Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Explore the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s latest insights, commentary, articles, media hits, and in-depth reports

All commentary & analysis

In the News

Sep 11, 2021

Ashford on the Diplomatic Immunity podcast: Strategies of Competition and Restraint with Emma Ashford and Charles Edel

By Atlantic Council

On September 11, Emma Ashford joined the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University’s Diplomatic Immunity podcast with Director of Programs and Research Kelly McFarland and the Wilson Center’s Charles Edel. They discussed strategies of competition and restraint, and US foreign policy relations with China and Russia. “Season 3, Episode 2: ISD Director […]

China Climate Change & Climate Action

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Preble on Reason: Could the CIA and FBI Have Stopped 9/11?

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, Christopher Preble published on Reason an article entitled “Could the CIA and FBI Have Stopped 9/11?”. “Given this long history, and given the ample evidence that Al Qaeda posed a threat to Americans, Washington’s failure to stop the attacks has been a source of considerable attention and consternation. As with so much […]

Afghanistan English

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Roberts in Nikkei Asia on Beijing’s recent crackdown on private businesses and its implications for China’s economic future

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, 2021, Nikkei Asia published an op-ed by Asia Security Initiative senior fellow Dexter Tiff Roberts titled, “Lacking a better game plan, Beijing will pick off more industries.” The article explores Beijing’s “squeeze” on technology sectors and highlights China’s growing economic vulnerabilities. Roberts argues that “this is bad news for Beijing’s plan to […]

China Economy & Business

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Ashford in Defense Priorities: Lessons from Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, Ashford contributed to a Defense Priorities Symposium on the lessons from the war in Afghanistan. “Defense Priorities organized this symposium to stimulate thinking about the most important lesson U.S. strategists and decisionmakers should take away from America’s longest war. Below are responses from scholars and experts who—unlike the architects and proponents of […]

Afghanistan English

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Slocombe and Soofer call for the US to stay the course in missile defense in Breaking Defense

By Atlantic Council

Walter Slocombe and Robert Soofer argue that the United States should stay the bipartisan course in missile defense policy.

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Ashford on the Left, Right, and Center podcast: Require to required

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, Ashford was a guest on KCRW’s Left, Right, and Center, examining the travel ban and the Biden administration’s relationship with Europe. They discussed whether the the relationship has changed after President Trump and why European leaders are still frustrated. “Our relationship with Europe was supposed to be warmer with President Trump out […]

English Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2021

Confronting the disaster left behind in Afghanistan

By Mir Sadat

The United States screwed up the endgame in Afghanistan once again, but working with allies and private rescue efforts, there's time to make things right.

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Ashford in Politico: Defense Priorities’ symposium on lessons from Afghanistan

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, Politico featured in its National Security Daily newsletter a Defense Priorities’s symposium on the lessons from the war in Afghanistan to which Emma Ashford contributed to. “FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — AFGHANISTAN LESSONS LEARNED: The pro-restraint Defense Priorities think tank will post an expert symposium of lessons from the war in Afghanistan […]

Afghanistan English

In the News

Sep 10, 2021

Kroenig and Ashford discuss the brewing refugee crisis in Eastern Europe and the new Taliban government

By Atlantic Council

On September 10, Foreign Policy published a biweekly column featuring Scowcroft Center deputy director Matthew Kroenig and New American Engagement Initiative senior fellow Emma Ashford discussing the latest news in international affairs. In this column, they discuss Belarus’ attempt to inundate Eastern Europe with migrants, threats to democracy in Brazil, and the newly announced Taliban government in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Belarus

In the News

Sep 9, 2021

Ashford on the Pop & Locke podcast: The Hurt Locker and the legacies of the war on terror

By Atlantic Council

On September 9, Emma Ashford joined Natalie Dowzicky, Landry Ayres, and Eric Gomez on the Pop and Locke podcast to discuss the movie “The Hurt Locker,” and the legacies of the war on terror. They discussed whether the movie is an accurate depiction of the experiences of service members during the Iraq War and how […]

English Iraq

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2021

We have heroes, not avengers: A generation shaped by 9/11

By Caroline Multerer

The children of 2001 are frustrated—but not disgruntled.

Resilience Resilience & Society

In the News

Sep 8, 2021

Ashford at CSIS: Military Challenges to Future NATO Enlargement

By Atlantic Council

On September 8, Ashford participated in a panel discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies around a new paper on the future of NATO expansion and was appointed a Nonresident Fellow at the Modern War Institute as West Point for the 2021-2022 academic year. “Past NATO expansion helped create a Europe whole, free, […]

English Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Sep 8, 2021

Ashford in Vox: “I think it’s the rise of China, and more broadly the fact that America is in relative decline … that is where we start hearing some talk of constraints.”

By Atlantic Council

On September 8, Ashford was quoted in a Vox article by Zack Beauchamp on the decline of liberal interventionism. “‘I don’t actually think that the failures of foreign policy in the Middle East alone were enough to catalyze this shift’ against interventionism, says Emma Ashford, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank. ‘I […]

Afghanistan Conflict

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Extremist communications: The future is corporate

By Jennifer A. Counter

Digital platforms have enabled white supremacists such as The Base to build out networks in North America, Europe, and Australia, and provide extremist groups with a low- to zero-cost means to disseminate their messages.

National Security Security & Defense

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Does treating Syria as a State Sponsor of Terrorism advance or hold back US national security interests?

By Nate Rosenblatt

In 1979, the United States designated Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism, putting it on its first-ever such list along with Libya, Iraq, and the former South Yemen.

Middle East National Security

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Combating domestic extremism means combating the insider threat in law enforcement

By Mary McCord

Dozens of law enforcement officers have been investigated or charged for their participation in events culminating in the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol.

National Security Nationalism

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Preparing for future concepts in terrorism: Non-kinetic acts and decentralization

By Arun Iyer

Twenty years ago, on September 11, 2001, the world saw a coordinated attack on the United States that struck us as “unimaginable” at the time.

National Security Security & Defense

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Facing the future of bioterrorism

By Barry Pavel and Vikram Venkatram

Biotechnology has developed at an astounding rate over the first twenty years of the twenty-first century. Emerging biotechnological tools have become cheaper and more accessible than ever before, and less expertise is necessary to use those tools effectively.

Security & Defense Terrorism

Article

Sep 7, 2021

OPINION: We are all responsible for 6/5

By Max Brooks

If there is any hope of preventing another 6/5, and defusing the smoldering rebellion behind it, we must first admit that we are all to blame.

Security & Defense Terrorism

Article

Sep 7, 2021

The global war on terrorism wrecked relations with Iran

By Barbara Slavin

The most fundamental strategic error of the George W. Bush administration following the September 11, 2001, attacks was launching a “Global War on Terrorism” that failed to distinguish properly between those responsible for the 9/11 attacks and other US adversaries.

Iran Middle East

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