National Security

Evaluating US Defense Posture in Light of Great Power Competition

Abstract This article seeks a debate on the future of the US defense posture in the Great Power Competition. It contains a robust list of defense initiatives to consider in improving the US defense posture. Since the United States...

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The Buzz About Electromagnetic Pulse Weapons

Abstract An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) may be naturally occurring or can be created from the detonation of a nuclear weapon high above the Earth’s surface. Various presidential administrations have grappled with how to best manage risks around EMP threats....

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Global Order After Ukraine

Abstract As Russia’s invasion in Ukraine enters its second year, how is the global system continuing to evolve and change? How is the balance of power and influence shifting? And what might be some of the unexpected developments? Orbis...

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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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