National Security

The Implications of a US Debt Default on National Security

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy is confident that the debt ceiling deal, negotiated with the White House, will pass in the House, despite some conservative opposition to deficit reductions and work requirement changes in the agreement. The deal...

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US-China Rivalry Exacerbates US Corporate Risk

Editor’s note: This is the first paper in the “Expanding the Focus” series in the National Security Studies program. In May 2023, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan observed that “the future of the United States is going to be...

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When Diplomacy Goes to War

As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, several questions remain about what the US government would have, could have, and should have done differently since the war started. Should the United States have funneled more weapons and...

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American Power and the Defense of Taiwan

American officials are increasingly concerned about China’s growing power and assertiveness. While spy balloons over the continental United States may be the current crisis, Washington should stay focused on the most likely flashpoint in the bilateral relationship: the possibility...

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The Confrontation with Russia and US Grand Strategy

Over the past year, two understated but dramatic shifts in US strategy have taken place: the United States no longer seeks to prioritize cooperation with Russia and no longer expects to forestall greater Russia-China cooperation. Support for Ukraine becomes...

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Trends in Terrorism: What’s on the Horizon in 2023?

The most defining feature of international terrorism in 2023 will be its diversity, reflected by the broad array of ideologies and grievances motivating plots and attacks. The Islamic State, the most significant terrorist threat since the global counterterrorism campaign...

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Article 5 for the Next Decade of NATO

Collective defense is at the heart of European security. Enshrined within Article 5 of its founding treaty, NATO allies see “an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack...

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Religion and Resistance: The Ukrainian Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches in Resistance Efforts in the War Against Russia

Editor’s Note: This article is based on the 26th Annual Templeton Lecture on Religion & World Affairs, given by Dr. Heather S. Gregg on November 01, 2022.   Carol “Rollie” Flynn: Good evening and thank you for coming this...

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Biden Takes on Grand Strategy

Editor’s Note This is the first article in a series on the Biden administration’s new National Security Strategy.  Bottom Line The National Security Strategy aims to break down the separation between “domestic” and “foreign” policy—but does not provide a...

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Mainstreaming Extremism: The Legacy of Far-Right Violence from the Past to the Present

One of the most striking sights on January 6, 2021, was that of a far-right extremist carrying a large Confederate flag through the halls of Congress. The American Civil War had ended over 150 years before, but the briefest...

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