US Foreign Policy as a Global Power
Question (R4.5): Does US foreign policy strike the right balance in supporting US interests and its role as a global power? Or, should the US consider a more isolationist approach to foreign policy? What impact could an isolationist policy have on Middle East security and stability, balance of influence by regional and world actors, and […]
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Panel Discussion on the Gray Zone
Panel Discussion on the Gray Zone. Author | Editor: Popp, G., Canna, C., Bragg, B., Stevenson, J. & Kuznar, L. (NSI, Inc.). Overview At the request of the Commander, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) team initiated an effort, titled Gray Zone Conflicts-Challenges and Opportunities-A Multi-Agency Deep Dive Assessment, focused […]
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Role of Human Geography, Culture and Language
The Key Role of Human Geography, Culture and Language in Effective Communication. Author | Editor: Sutherlin, G. (Geographic Services, Inc.). Overview To begin with a truism, people in different places speak different languages; they belong to different cultures. This is not in dispute, but it remains a persistent operational challenge. Understanding other cultures well enough […]
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Discussion with NPS Experts – May 2017
SMA Reachback Panel Discussion with Experts from Naval Postgraduate School – May 2017. Author | Editor: Nicole (Peterson) Omundson (NSI, Inc). On 11 May 2017, NPS convened a panel session and discuss areas related to the 4th round of CENTCOM Reach Back Cell Questions. The speakers are listed below, and their biographies are available in […]
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How Developments in Brain Science Afford Military Utility
Speaker: Giordano, J. (Georgetown University Medical Center) & DiEuliis, D. (National Defense University). Date: April 2017. The use of sarin gas in Syria and the nerve agent VX to assassinate Kim Jong-nam, and ongoing international efforts in dual-use brain science (such as those described in the accompanying papers) prompt renewed interest in the current […]
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Highlights From Round 1, 2, 3 Questions
SMA Reachback: Highlights From CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Questions. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Overview ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism in the region is a generations-long one. Military […]
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Discourse Insights into Future US-China Relations
How Discourse Analysis Could Help Provide Insight into the Future of US-China Relations. Author | Editor: Dr. Lawrence Kuznar, Nicole (Peterson) Omundson, & George Popp (NSI, Inc). Click here for timeline animation. The future of the US-China relationship seems increasingly uncertain, to say the least. Increased tensions between the two international powers were seemingly ignited […]
Continue ReadingMeaning of ISIS Defeat & Shaping Stability
The Meaning of ISIS Defeat and Shaping Stability — Highlights from CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Reach-back Reports. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Conclusion ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism […]
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Question (AR1.Q1): How will the future of ISIS in Syria and Iraq impact the presence of ISIS in Africa? Author | Editor: Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc). While the consideration of ISIS’s fate in Syria and Iraq of course adds significant value to the question of ISIS in Africa, ISIS’s next steps there appear to […]
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International Transgressions Magnify Gray Zone Challenges
Violating normal: How international norms transgressions magnify gray zone challenges. Author | Editor: Stevenson, J., Bragg, B., & Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc). The current international system presents multiple potential challenges to US interests. In recent years, state actors, especially but not limited to Russia and China, have taken actions that disrupt regional stability and […]
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