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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

22 26 June 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series examines how Iran could be dissuaded from acquiring
nuclear weapons; Vietnam's growing strategic partnership with the United States; Russia's Armata family of tanks and
heavy infantry vehicles; ongoing efforts to enhance intelligence cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan; and how
policymakers and researchers should conceptualize violent radicalization. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW
series, we look at Kyrgyzstan's efforts to reduce its internal ethnic tensions; the current status and credibility of Arab
parliaments; the continued influence of Myanmar's armed forces over the country's social and economic institutions; the
marginalization of Morocco's largest Islamist opposition group; and what the UK's seeming retreat from the global stage
reveals about Western strategic thinking.

Iran's Nuclear Program: Winning the Long Game

22 June 2015

Is it possible to dissuade Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons over the long haul? Not if the West ignores the importance
of the current nuclear program to the Iranian people, says Jarrod Hayes. That's why Western policies must 1) downplay
the program's significance; 2) normalize its presence in the global arena; and 3) encourage Tehran to develop other hightech industries. More

Unfinished Business in Kyrgyzstan

22 June 2015

Kyrgyzstan's "ethnic policy concept" aims to reduce the odds of additional Kyrgyz-Uzbek conflicts in cities such as Osh.
Unfortunately, the government's efforts to diffuse tensions between these two ethnic groups aren't having the desired
effect, or so Timur Toktonaliev and Venera Sultanova believe. More

Vietnam and the US Move Closer, But Need to Discuss A2/AD

23 June 2015

Vietnam is clearly pleased by the US' growing presence in the South China Sea, writes Zachary Abuza. What's required

Arab Parliaments: Better than their Reputation?

23 June 2015

Have Arab parliaments reverted back to being 'talking shops' that merely rubber-stamp government decisions? Not
necessarily, say Beatrice Berton and Florence Gaub. While democracy is in retreat in states such as Egypt and Libya,
parliamentarians in Iraq, Morocco and beyond are growing into their roles.
More

Russia's New Tanks are Pretty 'Stale'

24 June 2015

Will Russia's new T-14 main battle tank and T-15 heavy infantry vehicle live up to the hype surrounding them? Not
according to Joseph Trevithick. Many observers think that Moscow's new armor is much less impressive when compared
to older and more-established Western designs. More

Myanmar's Military Keeps Firm Grip on Democratic Transition

24 June 2015

The concept of civilian control over the military has no legal or institutional basis in Myanmar, writes Vikram Nehru. As a
result, the country's armed forces remain in indirect control of important social and economic institutions. They can also
restore direct control whenever they want. More

Afghanistan-Pakistan Intelligence Cooperation and the Prospect of Peace

25 June 2015

The Ongoing Marginalization of Morocco's Largest Islamist Opposition Group

25 June 2015

Why will Morocco's Justice and Spirituality Movement (AWI) remain outside the country's political mainstream for the
foreseeable future? Mohammed Masbah points to a growing lack of support for the AWI's vision, especially since 2007; its
lack of significant political allies, and other problems. More

Violent Radicalization Revisited: A Practice-Oriented Model

26 June 2015

How should policymakers and researchers conceptualize violent radicalization? Today, Daniel Koehler proposes a model
that treats it as a process of intellectual 'de-pluralization' that occurs outside of mainstream political culture. More

The Special Relationship and Western Grand Strategy

26 June 2015

John Hemmings believes that the anxiety over Britain's 'resignation' as a global power speaks volumes about the
incoherence of Western strategic thinking and the need for a unified approach to a complex security environment. Here
are his recommendations for righting the ship. More

// Blog

Peace in an Age of Terrorism: Can the AU Achieve Vision 2020?

22 June 2015

Is the African Union (AU) on track to "end all wars on the continent by 2020"? If you see terrorism as a type of war, then
you might not be optimistic. Not only is this form of violence at the center of Africa's security problems, the AU's efforts to
coordinate effective counterterrorism measures have been less than impressive. More

Clausewitz in Orbit: Spacepower Theory and Strategic Education

23 June 2015

Bleddyn Bowen thinks that more attention needs to be paid to the politics of war and peace in space. That's why he's
trying to develop a theory of spacepower that addresses the diverse array of problems that conflicts in this domain might
pose. More

Is Wildlife Trafficking a National Security Threat?

24 June 2015

Indeed, does this type of trafficking pose a major threat to the United States' national security? Cameron Lagrone and
Josh Busby have no doubts. Not only is this illicit activity now run by well-organized transnational criminal networks, it's
increasingly bring used to provide funds to rebel and terrorist groups. More

The Myth of Entangling Alliances

25 June 2015

A growing number of scholars argue that the United States should abandon its network of alliances or risk the type of
entanglements that contributed to World War I. It's not a view shared by Michael Beckley. His analysis of every US conflict
since 1948 suggests that this fear of entanglement is just a myth. More

Mediation Perspectives: Professionalizing Mediation through Negotiation Simulations

26 June 2015

Using simulations to train mediators is sometimes criticized for being superficial, stereotyping conflict actors, and
adversely shaping real-world negotiations. For Simon Mason, however, these criticisms miss the mark. Simulation training
is indeed useful provided it's designed and run professionally. More

// Video

Looming Over the Horizon: Three Perspectives on the Biggest Threats to National Security

In this video, three analysts focus on what they see as the preeminent threats to US national security i.e., terrorism and
transnational enterprises; hackers and the cyber-attacks they perpetrate; and nakedly competitive nations such as China
and Russia. More

The Global Village Myth: Distance, War, and the Limits of Power

In this video, Patrick Porter discusses his new book, "The Global Village Myth," which argues that information,
transportation and weapons technologies haven't had the "shrinking effect" on the world that many people believe they've
had.
More

The Future of Jihad: What next for ISIL and al-Qaeda?

In this video, ASPI's Tobias Feakin discusses his latest report, "The Future of Jihad: What next for ISIL and al-Qaeda?"
The text explores 1) ISIL's rise to power; 2) how the group has become more adaptable than al-Qaeda; and 3) the not-tobe-forgotten threats the latter organization still poses to the international system. More

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

Publications More
// What the National Reports Reveal: Trends in UN PoA and ITI Reporting More
// Jihadism in Africa: Local Causes, Regional Expansion, International Alliances
More
// Conducting Global Climate Change Negotiations: Harnessing the Power of Process More

Videos More
// Analyzing the Venezuela-Guyana Maritime Boundary Dispute More
the United Nations for the 21st Century More
/Adapting
/
Expansion of ISIS in a Regional Context More
/The
/

Audio / Podcasts More

// US Nuclear Posture and Regional Security Challenges
More
// Modernizing Army Acquisition
More
// A Conversation with Nicola SturgeonMore

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