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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

30 November4 December 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series examines Russia's ongoing intervention in Syria; what
the US must do to remain an aerospace nation; what Israel might do to further legitimize its use of force; how complexity
theory and developmental psychology can help the US succeed on the battlefield; and the Islamic State's attempts to
expand its presence in Algeria. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at African efforts to reform the
UN Security Council; Mongolia's shifting foreign policy strategy; the EU's lackluster attempts to promote human rights and
democratization; India's strategic choices over the coming decades; and Brazil's ongoing economic and political troubles.

Russian Intervention in the Syrian Civil War

30 November 2015

What impact is Russia's diplomatic and military intervention having in Syria? We have to wait and see, says Mark Katz. At
the very least, however, Moscow's involvement should improve the Assad regime's prospects for survival, much to the
annoyance of Sunnis in the Middle East and closer to home. More

United Nations Security Council Reform: An African Perspective

30 November 2015

While the majority of UN Security Council resolutions over the past ten years have focused on Africa, the continent
remains conspicuously absent from its top table. Today, Marina da Silva outlines the efforts by African nations to promote
Security Council reform, gain international support for greater representation, etc. More

An Aerospace Nation
1 December 2015

Aerospace power is a defining feature of America's military strength and place in the world. Today, John Geis and Peter
Garretson outline 1) how civil-military cooperation turned the country into an aerospace nation; 2) the costs of neglecting
this legacy; and 3) how the US can reinvigorate its aerospace industry. More

Mongolia Reassesses Foreign Policy Strategies After 25 Years of Democracy

1 December 2015

What steps has Mongolia recently taken to revitalize its foreign policy? Alicia Campi's answer highlights six key initiatives,
including 1) redefining its 'third neighbor' policy; 2) pushing for 'permanent neutrality' status; 3) promoting new international
organizations, etc.
More

National Security and International Legitimacy

2 December 2015

What steps should Israel take to enhance the legitimacy of its use of force? Pnina Sharvit Baruch's answers include 1)
upholding the parts of international law that apply to war; 2) better educating politicians and members of the Israeli
Defense Forces on the laws of armed conflict, etc. More

The EU on Human Rights-Turning Words into Action

2 December 2015

Jacqueline Hale hopes the European Union's latest human rights and democratization initiatives have more bite than their
predecessors. Not only are human rights violations going unpunished elsewhere, there's also growing evidence they're
occurring within EU member states. More

Complexity, Psychology, and Modern War

3 December 2015

Alexander Frank believes the US military should rely upon complexity theory and developmental psychology to understand why it's struggling
to deal with complex conflicts. At a minimum, using these interpretive lenses will shake up how it approaches modern war. More

India's Strategic Opportunities

3 December 2015

What should India's foreign policy focus on in the years ahead? The answer, according to Manish Tewari, is twofold. New
Delhi should work to 1) contain Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea, and 2) leverage its unique experience to
help the West respond to radical Islamism. More

If at First You Don't Succeed, Try Deception: The Islamic State's Expansion Efforts in Algeria
4 December 2015

How has the so-called Islamic State attempted to overcome its failure to gain a significant foothold in Algeria? Nathaniel
Barr's answer points to the adoption of a familiar strategy the use of misleading propaganda to exaggerate its influence
inside the North African state. More

Brazil: Playing with Fire

4 December 2015

Alicia Garca-Herrero has no doubts. Brazil has lost its status as a star economic and political performer in the emerging
world. Indeed, if Brasilia hopes to reverse its fortunes it will have to reduce its fiscal deficits and cut down a bloated public
sector. Such reforms, it goes without saying, will be painful. More

// Blog
Ash Carter: The Interview
30 November 2015

How does US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter plan to attract and retain America's top talent to work in his department?
The answer to this question, which involves the Force of the Future concept, and many others can be found in this indepth question and answer session. More

Mediation Perspectives: Dealing with the Problem of Patriarchy

1 December 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

Reconcilable Differences? Rethinking NATO's Strategy

2 December 2015

Why are NATO's Central and Eastern European partners worried about the Alliance's proposed "southern strategy"? The
answer, according to Alexandria Gheciu, is that NATO's Western flank might dilute its defense commitments and work
more closely with Russia to defeat the Islamic State. More

The Upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Belgrade: No Reason to Celebrate

3 December 2015

The successful conclusion of the so-called Helsinki+40 process is meant to be the defining moment of tomorrow's OSCE
Ministerial Council meeting. Yet, as Stephanie Liechtenstein reminds us, ongoing tensions between Russia and the West
mean that member states will have very little to celebrate in Belgrade. More

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan's Evolving Alliance

4 December 2015

Have Saudi Arabia and Pakistan repaired their 'special relationship'? Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner believe so.
However, the rapprochement won't prevent Riyadh and Islamabad from pursuing diplomatic relations and partnerships
that run counter to either side's strategic interests. More

// Video

Not in God's Name: Confronting Religious Violence

In today's video, William Galston, E J Dione, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks discuss the latter's new book, "Not in God's
Name: Confronting Religious Violence." Among other things, the text challenges the assertion that religion is by definition
a source of violence. More

Counter-Coercion Strategies: Assessing US Next Steps in Maritime Asia

In today's video, CSIS' Christopher Johnson and Michael Green discuss China's maritime strategies in the four China
Seas and how the United States might counteract them. More

Humanitarian Crises in the Middle East and Africa

In this video, three analysts examine the interrelationship between failing and fragile states, human migration, and the
ongoing humanitarian crises in the Middle East and Africa. More

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

Publications More
// Future (Im)perfect? Mapping Conflict, Violence and Extremism in Africa More
// Russia's Quiet Military Revolution, and What it Means for Europe
More
// China's Growing Assertiveness in the South China Sea More

Videos More
// Downed Jet Puts Turkish-Russian Relations into Focus More
/
The
/
Syrian Jihad: The Evolution of an InsurgencyMore
/
/ The MENA Region After the Iran Nuclear Deal More

Audio / Podcasts More

// Nicholas Heras on US Troops in Syria
More
// India: Navigating a Contested Geopolitical Landscape
More
// Hope and Uncertainty in African MigrationMore

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