda Felbab-Brown contends increased resources will be vital to ensure success in the counterinsurgency operation, and she argues there is a critical link between security, counternarcotics and counterterrorism efforts.
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Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
A new agreement between the United States and Colombia will give the U.S. military access to seven existing facilities in order to carry out counternarcotics and counterinsurgency operations. Mauricio Cardenas and Kevin Casas-Zamora examine concerns among countries in Latin America regarding this move and argue that it is time to have meaningful conversation on a problem that affects the whole hemisphere.
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Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
According to a new United Nations report, Opium cultivation is down 22 percent in Afghanistan. Vanda Felbab-Brown joined National Public Radio to discuss why the significance of these numbers should not be overestimated and to offer insight into the new counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan.
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Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As support for the war in Afghanistan continues to fall, Michael O'Hanlon and Bruce Riedel examine the positive aspects of the mission there. They argue that state building is an inherently slow process while concluding the largely pro-American Afghan people want to succeed and noting police and military forces are becoming more able.
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Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following the important August 20 elections in Afghanistan, Michael O'Hanlon and Bruce Riedel write that this is likely the final fresh start for the U.S. and NATO. With support for the war falling at home and abroad, they explore how progress should be quantified in Afghanistan and urge patience regarding the mission there.
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Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Though robots are currently being used by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, Peter Singer says this is just the beginning and much more advanced types are coming. In an extract from his book Wired for War, Singer examines the future of robotic warfare on the ground, in the air and from space.
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Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With renewed violence striking Iraq, Ken Pollack writes that the United States is still all that stands between the war-torn country and anarchy. Pollack argues that the United States should use its power and influence within Iraq to ensure that the country does not slide back into civil war.
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Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer believes the issue of energy security has too long been looked at through only the environmental lens. He argues that it is also a national security issue, noting the U.S. military spends roughly $20 billion a year for petroleum alone, that diverts funds which would be better served elsewhere.
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Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The U.S. Department of Defense is the world’s single largest consumer of energy, using more resources than 100 nations. Peter Singer and Jerry Warner analyze what can be done to better manage defense energy security by implementing steps to increase energy efficiency and substituting alternative forms of energy to meet the military’s fuel needs.
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Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Seen as a test of the United States’ new strategy in Afghanistan and the Taliban's influence in the country, Bruce Riedel believes the stakes in the August 20 Afghanistan elections are higher than who will be elected president for the next five years. He writes that if the elections are successful, the NATO mission and Afghan government will get a boost of confidence and legitimacy that has been badly needed.
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Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since the early 1990s, Congo has been on a rapid descent as Genocide in Rwanda spilled over the border and other internal human rights issues worsen. Michael O'Hanlon writes that the United States needs to lead by example and plan to deploy a specialized volunteer force of U.S. military peacekeeping monitors to strengthen the security of the nation.
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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 00:00:00 GMT
Following the apparent death of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud in a Predator drone strike, Bruce Riedel looks to the next target. Riedel says America and its allies must eliminate the far more dangerous and elusive Mullah Muhammad Omar because of his leading role in the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan.
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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 16:11:16 GMT
Michael O’Hanlon says that conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq presented Obama with a situation that none of his five predecessors had to contend with in their early months in the White House.
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Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon says that Iraq is going well on the whole, but there could be trouble brewing between the Iraqi army and Kurdish peshmerga over land interests. To address the situation, O'Hanlon recommends a U.S. envoy to Iraq be named, Kirkuk to be supervised internationally and negotiations of new "green lines" for the Kurdistan border.
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Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In the post-9/11 era, the United States is grappling with many ethical, operational and political questions regarding the targeted killings of terrorists. Dan Byman argues that such strikes are a painful necessity in a time when U.S. foes cannot be found or fought onconventional battlefields.
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Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Vanda Felbab-Brown writes that the new U.S. counternarcotics strategy in Afghanistan represents a courageous and welcome shift in American policy. Felbab-Brown believes focusing on legal alternatives for farmers and emphasizing rural development will breed success in reducing illicit economies as well as bolster the larger counterinsurgency operation.
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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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Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq's cities is the beginning of the end of the American part of the war, writes Bruce Riedel. He outlines both the enormous costs already paid by going to war and explains how al-Qaeda and Iran benefited from years of U.S. foreign policy focusing almost entirely on Iraq.
