Syria Da’esh Insurgency
Question (R3 QL7): How does Da’esh’s transition to insurgency manifest itself in Syria; which other jihadist groups might offer the potential for merger and which areas of ungoverned space are most likely to offer conditions conducive for Da’esh to maintain some form of organizational structure and military effectiveness? Author | Editor: Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, […]
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Regional Interests Analysis
Question (S2): In light of their divergent goals and interests, what are the necessary factors that would permit the U.S.-led Coalition, regional stakeholders (including Israel, Russia, and Iran), or jihadist groups to achieve their aims in Iraq? Where do disparate groups’ interests align and where do they diverge? What can the U.S. coalition do to […]
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Round 1 Questions Compilation
Compilation of Round 1 Questions. Author | Editor: Rhem, S. (SRC & SMA Team). Round 1 Questions Quick Look What are the factors that could potentially cause behavior changes in Pakistan and how can the US and coalition countries influence those factors? What are the strategic and operational implications of the Turkish Army’s recent intervention […]
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Smart-Phones for Propaganda
Question R2 (QL4): The wide-spread, public access to smartphones has been a game-changer for the distribution and production of propaganda. Is there more data available about the types of apps (e.g., WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, Viber) used on smartphones to distribute propaganda, and the methods through which this is accomplished? Author | Editor: Ziemke, J. (John […]
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Achieving Coalition Goals in Iraq/Syria
Question (Sim#3): What must the coalition do in the information environment to achieve its objectives in Iraq and Syria and how can it deny adversaries the ability to achieve theirs? Part 2 Author | Editor: Sutherlin, G. (Geographic Services Inc). We have acknowledged that the enemy has been very agile in the information environment thus […]
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Coalition Activities and Terrorism
Question (S#1): What are the correlations between the US/coalition operational and tactical actions in theater effecting terrorist activity throughout the world (i.e., external events). For example, does the loss of ISIL controlled territory or kill/capture of an ISIL high value target lead to an increase/decrease in terrorist attacks in other areas of the world? Can […]
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Violent Non-state Actors in the Gray Zone
Violent Non-state Actors in the Gray Zone A Virtual Think Tank Analysis (ViTTa). Author | Editor: Sarah Canna, Nicole (Peterson) Omundson, & George Popp (NSI, Inc.) Using the Virtual Think Tank (ViTTa) expert elicitation methodology, NSI asked six leading gray zone experts whether Violent Non-state Actors (VNSAs) belong in the definition of the gray zone. […]
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Demystifying the Gray Zone: Colombia, Libya, Ukraine
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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ViTTa Assessment and Analysis of the Gray Zone
The Characterization and Conditions of the Gray Zone: A Virtual Think Tank Analysis (ViTTa) Author | Editor: Popp, G. (NSI, Inc). Within United States government (USG) and Department of Defense (DoD) spheres, the gray zone is a relatively new terminology and phenomena of focus for characterizing the changing nature of competition, conflict, and warfare between […]
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Russian Interests in Syria
Question (R2 Special): What are indicators of change in Russian strategic interests in Syria? Author | Editor: Astorino-Coutois, A. (NSI, Inc). This paper found that Russia¹s strategic interests in the Middle East are fairly stable. What could change is how Russia prioritizes its interests in the wake of the US election and change in administration. […]
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