Publications

In yet another blow to representative and transparent government, Joseph Kabila, who is the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), seems poised to sidestep the country’s constitutionally mandated elections, which are now scheduled for November 2016. With this context in mind, this brief examines Kabila’s “leadership” of the DRC over the last 15 years, which has been marked by ineptitude, massive corruption, and the violent bullying of opponents.chevron_right

This brief takes the measure of Turkey’s policies towards Syria and the impact they’ve had on the ongoing civil war, Ankara’s domestic politics, and US foreign policy. The text’s authors...chevron_right

This brief contends that a chronically corrupt oligarchy is responsible for the depth and breadth of the economic devastation which exists in Ukraine. The Euromaidan Revolution could have...chevron_right

This paper sets out a series of steps which NATO could take to protect the Baltic States from the conventional and hybrid warfare threats posed by Russia. For example, to deter or blunt a conventional assault, the Alliance should deploy specific counter anti-access/area denial capabilities. In the case of hybrid threats, Brussels could also introduce Resilience Support Teams to the region and bolster military coordination with the private sector.chevron_right

The Pacific Alliance, which is an innovative pact between Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, has a golden opportunity to usher in a new era of regional integration in Latin America. Here's what Jason Marczak and others think should be done.chevron_right

This report examines the Australian defense budget, as outlined in the country’s 2016 Defence White Paper, and the policy choices its entails. More specifically, the text’s author examines...chevron_right

This paper contends that today’s military modernization is incomplete if countries fail to organize, train and equip their cyber forces. Indeed, the text’s author contends that modernization involves 1) developing full spectrum military cyber capabilities, to include offensive and defensive applications; 2) creating a centralized command structure that...chevron_right

This issue of BPSR features six articles, one research note, and a review essay. They specifically focus on 1) the idea (and ideal) of freedom; 2) the relationship between unionism, the decision-making process and social security reform in Brazil; 3) the present status of…chevron_right

This study analyzes the growing anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) challenges China poses to the US and explores the role America's allies and partners can play in blunting them. More specifically, the text discusses...chevron_right

As Ilan Goldenberg and others see it, Israelis will never agree to a two-state solution unless their security concerns are addressed. At the same time, Palestinians will never agree to a pact that would codify endless occupation. To resolve this conundrum and breathe new life into the two-state option, here are six working principles that might do the trick.chevron_right

This paper discusses how the US can best sustain its strategic and economic relations with Taiwan. It specifically argues that Washington should continue to support Taiwan’s defense needs, but that it also needs to take a more nuanced approach than making occasional arms sales to the island nation. Indeed, the approach should stress…chevron_right

Transatlantic energy policies are indeed diverging, say Andreas Beyer and Severin Fischer. The growth of the US’ domestic oil and gas industries is nudging it towards becoming an increasingly self-sufficient energy-geostrategic superpower. The EU, in contrast, is working to protect its energy supplies by creating a viable energy union.chevron_right

This paper contends that for the putative Marxist guerrillas in Colombia, the end is near. Government negotiations with the last remnants of the FARC and ELN are about to bear fruit, but that won’t end the widespread violence in the country. There are, however, beacons of hope within civil society, as illustrated by the urban innovation currently underway in the city of Medellín.chevron_right

This paper examines the still controversial armed confrontations that occurred in the city of Andijan (May 2005) between Uzbek troops and the Akromiya Islamic group. In exploring this event, the text’s author zeros in on...chevron_right

This paper examines 1) how Western governments and media responded to the armed confrontation that occurred in 2005 between Uzbek government troops and an Islamic group in the city of Andijan, and 2) the negative repercussions that followed. Basically, the dominant Western narrative of the event...chevron_right