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Defense Industrialist

Oct 3, 2017

The military implications of Catalonian secession—an update

By James Hasik

assuming that Catalonia was admitted to NATO, what would the newly independent country contribute? At the 2014 Strategic Foresight Forum at the Atlantic Council, Anne Marie Slaughter of the New America Foundation opined that an independent Catalonia would do a fine job of defending itself. After all, Catalonia is a country of over 7 million people, with more than $300 billion in GDP. Spending just 1.6% of that—well below the widely-ignored NATO threshold, of course—provides over $4.5 billion annually. y de-emphasizing the military forces that any landlocked country will have, and instead steering investments towards those it is comparatively positioned to provide, Catalonia could punch above its weight in European political affairs.

Defense Policy Eastern Europe

Report

Sep 26, 2017

The MADCOM future

By Matt Chessen

Emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools will provide propagandists radically enhanced capabilities to manipulate human minds. Human cognition is a complex system, and AI tools are very good at decoding complex systems. Interactions on social media, browsing the Internet, and even grocery shopping provide thousands of data points from which technologists can build psychological profiles on nearly […]

Americas Civil Society

MENASource

May 18, 2017

Governing Egypt: Cohesion and Consolidation

By Dr. H.A. Hellyer

A little over a year ago, it was still possible to speak of the ‘regimen’ of Egyptian president Sisi’s ‘non-regime.’ Power was dispersed, disparate, and given to erratic bursts of energy, that had far more to do with localised and internal disputes, than to an overarching directive from a cohesive chief governor.

North Africa Political Reform

MENASource

Apr 17, 2017

Raising the Stakes: Egyptians Have Questions About a New Emergency Law and the State of Security

By Mirette F. Mabrouk

The dead were buried without a mass. On April 9, two suicide bombers hit two churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in Egypt. The next day, the first burial was held for seven of those killed at St Mina Monastery in King Mariout, on the outskirts of Alexandria. The Eastern Orthodox Church does […]

North Africa Political Reform

MENASource

Feb 24, 2017

Report Summary: More Than the Authority of Repression – The Status of Free Speech in Egypt 2016

By MENASource

On Sunday, February 12, 2017, the Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression released their fourth annual report on the state of freedom of expression in Egypt in 2016 under the title “More Than the Authority of Repression.” This report presents thorough evidence and accurate observations on freedom of speech in Egypt. 

North Africa Political Reform

MENASource

Feb 16, 2017

Continued Focus on Economic Reform in Egypt’s Cabinet Reshuffle

By Elissa Miller

On February 14, Egypt’s parliament approved a limited cabinet reshuffle following weeks of anticipation. Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the reshuffle was aimed at continuing the government’s social and economic reform plans, and indeed, several of the changes reflect an effort to continue to build on major reforms. Ismail began meeting with candidates for cabinet […]

North Africa Political Reform

MENASource

Feb 16, 2017

Refugee Resettlement Program Takes a Hit Following Brief Travel Ban

By Sarah El Sirgany

Mahmoud was supposed to travel to the US on February 7th. The 22-year-old Somali refugee had escaped forced recruitment by al-Shabab at the age of 16. He has finally allowed himself to dream of a better life, but it all came crashing down when President Donald Trump placed a 120-day ban on refugees.

North Africa Political Reform

Report

Dec 1, 2016

Latin America and the Caribbean 2030: future scenarios

By Jason Marczak and Peter Engelke

A new Atlantic Council–Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report lays out six scenarios for Latin America and the Caribbean in 2030, underscoring how greater integration and better governance hold the key to greater prosperity.

Democratic Transitions Economy & Business

Report

Nov 21, 2016

Middle East Strategy Task Force: Politics, governance, and state-society relations

By Tamara Cofman Wittes

Investing in sustainable governance is important for the world and for the rising generation of young Arabs, who can either become a force for tremendous progress or a generation lost to violence and despair.

Civil Society Political Reform

Defense Industrialist

Nov 11, 2016

Defense advice For President-elect Trump

By Steven Grundman

Focus on national productivity growth to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio. The US presidential election that just ended was driven by identity politics—affinity by race, class, gender, etc.— rather than ideological competition or policy differences. As a result, resolution of the political contest will not unto itself unlock the calcified debate over fiscal policy that has […]

Defense Policy Economy & Business

Experts