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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

2327 November 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series examines the anticipated costs of future European
armaments projects; the use of UAVs in kinetic operations; how NATO might counter Russia's nonlinear warfare
capabilities; the dangers of the US rejuvenating its defense technology base without involving its European allies; and the
'new' jihadist threats faced by India. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at how the economic pain
of sanctions either translates or fails to translate into political gain; the latest attempt to stimulate dialogue between the US
and Central Asian states; the West's support for the Kurdish Democratic Union Party's fight against the Islamic State;
Eritrea's migration crisis; and Oman's supposedly 'neutral' foreign policy.

Arms Procurement (II): Project Dynamics

23 November 2015

Will future European armaments projects be marked by higher costs and lower production? The CSS' Michael Haas and
Martin Zapfe believe so. In fact, we'll soon see this problem in Europe's next major armaments project i.e., the
development of unmanned combat aircraft. More

How Do International Economic Sanctions (Not) Work?

23 November 2015

Lee Jones has spent five years researching how the economic pain created by sanctions translates into political gain for
those inflicting them. His findings suggest that sanction regimes are most effective against countries that have powerful
and well-organized opposition groups. More

Targeted Killings, Drones, and the Myth of Precision

24 November 2015

Pluses and Minuses of the C5+1 Format

24 November 2015

Indeed, what are the pluses and minuses of the latest attempt to stimulate dialogue between the US and Central Asian
states? While the new approach may deepen Washington's cooperation with the region, Farkhod Tolipov warns that its
initial output has been, at best, symbolic and declarative. More

21st Century Political Warfare: A Strategy for Countering Russian Non-Linear Warfare Capabilities
25 November 2015

Indeed, how should the United States and its NATO allies counter Russia's growing reliance on the above type of war?
Daniel Dewit suggests a political warfare strategy in which 1) forces are employed covertly and with restraint, and 2)
information operations and political activity have pride of place. More

The West's Darling in Syria

25 November 2015

Khaled Yacoub Oweis warns that US support for the Kurdish Democratic Union Party's (PYD) fight against ISIS might be
doing more harm than good. That's because it's given the PYD the confidence it needs to irritate Turkey, pursue territorial
claims, and maintain ties with the Assad regime. More

Defense & Technology: The US between Silicon Valley and European Allies
26 November 2015

Authoritarianism in Eritrea and the Migrant Crisis

26 November 2015

Why have so many Eritreans fled their country? In turn, how have the likes of the European Union responded to the influx
of Eritrean asylum seekers? The answer to these questions and others can be found in this primer by the CFR's Zachary
Laub. More

New Jihadi Threats to India: Changing Dynamics of Proxy War

27 November 2015

How should India prepare for a possible sub-conventional assault involving regular Pakistani forces and the so-called
Islamic State? As a starter, Afsir Karim thinks New Delhi should reassess the basic concepts and theories that have
guided its fight against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in recent years. More

Oman: The Outlier

27 November 2015

Ana Echage warns that the 'studied neutrality' underpinning Oman's foreign policy might be difficult to maintain in the
years ahead. For instance, Muscat's GCC partners are becoming increasingly upset with its outreach to Iran and the
influence it may help Tehran establish on the Arabian Peninsula. More

// Blog
Is the Iraqi Army a Lost Cause?
23 November 2015

Why did Iraq's armed forces crumble in the face of the so-called Islamic State? For much the same reason they collapsed
under Saddam Hussein, says Jon Moran. The troops didn't want to fight for a corrupt regime that rules a 'phony state'.
More

Interview Michael Hardt

24 November 2015

Michael Hardt is best known for his collaboration with Antonio Negri, with whom he wrote the Empire trilogy. In today's
question and answer session, he outlines 1) how his understanding of the world has changed over time, 2) how he
expects social movements like Podemos to evolve, etc. More

Hypersonic Missiles and Global Security

25 November 2015

Are we on the brink of a global arms race that will fixate on the development and production of hypersonic missiles? Nayef
Al-Rodhan believes so. An increasing number of states are already investing in these weapons, most notably in Asia.
More

Uzbekistan and Islamic State: Phantom or Foe?

26 November 2015

It might be wise to take reports that the Islamic State's presence in Uzbekistan is provoking a security clampdown with a
pinch of salt. As our partners at Eurasianet remind us, omnipresent police checkpoints, random stop and searches, and a
stifling security-force presence are hardly new phenomena in this Central Asian state. More

Military Leaders: Climate Change, Energy, National Security Are Inextricably Linked
27 November 2015

Why are US military leaders trying to build a consensus on the direct links between climate change, energy and national
security? Schuyler Null's answer points to 1) the impact that fluctuating climate-related costs have on defense budgets; 2)
the growing problems associated with physical infrastructure, etc. More

// Video

Understanding Japan's New Strategic Posture in Asia

In this video, Hideaki Watanabe discusses 1) the creation of the Japanese Ministry of Defense's Acquisition, Technology,
and Logistics Agency (ATLA); 2) the latter's mission; and 3) its part in enhancing Japan's national security.
More

To Walk the Earth in Safety

In this video, a mix of experts and government officials discuss the US Department of States' 2015 edition of "To Walk the
Earth in Safety," which is a report that summarizes the accomplishments of the US Conventional Weapons Destruction
Program.
More

Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy

In this video, CFR's Micah Zenko discusses his new book, "Red Team: How to Succeed by Thinking Like the Enemy." The
text basically explains 1) the concept of red teaming, to include its best practices, most common pitfalls, and most effective
applications; and 2) the "saboteur" roles red team members play today.
More

// Multimedia Content
Here is a selection of this week's additions to the ISN Digital
Library:

Publications More
// Violent Islamist Extremism and Terror in Africa More
// New Ways of Thinking about the Global Arms Industry More
// Afghanistan's Transition: Challenges and Opportunities for Peace More

Videos More
// Syrian Voices, Policy Choices
More
/
Town
/
Hall: Attacks in Paris More
/
/ Japan's Security Role and Capabilities in the 2020s More

Audio / Podcasts More

// ECFR's World in 30 Minutes: The Future of Europe
More
// The Changing Face of Social Protection in Africa's Cities
More
// Japan's Security Role and Capabilities in the 2020sMore

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