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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

18 - 22 April 2016

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our first Security Watch (SW) series focuses on NATOs complicated role in Nordic security; the systematic
violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in ongoing conflicts; the nine lessons the next US president
should learn from the way his or her predecessors managed national security issues in their first year in office; the regional
implications of China's current military posture; and a workable maritime framework for the Baltic Sea region. Then, in our
second SW series, we look at the post-Sendia politics of global disaster risk reduction; the socio-political stagnation
bedeviling Bosnia, despite its new strategic significance; the rise of far-right parties in Europe; Vietnams policies towards
nuclear nonproliferation and energy; and the possible revival of military conscription in Europe.

Nordic Security: Moving towards NATO?

18 April 2016

Jannicke Fiskvik has no doubts that Russias military aggression against Ukraine has served as a wake-up call for
Europes Nordic countries. Indeed, since 2014 their defense establishments have cooperated more closely, but primarily in
a NATO-centric way. Whats still missing is the notion of a Nordic security community. More

Global Disaster Politics Post Sendai

18 April 2016

Did the Third World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) meet all of its objectives? Tim Prior and Florian Roth
dont think so. The resulting Framework Agreement did set long-term DRR targets, but setting up formal mechanism to
track their progress proved to be a bridge too far. Once again, you can blame politics for that. More

Even War Has Rules: A Call for Global Action to Protect Civilians
19 April 2016

According to Jessica Almqvist, its high time to craft a global action plan that prevents, represses and redresses the
systematic and flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human-rights law in todays conflicts. Heres what
needs special attention. More

Bosnia: Standstill Despite New Strategic Significance

19 April 2016

In this analysis, Matthias Bieri contends that despite the tangible progress it has made towards joining the EU, Bosnia
remains politically frozen in other areas. Two of the reasons why are the not-always-benign activities of foreign powers
within the country, and the volatile role of Islam at the local level More

Nine Lessons for Navigating National Security

20 April 2016

Michle Flournoy knows what shes talking about. As a former US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, shes in a
unique position to advise the current crop of presidential candidates on the steps they would need to take to implement a
successful national security strategy during their first year in office. Here are nine of them. More

What's Left of Europe if the Far Right has its Way

20 April 2016

Recent events have catapulted the European Far Rights bread-and-butter issuesimmigration, national sovereignty, and
Euroskepticisminto the mainstream of political discourse. Today, Alina Polyakova and Anton Shekhovtsov look at the
losers of modernization in Central and Eastern Europe and contemplate how to deal with them. More

New Horizons and Internal Reforms: The Regional Implications of China's Military Posture
21 April 2016

Nonproliferation and Nuclear Energy: The Case of Vietnam

21 April 2016

Is Vietnam diverting its civilian know-how to create an indigenous nuclear weapons program? Not yet, says the CSS
Oliver Thrnert, but increased tensions or overt conflict with China could lead Hanoi to develop its own nuclear deterrent.
More

A Maritime Framework for the Baltic Sea Region

22 April 2016

Should NATO create a workable maritime framework for the Baltic Sea region? Franklin Kramer and Magnus Nordenman
believe so. Such a structure would 1) reinforce the Alliances integrated deterrence-reassurance strategy for the area; 2)
blunt Russias emerging Anti-Access/Area-Denial capabilities; and 3) facilitate NATOs sea and air control. More

Military Conscription in Europe: New Relevance

22 April 2016

Russias aggression against Ukraine has revived European debates about the feasibility of military conscription. While the
CSS Matthias Bieri doesnt think the citizen-soldier will make a major comeback anytime soon, alternative models such as
Denmarks lottery draft are gaining in popularity. More

// Blog

The World as Seen from Raqqa

18 April 2016

If we expect to understand the psychology of the Wests adversaries in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, we need to know what
the world looks like to those who operate within these groups, including the so-called Islamic State. In this article, Paul
Rogers describes how Western perceptions of Islam have shaped these adherents views. More

The Swedish Counter-Intelligence Report on Hostile Russian Activities in the Region in a Comparative
Context
19 April 2016

In this article, Marcin Andrzej Piotrowski highlights the recent increase in hostile Russian intelligence activities against
Sweden, including a series of probing cyber-attacks. The efforts are seemingly designed to dissuade the country from
forging closer ties with NATO, and are most likely part of a broader Russian strategy against the West. More

Nietzsche, Morgenthau, and the Roots of Realism

20 April 2016

Friedrich Nietzsche remains an underappreciated forefather of modern political realism. This has to change, says Michael
Laurence. The German philosopher was, after all, the most decisive intellectual influence on Hans Morgenthau, one of the
principal architects of the realist school of international relations.
More

We Need to Speak Honestly about Nuclear Threats

21 April 2016

According to Al Mauroni, the inherently linked arguments that nuclear terrorism is an imminent threat and that US nuclear
stockpiles should be further reduced shouldnt be dominated by worst-case assumptions and technology-centered
approaches. Instead, cost-benefit and risk analyses should be performed. More

A Reply to Mearsheimer
22 April 2016

Is offensive realism, as articulated by John Mearsheimer, a useful theoretical framework for understanding international
affairs? Anna Cornelia Beyer isnt convinced. She thinks Mearsheimer is wrong to prioritize relative over absolute gains
and to underestimate the incentives for interstate cooperation. More

// Video

Russian Society and the Economic Turning Point

In this video, Mikhail Dmitriev examines Russias past economic and political tipping points and those that are yet to come.

More

A Strategic Vision of Pakistan's Foreign Policy

In this video, Sartaj Aziz, who is the Foreign Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, outlines the strategic vision
that underlies Pakistans foreign policy and discusses the countrys role in ensuring security and stability in its region.
More

What is Power?

In this video, Joseph Nye talks about the different types of power that exist in international relations; how we can compare
the use of power by different states; how these polities convert power resources into desired outcomes, and much more.

More

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

Publications More
// Nepals Divisive New Constitution: An Existential Crisis More
// The Crisis in Libya and the Rise of Jihadism and Migration
More
// Revamping Indias Counter-Terrorism Approach More
// Surrounded by Trouble, Hit by Conflict: Turkey and its Manifold Challenges More
// Sports and Politics: Palestinians, Arab States, and Normalization with Israel
More
// Dribs and Drabs: The Mechanics of Small Arms Trafficking from the United States More

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