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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
General Charles Krulak coined the term “strategic corporal” (a junior member trained to make time-critical decisions in response to the dynamic ground fight). Peter Singer examines a similar phenomenon occurring among senior officers, observing that modern technology allows generals to personally engage on the tactical level from remote locations.
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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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Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
For all its virtues, the new plan in Afghanistan may still lowball requirements for the mission to succeed, writes Michael O'Hanlon. He believes that, at the very least, the Obama administration should leave the option of upping the troop commitment on the table should the need arise.
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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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Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While many of the military objectives have been determined in Afghanistan, Michael O'Hanlon believes there are many crucial decisions ahead regarding economic matters. O'Hanlon explores options ranging from increased foreign aid to developing free-trade agreements, and he offers suggestions for the challenges ahead.
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Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon evaluates the situation on the ground in Iraq as troops fully withdraw from cities and urban centers. He concludes that through violence may continue to spike in the short-term, it is unlikely to return to pre-surge levels and he also notes U.S. troops will still be available to play security roles when called upon.
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Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:58:29 GMT
As U.S. troops withdraw back to their bases in Iraq, questions remain about Iraq’s ability to maintain security and stability in the country. Iraq’s leadership, military, and police force face a number of challenges ahead as they assume control, but as Kenneth Pollack explains, Iraqis are eager to end the so-called U.S. occupation and establish their sovereignty.
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Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In modern warfare, precision drones can dramatically reduce human casualties. Peter Singer explores the debate surrounding this mechanization of warfare and exposes the battle of ideas—both for and against military robotics use—that it has sparked.
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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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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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Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer frames the ongoing robotics revolution within militaries around the world through the idea of the tactical general who—given the ability through unmanned systems—can micromanage even the lowest-level operations. Singer believes that even though the capabilities in war are changing, lessons of the past should guide military leaders who are tempted to stray from their job of setting broad goals and battlefield objectives.
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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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Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Obama administration recently announced a defense budget that accounts for nearly zero real growth in the "base budget" over the next five years. Michael O’Hanlon explores the shortfalls of this plan and points to the lack of viability of the proposed budget. O'Hanlon outlines critical changes that must be made in order to best guarantee U.S. national security objectives.
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Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Iraq and Afghanistan continue to pre-occupy U.S. military planners. But North Korea, with its growing nuclear arsenal, would become America's paramount security challenge if the state were to collapse. Michael O’Hanlon writes that the United States and other nations must begin detailed and coordinated planning for stabilization in the event of collapse of the North Korean state.
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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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Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" forces soldiers to lie about or hide their sexual orientation to keep from being discharged. Peter Singer believes it is time for President Obama to fulfill his campaign pledge to end the policy so that patriotic and capable military members can focus on national security instead social politics.
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Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 01, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
The two Iraq wars in 1991 and 2003 represent milestones in American military intervention abroad. They reflect the influences of the two dominant and competing schools of American foreign policy. On June 1, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at Brookings will host Richard N. Haass for a discussion of his new book War of Necessity, War of Choice, as well as the implications of these two wars for future American military interventions in the Middle East.
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Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer examines the growing military robotics industry in light of the Terminator: Salvation and thoughts that robots may someday turn on their human creators. Singer concludes that while many of our inventions come from science fiction, we already have become so reliant on technology that we should not worry about a takeover.
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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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Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
When people talk about robots and ethics, they always seem to bring up Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics." But Peter Singer argues there are major problems with these laws and their use in our real world. Singer believes that instead of focusing on the morality of the robots themselves, we should examine the ethics of those behind the machines.
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Mon, 18 May 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 18, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
On May 18, the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted Admiral Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Admiral Mullen discussed the nature of global military engagements over the next decade and how our national security institutions should assess the future spectrum of threats in order to properly organize, resource and respond.
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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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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. 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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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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Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
With all the attention given to and other hot spots around the world, one place consistently is forgotten—the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bruce Jones and Michael O'Hanlon lay out options for the United States and its international partners to address the conflict.
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Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 24, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:15 AM
On April 24, the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted General Norton A. Schwartz, chief of staff of the United States Air Force, for a discussion of the Air Force’s strategic and operational role in conducting irregular warfare and counterinsurgency operations.
