RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Johannes F. Linn, Steven Pifer, Federiga Bindi and Capt. Anthony Popiel (USCG), November 09, 2009, The Brookings Institution
November 9 marks the twenty-year anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall. With protests in the week prior totaling over one million, refugees were allowed to exit directly through crossing points between East Berlin and West Berlin and all along the border. In the days and weeks to follow the Wall would continue to fall, leading the way for Germany’s reunification. Experts from around the halls of Brookings respond to this historic anniversary. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Raj M. Desai, October 23, 2009, The Brookings Institution
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." Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
Washington, DC
New technology and modes of warfare are changing our understanding of national security and defense capabilities. On Wednesday, October 7, Peter W. Singer and Fred Barbash answered questions about defense issues in a high-tech world, including: current U.S. defense needs; defense energy security; and future priorities such as robotic warfare on the ground, in the air and from space. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, October 07, 2009, The Brookings Institution
On Wednesday, October 7, Peter W. Singer and Fred Barbash answered your questions about defense in a high-tech world during a live web chat. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, October 06, 2009, The Washington Post
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. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, October 05, 2009
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Washington, DC
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Campbell, Michael E. O'Hanlon and Jeremy Shapiro, October 01, 2009, Policy Review
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, September 22, 2009, The Washington Examiner
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, August 28, 2009, Wired.co.uk
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jerry Warner and Peter W. Singer, August 25, 2009, The Brookings Institution
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, August 25, 2009, The Washington Examiner
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. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, August 04, 2009, The Washington Examiner
Michael O'Hanlon assesses Barack Obama's foreign policy record halfway through his first year as president. From Russia to China and India, O'Hanlon concludes that Obama is handling situations about as well as possible. In Iraq and Afghanistan, O’Hanlon believes Obama has been willing to take important advice from commanders on the ground as well as Secretary Gates to make tough but well executed decisions. Read More
VIDEO
Michael E. O'Hanlon, July 28, 2009
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.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, July 28, 2009, The Washington Examiner
In addition to an aircraft carrier purchased from Russia, China is reportedly planning to add four more to its fleet by 2020. Peter Singer analyzes the future of China's sea power projection and argues that U.S. defense planning should focus on shorter-term concerns ranging from Chinese hackers accessing sensitive material to anti-ship ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets 1,500 miles away. Read More