Security & Defense

One of the most fundamental responsibilities of governments is to protect their citizens from all threats, internal or foreign. Policy makers must prepare for potential conventional warfare, terrorism and other asymmetrical attacks, and the repercussions of natural disasters and climate change to ensure the safety of their citizens. The motivation to protect against future threats must also be partnered with regular dialogue and partnership with allies and neighbors to prevent the triggering of violent conflict or destabilizing arms races.

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NATO hands-over Kandahar airfield

MENASource
Aug 25, 2024

After a failed attack, Hezbollah’s propaganda seeks to prevent a wider war with Israel

By
David Daoud

Committed as Hezbollah is to saving its Gaza-based allies, the group does not currently want a full war with Israel.

Conflict
Israel

NATO hands-over Kandahar airfield

New Atlanticist
Aug 21, 2024

How quickly can Taiwan integrate US weapon systems? Speed is essential to help deter China.

By
Adam Kozloski

To better prepare Taiwan to defend itself, the United States needs more transparency into Taipei’s weapons integration challenges.

Conflict
Defense Policy

NATO hands-over Kandahar airfield

UkraineAlert
Aug 21, 2024

Invasion? What invasion? Putin is downplaying Ukraine’s Kursk offensive

By
Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin’s efforts to downplay Ukraine’s invasion of Russia have severely dented his strongman image and make a mockery of the West’s escalation fears, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Policy

Programs

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

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Content

Official handover ceremony at Kandahar Airfield

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

NATO hands-over Kandahar airfield

By Royal Air Force

After eight years of running Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan, NATO has formally handed over control to the United States at an end of mission ceremony.

Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force
UA and Lithuanian troops in exercise Saber Strike, June 12, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

Baltic Security: Tensions on the Frontier

By Richard Milne and Neil Buckley, Financial Times

“We cannot shut off our memories. We know from our past how aggressive Russia can be if there is no very clear and strict action from the west against this kind of aggression,” says Marko Mihkelson,

NATO Northern Europe
Swedish Chief of Defense Gen. Sverker Goranson and US Gen. Joseph Dunford at NATO HQ, May 14, 2013

NATOSource

Oct 21, 2014

Swedish Defense: Is NATO Inevitable?

By Editors of the Guardian

There is an element of farce about the latest submarine hunt in the Stockholm archipelago.

NATO NATO Partnerships
NATO Deputy Secretary General Alexander Vershbow at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate

NATOSource

Oct 20, 2014

Strengthening NATO-Gulf Cooperation

By Alexander Vershbow, NATO

NATO is playing its part too. We all stand with our Ally Turkey, which is literally on the front line. And while the air campaign is not a NATO operation, NATO Allies provide the bulk of the military assets that are now being deployed to degrade ISIL.

International Organizations NATO

New Atlanticist

Oct 20, 2014

To Bolster Baltic States Against Russia’s Challenge, Here Is an Easy Victory

By Henrik Breitenbauch

An Impressive Nordic Defense Initiative Should Invite the Three Baltic Nations to Join As Russia’s attacks on Ukraine revive concerns about the security of its northwestern neighbors as well, last month’s NATO summit conference took two noteworthy steps, among others, to address the Russian danger. For one, the allies authorized a new quick-response force to […]

NATO Northern Europe

Defense Industrialist

Oct 20, 2014

Can Coastal Artillery Backstop the Navy?

By James Hasik

Yes, but there are hard ways and easy ways for an army to stand up new capabilities.   The question of coastal artillery was all over the trade press last week, starting with a speech by Defense Secretary Hagel at the AUSA meeting. Hagel noted that for a century after 1812, the US Army protected American ports with a […]

China Japan
Swedish attack submarine HMS Gotland

NATOSource

Oct 17, 2014

Sweden Hunts Suspected Foreign Submarine Off Stockholm Coast

By AFP and Reuters

From AFP:  The Swedish armed forces announced a military operation in islands off Stockholm late Friday evening following reports of suspicious “foreign underwater activity.”

Intelligence Northern Europe
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at the Wales Summit, Sept. 4, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 17, 2014

Poll: Support for NATO Membership Grows In Ukraine

By AFP

The number of Ukrainians in favor of joining the NATO alliance has risen sharply during Kiev’s drawn-out conflict with pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country, a poll showed Thursday.

NATO NATO Partnerships
Russian Topol-M/SS-27 missile

NATOSource

Oct 16, 2014

Russia’s Nuclear Missile Forces Create Cybersecurity Units: Defense Ministry

By RIA Novosti and Xinhua

From RIA Novosti:  Sopka teams, tasked to detect and prevent cyberattacks, have been created within the Russian Strategic Missile Forces (SMF), the ministry’s Strategic Missile Forces spokesman Col. Igor Yegorov told journalists Thursday.

Cybersecurity Nuclear Nonproliferation
German Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen, Jan. 31, 2014

NATOSource

Oct 16, 2014

A Crisis in German Defense

By Peter Dörrie, War is Boring

The German armed forces have come clean. They’ve admitted they’re incapable of managing arms procurement—and have systematically neglected the hardware that’s already in service.

Germany NATO
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Experts

Fellow

Nasredeen Abdulbari

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Africa Arabic

Fellow

Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley

Distinguished Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Middle East National Security

Fellow

Ahmed Aboudouh

Former Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic China

Fellow

Elliot Ackerman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Policy

Fellow

Nic Adams

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Energy & Environment Middle East

Fellow

Paul Adamson

Senior Advisor

Europe Center

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
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Central Europe Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy
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The 2026 Iraq Dialogue
Geopolitics & Energy Security Iraq Middle East Politics & Diplomacy