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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

29 June 3 July 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series examines the dangers of providing further US military aid
to Nigeria; the current and future status of the Ukraine conflict; the strategic narrative currently being employed by the socalled Islamic State; the decline of armored assets in Western Europe; and the need for a thorough review of the US'
military strategy towards China. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at Pakistan's unwillingness to
support the Saudi Arabian-led military campaign in Yemen; the UN's fight against political radicalization, especially among
the young; the need to establish new forms of engagement with North Korea; the unique nature of Venezuela's Cartel de
Los Soles; and the reasons behind Russia's determination to develop its unconventional gas industry.

Think Twice About More Military Aid to Nigeria

29 June 2015

William Hartung thinks the United States should not provide additional military advisors to support Nigeria's fight against
Boko Haram. Given the Nigerian military's record of corruption and human rights violations, such aid will most likely be
useless, if not outright counterproductive. More

Pakistan's "Ambivalence" in Yemen

29 June 2015

Why has Pakistan not contributed to the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen? Sulaiman Wasty thinks the decision is a
sign of the times. Islamabad currently has a host of domestic and foreign policy priorities that trump its 'special
relationship' with Riyadh.More

Harsh Realities in Ukraine

30 June 2015

Emerging from the Black Hole The UN's Fight against Youth Radicalization
30 June 2015

According to the United Nations News Centre, the UN needs to revisit its work on women, peace and security if it hopes to
dampen youth-driven extremism. In other words, it needs to treat the young as peacebuilders in an inclusive system that
brings progressive youth policies to the fore. More

Ignore Them at Your Peril: The (Missing?) Strategic Narrative of ISIS

1 July 2015

The West needs to focus less on the so-called Islamic State's repulsive acts of violence and more on the consistency of its
strategic narrative, argues Kacper Rkawek. By doing so, it will create more balanced and effective strategies to counter
the influence of this pernicious group. More

North Korea: Beyond the Six-Party Talks

1 July 2015

Is it time to pursue new forms of engagement with North Korea? Our partners at Crisis Group believe so. Introducing nongovernmental organizations into the mix, for example, might help spur the Hermit Kingdom towards more constructive
exchanges with its neighbors and the West. More

The Decline of Armoured Assets in Western Europe

2 July 2015

Venezuela, Military Generals, and the Cartel of the Suns

2 July 2015

Venezuela's Cartel de Los Soles presents a different kind of challenge than its counterparts in Colombia and Mexico, says
Brenda Fiegel. It's a drug trafficking organization that's run by high-ranking government officials rather than criminals,
which makes it almost impossible to dismantle. More

Can Cooler Heads Prevail in U.S.-China Military Relations?

3 July 2015

According to Spencer Bakich, it's time for the United States to review its military strategy towards China, particularly when
it comes to the Air-Sea Battle Concept. The latter template may not help keep the two countries' disagreements below the
threshold of war. More

Will Equals Way: Unconventional Gas in Russia

3 July 2015

Why is Russia determined to develop its unconventional gas industry? Zuzanna Nowak and Sonia Boczek cite Moscow's
desire to maintain its strong position among global gas producers and to improve its relations with energy-hungry states
such as Japan. More

// Blog

Putting Air Defense Identification Zones on the Radar

29 June 2015

Joelle Charbonneau and others think that the misinformation and confusion surrounding Air Defense Identification Zones
(ADIZs) can be resolved by 1) creating a public repository of ADIZ-related information; 2) sharing best practices; and 3)
pursuing informal international dialogue on ADIZ management and administration. More

South America's Moves to Liberalise Irregular Migration are in Stark Contrast to the Policies of
Europe
30 June 2015

Why have so many South American states adopted a more accommodating stance toward irregular migration? Luisa
Feline Freier and Diego Acosta Arcarazo point to the continent's recent history of intra-regional integration and other
factors. More

Cities Emerging Soft Power: 5 Key Advantages for Improved Global Governance
1 July 2015

Josep Coll believes that cities should make a greater contribution to global governance. That's because they are 1) more
practical than ideological; 2) more 'emotionally intelligent' than states; and 3) able to bypass national sovereignty issues.
Oh, and then there are their other positive traits. More

PKKistan: Brought to You by American Close Air Support

2 July 2015

What does Turkey think of the United States providing close air support for the Kurds fighting against the so-called Islamic
State? They're not happy, says Aaron Stein, and the reason is obvious. Ankara worries that such support could result in
the creation of a PKK-allied statelet along Turkey's longest land border. More

Why Term Limits Matter for Africa

3 July 2015

Joseph Siegle thinks that Pierre Nkurunziza's attempts to extend his tenure as President of Burundi reflect a wider battle
over governance norms in sub-Saharan Africa. To safeguard the future of the rule of law in the region, Siegel thinks
external interventions whether by the AU or the West are both needed and likely. More

// Video

Russia and Its Northern Neighbors

In this video, a mix of practitioners and experts focus on 1) the future security policies of the three Baltic States and
Finland, and 2) their attitudes towards Russia in the wake of the latter's annexation of Crimea.
More

How the Military is Eroding Democratic Institutions in Latin America

In this video, Torcuato Di Tella University's Rut Diamint reviews the influence Latin American militaries continue to have
on democratic processes, national politics and civil relations.
More

Modernizing Army Acquisition

In this video, Heidi Shyu focuses on the problems associated with modernizing the US Army's acquisition processes.
Among other issues, she zeros in on the need to streamline the "mountain of documentation and oversight" that's
presently required within the US defense acquisition system.
More

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

Publications More
// Russia's Hybrid War in Ukraine: Breaking the Enemy's Ability to Resist More
// No Rebel Without a Cause: Shifting the Debate about Conflict Minerals in Eastern DRC More
// The New Geostrategic Game: Will China and Russia Form an Alliance against the United States
More

Videos More
// Organised Crime, Militias and the Crisis in Venezuela More
/The
/
Shoulder-Fired Missile Threat in the Middle East More
/Tackling
/
Southeast Asia's Refugee Crisis More

Audio / Podcasts More

// Deadline for the Deal: Opportunities and Pitfalls for US Iran Relations
More
// India's Nuclear Command and Control
More
// China's New Role in Global Economic GovernanceMore

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