//ISN

ETH Zurich
International Relations and Security Networkwww.isn.ethz.ch
///

This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

20 24 July 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series examines the continuities between the so-called Bush
and Obama Doctrines and those that preceded them; how swarm theory can improve military decision-making; the roles
and responsibilities of the Chinese National Security Commission (CNSC); the attributes that make a nation-state a 'great
power'; and the ways NATO's European partners can help preserve the West's military-technological superiority. Then, in
our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at the impact of shale extraction on the global oil market; how open
source information can help maintain asymmetric advantages in security planning; the important role of Disarmament,
Demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programs in Countering Violent Extremism (CVE); USAID's new Policy on
Cooperation with the US Department of Defense; and India's renewed interest in the First World War.

Presidential Doctrines, the Use of Force and International Order

20 July 2015

Did the US' military and legal reactions to the 9/11 attacks fundamentally transform its foreign and security policies?
Joseph Siracusa doesn't think so. He argues that the so-called Bush and Obama Doctrines have had more in common
with previous presidential approaches than most people realize. More

Shale's True Contribution to the Oil Market

20 July 2015

Shale extraction has created a new strategic context for the global oil market, write David Livingston and Eugene Tan.
That's why the United States needs to capitalize on this transformation and facilitate a new age of competition that could
yield large-scale dividends for years to come. More

Let Me Tell You about the Birds and the Bees: Swarm Theory and Military Decision-Making
21 July 2015

Open Source Indicators and Asymmetric Advantage in Security Planning

21 July 2015

Can the West use its unfettered access to open source information to maintain its asymmetric advantage in security
planning? Regina Joseph believes so. However, there are problems that have to be faced, including the authenticity of the
information that's available and its sheer size. More

China's National Security Commission

22 July 2015

How is China's National Security Council (CNSC) similar to its US counterpart? Also, what is the CNSC's working
relationship with the People's Liberation Army? The answer to these questions and others can be found in today's
question and answer session with Carnegie Tsinhua's Zhao Kejin. More

The Role of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) in Countering Violent Extremism
22 July 2015

The UN Security Council is issuing DDR mandates for parts of the world where violent extremists also operate. That's why
Dean Piedmont thinks it's time to develop a new policy framework that accounts for the growing overlap between DDR
programs and countering terrorism. More

What Makes a Great Power?

23 July 2015

In Revised USAID Policy, a New Model for Civil-Military Cooperation

23 July 2015

Why does USAID's new approach to working with the US Department of Defense put a premium on greater cooperation?
As Janine Davidson and Zachary Austin remind us, extreme poverty is a defining feature of most areas where military
forces now operate, which means that USAID-DOD teamwork must be the 'new normal'. More

Offsetting Challenges to Western Military-Technological Supremacy: Time For A New Paradigm In

European Capability Development
24 July 2015

Indeed, what practical steps should NATO's European members take to offset the threats against their militarytechnological dominance? Luis Simn suggests 1) enhancing their 'Air-Land' capabilities; 2) improving their situational
awareness and surveillance; and 3) rolling back questionable flagship projects. More

India and the First World War

24 July 2015

India is slowly but surely revisiting the role it played in the First World War, writes Vipal Dutta. This can partly be
explained by 21st century imperatives, particularly New Delhi's desire to reinforce its historical self-image as a net
security provider and a 'keeper of international peace'. More

// Blog

Interview A Window into the Life and Mind of Mary Kaldor

20 July 2015

Why has Mary Kaldor maintained her firm belief in cosmopolitanism's ability to resolve today's conflicts? Also, does she
regret having popularized the distinction between 'new and old wars'? The answer to these and other questions can be
found in today's question and answer session with this prominent academic. More

A Balanced Perception of Religion in International Relations

21 July 2015

Discussions on the role religion plays in international relations are too one-sided, says Joanna Kulska. She also thinks that
needs to change. For instance, more attention needs to be paid to the type of religious activism that has succeeded in
resolving conflicts where other methods have failed. More

Khaan Quest and Mongolia: Molding a Mediator?

22 July 2015

Have the Khaan Quest exercises bolstered Mongolia's reputation as a multilaterally-minded, peace-promoting nation?
Paul Pryce believes so. He also thinks that the annual drills may help Ulaanbaatar boost its chances of becoming a
regional mediation center i.e., a 'Geneva of the East'. More

Has Egypt's Judiciary Become the New Theatre of the Absurd?

23 July 2015

Raeesah Cachalia warns us that the Egyptian military's stranglehold on the country's judicial system is reminiscent of the
worst excesses of the Mubarak era. It's also a recipe for further unrest among a people who have few opportunities for
justice and political expression. More

Mediation Perspectives: Where Do Norms Come In?

24 July 2015

Is it appropriate to introduce desired norms into mediation processes? Mathias Zeller has his doubts. He warns that
mediators must be wary of 'maximalist' approaches that impose norms against the wishes of conflicting parties, even when
they seem critical to the success of a peace process. More

// Video

Surface Warfare in a Complex World

In this video, the Commander of US Naval Surface Forces, Vice Admiral Thomas Rowden, discusses 1) the current
responsibilities of his command, 2) the broader role it plays in America's maritime strategy, and 3) how it is being prepared
to deal with future contingencies. More

Assessing State Fragility in Africa

In this video, four experts highlight the contents of "Building Resilience in Fragile States in Sub-Saharan Africa," an IMF
report that examines 1) the frailty of specific sub-Saharan African states, and 2) the progress that's been made in building
their resilience.
More

How to Write and Fight World War III

In this video, August Cole and Peter Singer discuss their novel, "Ghost Fleet," which explores the future, multi-domain
relationship between technology and war. They also discuss how artists and fiction writers can help conceptualize the
future boundaries of organized violence. More

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

Publications More
// Russia's Changing Role in Central Asia: The post-Ukraine Context, and Implications More
// Israel and Gaza: The Children of War
More
// Pakistan's Power Crisis: The Way ForwardMore

Videos More
// What's Religion Got to Do with It?
More
/A
/ View from the Frontlines of Islamist Insurgency: Perspectives on Terrorism in the Middle East and South Asia More
/Public
/
Dialogue on Peace and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka More

Audio / Podcasts More

// Women and Armed Violence: Peace and Gender Equality More
// Media Call: Iran Nuclear Agreement More
// Eighteen Months on: Post-Maidan UkraineMore

Interact with us:

Contact us:

Disclaimer:

Unsubscribe:

International Relations and Security Network

ETH Zurich

Leonhardshalde 21, LEH

8092 Zurich

Switzerland

The
ISN is a service of the Center for Security
Studies (CSS) at the ETH
Zurich (Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Zurich). Read the ISN

Disclaimer here.

If you would like to change or cancel your

newsletter subscription profile with us, please do
so here.

Tel: +41 44 632 07 57 / 40 25