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Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Lloyd Austin is back from Iraq, where he was the number 2 U.S. commander. Michael O'Hanlon writes that Austin's successful tenure says plenty about him and Iraq—and also offers some insights into where the U.S. command should be headed in Afghanistan.
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Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon and Ömer Taşpınar write that the Obama administration's plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan is generally strong, but it also requires improvement. Most importantly, O'Hanlon and Taşpınar believe command arrangements need to be strengthened, based on the three-person Iraq model and broadened to include a foreign leader like Turkey's foreign minister Hikmet Cetin.
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Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In this online chat with Le Nouvel Observateur, Justin Vaisse discusses Obama's trip to Europe and his new strategy for Afghanistan. (French)
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
This timely book is the worthy successor to previous Brookings volumes on defense spending, including most recently O'Hanlon's Defense Strategy for the Post-Saddam Era (2005) and Defense Policy Choices for the Bush Administration (2001 and 2002). It continues our
proud tradition of nonpartisan empirical analysis of defense issues.
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
What does the Pentagon think about a possible robot uprising? Is Star Trek's view of combat realistic? Peter Singer addresses these questions and others in an interview with io9 about his new book, Wired for War.
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Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While Michael O'Hanlon generally supports the new Afghanistan strategy set forth by the Obama administration, he feels it can still be improved and offers suggestions to do so.
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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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Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 27, 2009, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
On March 27, the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted the launch of the latest version of the Army Field Manual, FM 3-07 Stability Operations. The latest Army doctrine, FM 3-07, underscores a recognition that the U.S. military will increasingly be called upon to help bring peace and order to societies under stress.
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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
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 00:00:00 GMT
By 2010, the Afghanistan conflict will have become the longest war in American history. Michael O'Hanlon defends President Obama's proposed plan for roughly doubling U.S. combat forces in Afghanistan and argues that the strategic stakes in Afghanistan are high, given Al Qaeda's presence in the country. But, says O'Hanlon, the prospects for stability are reasonably good.
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Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:22:09 GMT
As the nation marks the sixth year of the U.S. invasion in Iraq, Senior Fellow Michael O’Hanlon says it will take years to stabilize the country and the region. O'Hanlon adds that President Obama’s plans for peace in Iraq are smart and measured.
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Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Just as the computer and ARPAnet evolved into the PC and Internet, robots are poised to integrate into everyday life in ways we can't even imagine, thanks in large part to research funded by the U.S. military. Peter Singer discussed his new book, Wired for War with CNET, and explored the future of U.S. war fighting tactics.
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Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer explores the most amazing robotics revolution taking place in the history of war, and even perhaps of humanity.
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Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Michael O'Hanlon explores defense spending in Afghanistan, Iraq and other locations in the world where U.S. military personnel are based. O'Hanlon finds that changes planned by the Obama administration will save large amounts of money over the coming years, but he cautions that politics of defense will continue to make it difficult to deny funding which supports troops in the field.
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Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:32:27 GMT
Peter W. Singer discusses advances in the use of robots by the U.S. military and the ethical concerns they raise.
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Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer joined bigthink.com to explore if force is used more liberally when humans are removed from the battlefield and replaced by robotics.
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Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Barack Obama has announced plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010, while leaving between 35,000 to 50,000 troops through the end of 2011. Michael O'Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack, who recently returned from Iraq, note the country continues to make tremendous strides even if the war is not over. O'Hanlon and Pollack point to numerous challenges that could strain the situation and worsen conditions, but they argue this could be a final crucial test of our mission to stabilize Iraq enough for U.S. troop withdrawals.
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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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Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The growth in of unmanned systems by the U.S. military has taken place so rapidly that we often forget how far we have come in just a short time. Peter Singer analyzes these changes in warfare and what it means for the future.
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Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer explores how unmanned systems are rapidly transforming armed conflict and how the U.S. military fights wars.
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Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Peter Singer's Wired for War has been praised by everyone from former National Security Advisor Anthony Lake to Jon Stewart as a definitive look at the growing use of robots on the battlefield. Wired.com interviewed Singer about the rise of the machines.
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Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
As science fiction becomes reality on our battlefields, America has a new corps of warriors fighting on its behalf. Peter Singer examines the robotic revolution now underway in the U.S. military and how it may shape the future of war.