UPCOMING EVENT
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
The winner of this year’s presidential election will be faced with crafting a foreign policy strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries beset by development, governance, and security challenges as well as a tense relationship with each other. The increasing political influence of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the continued existence of al-Qaeda sanctuaries in volatile border areas, and Pakistan’s nuclear capabilities pose an international security threat that extends beyond south Asia. On February 15, the Campaign 2012 project at Brookings will hold a public discussion on Afghanistan and Pakistan, the second in a series of forums that will identify and address the 12 most critical issues facing the next president. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Peter W. Singer, February 2012, Armed Forces Journal
In response to the proliferation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) used by counterinsurgents, Peter Singer discusses the evolution, history, and future of these weapons on the battlefield, and examines their possible use by domestic terrorists. Read More
VIDEO
Benjamin Wittes, January 13, 2012
Ten years after the detention center at Guantanamo Bay was established for prisoners in the war on terror, Brookings senior fellow Ben Wittes says he feels confident that past abuses have been addressed and the prison is now a model of detention.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown and James J.F. Forest, January 12, 2012, Christian Science Monitor
Vanda Felbab-Brown and James J.F. Forest write on the growing concern surrounding Nigeria's Boko Haram militant group. While many believe the group is linked to al Qaeda and al Shabaab as part of a coordinated Islamist terrorist threat in Africa, Felbab-Brown and Forest argue that the reasons for Boko Haram's attacks most often are local. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Benjamin Wittes, January 11, 2012, The Washington Post
Benjamin Wittes examines the past decade of policy experimentation at Guantanamo Bay, arguing that since Guantanamo will likely be around for another 10 years, America needs to develop principles around detention policies that command support from a wide swath of the political system. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Benjamin Wittes and Ritika Singh, January 11, 2012, The Cato Institute
Benjamin Wittes examines the challenges and opportunities that drones present. Wittes argues that drone warfare permits a highly calibrated military response to situations which otherwise may require far greater uses of violence, and allows militaries to contemplate humanitarian interventions. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, January 2012, South Asia Journal
Vanda Felbab-Brown assesses the effects of U.S. policies adopted in Afghanistan on the quality of governance there. Felbab-Brown highlights key policy challenges, including widespread ambivalence over fighting corruption. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Richard Joseph, January 03, 2012, The Brookings Institution
On January 1, 2012, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in four states, in part because of a growing insurgency. Richard Joseph examines ways the international community can strengthen Nigeria by providing counter-insurgency assistance and aiding in efforts to accelerate political and economic progress. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, December 30, 2011, The National Interest
Bruce Riedel offers an in-depth look at the successful U.S. mission to eliminate Osama bin Laden, examining what the Pakistan army knew of bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and the implications this has for U.S.-Pakistani relations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Kenneth M. Pollack, December 23, 2011, The Daily Beast
Kenneth Pollack analyzes the political crisis in Iraq after Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki mounted a coup against his primary political foes. Pollack says that although American interests are clearly threatened, events so far suggest that the United States has almost no ability to guide the outcome of the crisis. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, December 21, 2011, The Daily Beast
Although President Obama made good his promise to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat" al Qaeda through the 2011 killing of Osama Bin Laden, the jihadist threat remains. Bruce Riedel comments on what he considers the most dangerous terror threat in the world today. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Robert M. Chesney and Benjamin Wittes, December 19, 2011, Lawfare
Benjamin Wittes and Robert Chesney discuss the National Defense Authorization Act, examining the key questions people are asking about the bill and providing an overview of the interaction between military detention and the operation of the criminal justice system. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Richard Joseph, December 14, 2011, The Brookings Institution
Richard Joseph responds to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s approach to preventing jihadism in Africa, a proposal that would include special partnership forces of military and intelligence personnel. Joseph argues that partnership forces will not eliminate the corrupt governance, dismal education and joblessness that still exists. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William Y. Brown, December 12, 2011, The Brookings Institution
William Y. Brown examines the role of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in multilateral peace-keeping initiatives, arguing that UNESCO encourages discussions on unifying issues of science, education and culture, an important aspect of long-term security. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
December 2011, INDIA TIMES
Bruce Riedel offers a comprehensive look at the evolution of terrorism in the 21st century. Riedel outlines major terrorist activities over the past decade and discusses how they have shaped networks like al Qaeda in the Middle East and beyond. Read More