Strategic Multi-layer Assessment Report Card

February 2017 No Comments

Strategic Multi-layer Assessment (SMA) Report Card. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) provides planning support to Commands. SMA projects focus on complex operational imperatives requiring multi-agency, multi- disciplinary solutions that are NOT within core Service/Agency competency. SMA solutions and participants are sought across USG and beyond. SMA is accepted and […]

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Learning From the Countries Favorable to ISIL

January 2017 No Comments

Question (R2 #2): In countries where polling shows favorable opinions of ISIL (Syria, Nigeria, Tunisia, Senegal and Malaysia), what does this tell us? What do these countries have in common? What is our best approach to influence/inform? Author | Editor: Steckman, L. (MITRE). The contributors to this Quick Look responded to GEN Votel’s follow-up question, […]

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Part 6 ISIL Support and Recruitment

January 2017 No Comments

SMA CENTCOM Reach-back Reports – Part 6: ISIL Support and Recruitment. Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. This is Part 6 of a 9 part series of SMA Reach back responses to questions posed by USCENTCOM. Each report contains responses to multiple questions grouped by theme. At the request of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), […]

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Demystifying the Gray Zone: Colombia, Libya, Ukraine

January 2017 No Comments

Demystifying Gray Zone Conflict: A Typology of Conflict Dyads and Instruments of Power in Colombia, Libya and Ukraine. Author | Editor: Koven, B. (START). The author of this report is Barnett S. Koven, Senior Researcher at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START). Questions about this report should be […]

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Population Support for ISIL in Iraq

December 2016 No Comments

Question (QL3): What does primary source opinion research tell us about population support for ISIL in ISIL-held Iraq and globally outside the Combined Joint Operation Area (CJOA) (Syria and Iraq)? Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc). Opinion polls conducted by independent outfits in 2015 and 2016 derive the same result: the vast majority of […]

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Demystifying the Gray Zone: Libya, 2014‐Present

November 2016 No Comments

Demystifying Gray Zone Conflict: A Typology of Conflict Dyads and Instruments of Power in Libya, 2014‐Present. Author | Editor: Gabriel, R. & Johns, M. (University of Maryland, START). This case study is intended to highlight the dynamics of Gray Zone conflict in Libya since 2014. It places specific emphasis on the roles of non‐state actors […]

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Scientific Methods for Countering Extremism (2015 Edition)

September 2015 No Comments

Countering Violent Extremism: Scientific Methods and Strategies (2015 Edition) Author | Editor: Fenstermacher, L. (Air Force Research Laboratory) [Note: 2011 edition available here] Why are we reissuing the paper collection, “Countering Violent Extremism: Scientific Methods and Strategies”? The answer is simple. Five years later, violent extremism is still an issue. In September 2014, President Obama […]

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Holistic Engagement Activities Ranking Tool (HEART)

March 2015 No Comments

Holistic Engagement Activities Ranking Tool (HEART) — A Multi-criteria decision tool to assist in planning and tracking steady state security assistance and engagement activities. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). More than ever, United States Government (USG) activities are planned and implemented in an atmosphere of shrinking budgets, high expectations and intense scrutiny at […]

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Stability Modeling (StaM) Analysis of Nigeria

March 2015 No Comments

Stability Model Users’ Guide: Incorporating StaM Analysis of Nigeria for Illustration. Author | Editor: Bragg, B., Brickman, D., Desjardins, A., Popp, G. & Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc). Over the past decade the United States Government has recognized the importance of obtaining a rich contextual understanding of the operating environment, specifically focusing on the human […]

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Countering Violent Extremism: Scientific Methods & Strategies (2011 Edition)

September 2011 No Comments

Countering Violent Extremism: Scientific Methods & Strategies (2011 Edition) Author | Editor: Fenstermacher, L. & Leventhal, T. (Air Force Research Laboratory). [Note: There is a revised edition, released in 2015.) If there were a simple solution for countering violent extremism, a solution would have been found centuries ago. Countering violent extremism successfully requires a balanced […]

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