Simons Center News

The House of Representatives reviewed, debated, and passed the DHS Interagency Task Force Act of 2017 on January 9. The bill, which would authorize the participation in overseas interagency counterterrorism task forces of personnel of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), was originally introduced to the committee by Representative John Rutherford (R-FL) on December 5, 2017. The DHS Interagency Counterterrorism […]

The Arkansas National Guard recently conducted a cyber training exercise at Little Rock Air Force Base. The training focused on threats to critical infrastructure, and was part of a program developed by a civilian entity accredited by the Department of Homeland Security. Exercise participants included members of the Arkansas Army National Guard and Air National Guard, […]

Featured article: Decline of Westphalia in West Africa: How Decentralized Power in West Africa Can be a Rebirth of African Identity by Matthew D. Pride, Bryan C. Smith and Harmonie Foster The day might soon arrive where responsible sub-state and non-state actors may rotate seats on the United Nations Security Council as non-voting members. It seems […]

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a press release last week warning of the security vulnerabilities known as Meltdown and Spectre. According to DHS, the National Cybersecurity and Communications Center (NCCIC) is aware of the vulnerabilities, which affect modern computer processors and could allow attackers access to sensitive information. At the time of the […]

National Security Major US defense strategy review coming Jan. 19, Defense News 200,000 Salvadorians may be forced to leave the U.S. as Trump ends immigration policy, The Washington Post The Chairman the Pentagon Needs, War on the Rocks How U.S. Intelligence Agencies Underestimated North Korea, The New York Times Trump’s Border Wall Keeps Getting Shorter […]

National Security 2017: A record year for US counterterrorism strikes, Long War Journal 10 Conflicts to Watch in 2018, Foreign Policy The ‘Nuclear Button’ Explained: For Starters, There’s No Button, The New York Times Waiting for the Bomb to Drop, The Atlantic Why nuclear war with North Korea is less likely than you think, The […]

Featured article: Train with the Brain in Mind: Neuroscience Education as a Force Multiplier by Michael J. Cheatham Ever-increasing lethality and superior technology epitomize the American way of war. However, despite continued investments in technological innovations, military equipment alone has rarely sufficed to ensure victory. Indeed, war is an affair with humans, not hardware. Until recently, […]

National Security When the War Comes, What Should We Civilians Do?, Defense One ISIS in Afghanistan Is Like a Balloon That Won’t Pop, The Atlantic Trump’s Strategy to Knock Out North Korean Missiles Carries Risk, Bloomberg Last Year’s Top 5 Worst Nuclear Nightmares (That Aren’t Going Away), Defense One Where We’re Headed in 2018, Defense […]

National Security U.S. imposes sanctions on two key figures in North Korea’s weapons program, The Washington Post Trump’s National Security Strategy Is Nothing Like the British Empire’s ‘Blue Water’ Policy, Foreign Policy 2018 in defense: 5 major issues the Trump administration needs to tackle, The Hill How Trump could kill the Iran nuclear deal in […]

Featured article: Speak Smartly and Carry a Big Stick: Competing Successfully in the Global Narrative by Brian Anthony, Robert Lyons and Stuart Peebles “Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far,” the 26th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt famously advised. Notwithstanding the wisdom of Teddy Roosevelt, his advice may not […]