RUSI Journal October/November
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RUSI publications offer rigorous, timely and policy-relevant analysis of UK and international defence and security issues
Editor's Note: RUSI Journal, December 2018
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Emma De Angelis
Editor Dr Emma De Angelis introduces the December 2018 edition of the RUSI Journal.
Tags:
Book Review: Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Sue Onslow
Sue Onslow reviews Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945, by Paul Moorcraft.
Tags: History, Africa
Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: Lessons from a Successful Peace Process
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Anthony Regan
Can the success of the peace process in Bougainville offer useful lessons for similar situations?
Tags: Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Pacific
Book Review: Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Stephen F Szabo
Stephen F Szabo reviews Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way, by Paul Lever.
Tags: NATO, Germany, European Union, International Institutions, Europe
The Foreign Policy of Cities
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Simon Curtis and Michele Acuto
Cities are pursuing their own diplomatic activities and gaining increasing prominence in international affairs.
Tags: Defence Policy, Global Security Issues
Once a Terrorist, Always a Terrorist? How to Respond to the Women of Daesh
Newsbrief, 25 January 2019Katherine E Brown
The mass repatriation of women who had joined Daesh in Iraq and Syria poses difficult logistical, as well as moral, considerations for the UK. Rather than relying on gendered assumptions about their motives and participation, the response must be in line with the UK’s human rights commitments and focus on sustainable outcomes.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Tackling Extremism, UK, Domestic Security, National Security
China’s Growing Pains: A Review of 40 Years of Reform
Newsbrief, 23 January 2019Charles Parton
Now that Chinese President Xi Jinping has consolidated power within the Chinese Communist Party, the expectation is that he will turn his gaze to serious reform efforts needed to sustain the country’s rise. Changing an economic and social system described by Chinese leaders as ‘unsustainable’ without provoking instability – to be accomplished with the Party managing to stay in power and outrun problems of debt, demography, and water scarcity – will prove to be quite the challenge.
Tags: China, Global Security Issues
Amphibious Assault is Over
RUSI Defence Systems, 21 January 2019Sidharth Kaushal and Jack Watling
The conduct of amphibious operations is currently undergoing a drastic overhaul in response to an array of emerging threats
Tags: Equipment and Acquisitions, Maritime Forces
The Good Friday Agreement and Brexit
Newsbrief, 18 January 2019Sir Paul Lever
Brexit negotiations on the Northern Ireland border question reveal diverging views on the future of the Good Friday Agreement.
Tags: Brexit Briefings, European Union, UK
The Failure of China’s Security Policy in Xinjiang
Newsbrief, 11 January 2019Edward Schwarck
The mass internment of Xinjiang’s Uyghurs in supposed ‘re-education’ facilities as a means of combatting violent extremism suggests that Beijing lacks confidence in the effectiveness of its intelligence architecture, and by extension, its capacity to identify and eliminate actual terrorist threats.
Tags: China, Counterinsurgency, Intelligence, Technology, TerrorismPages
Introducing a Trauma-Informed Practice Framework to Provide Support in Conflict-Affected Countries: The Case of the Syrian White Helmets
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Nicola Lester
A proposal for a ‘trauma-informed’ framework to provide training and support to the Syrian White Helmets.
Tags: Resilience
Why the British Government Must Invest in the Next Generation of Intelligence Analysts
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Joe Devanny, Robert Dover, Michael S Goodman and David Omand
The UK government needs a new approach to intelligence.
Tags: Intelligence
Editor's Note: RUSI Journal, December 2018
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Emma De Angelis
Editor Dr Emma De Angelis introduces the December 2018 edition of the RUSI Journal.
Tags:
Book Review: Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Sue Onslow
Sue Onslow reviews Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945, by Paul Moorcraft.
Tags: History
Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: Lessons from a Successful Peace Process
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Anthony Regan
Can the success of the peace process in Bougainville offer useful lessons for similar situations?
Tags: Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Book Review: Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Stephen F Szabo
Stephen F Szabo reviews Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way, by Paul Lever.
Tags: NATO, European Union, International Institutions
The Foreign Policy of Cities
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Simon Curtis and Michele Acuto
Cities are pursuing their own diplomatic activities and gaining increasing prominence in international affairs.
Tags: Defence Policy, Global Security Issues
Book Review: Bolts from the Blue: From Cold War Warrior to Chief of the Air Staff
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott reviews Bolts from the Blue: From Cold War Warrior to Chief of the Air Staff, by Richard Johns.
Tags: Aerospace, History, Military Personnel
Beyond Force Transformation: Rethinking South Sudan’s Defence Policy
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Brian Adeba
South Sudan needs a new defence policy.
Tags: Defence Management, Defence Policy
Book Review: NATO’s Return to Europe: Engaging Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christian Nünlist
Christian Nünlist reviews NATO’s Return to Europe: Engaging Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond, edited by Rebecca R Moore and Damon Coletta.
Tags: NATO, Defence Policy, International Institutions
Spinning Russia’s 21st Century Wars: Zakhar Prilepin and his ‘Literary Spetsnaz’
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Julie Fedor
Cultural celebrity Zakhar Prilepin is a prominent voice in Russia’s militaristic popular discourse.
Tags: Art, Culture and Literature
Strategic Net Assessment: Opportunities and Pitfalls
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Peter Roberts and Sidharth Kaushal
What are the strengths of strategic net assessment?
Tags: Defence Policy, Intelligence
Book Review: An Army of Tribes: British Army Cohesion, Deviancy and Murder in Northern Ireland
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christian Tripodi
Christian Tripodi reviews An Army of Tribes: British Army Cohesion, Deviancy and Murder in Northern Ireland, by Edward Burke.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Counterinsurgency, Security Policy, History, Securing Britain, Terrorism
Svalbard: NATO’s Arctic ‘Achilles’ Heel’
RUSI Journal, 6 December 2018James K Wither
The archipelago of Svalbard shows how emergent issues in the Arctic could lead to new tensions between Russia and NATO.
Tags: NATO
Conrad’s Anxious Armistice
RUSI Journal, 6 December 2018Andrew Glazzard
Joseph Conrad’s reaction to the Armistice in 1918 was tinged with anxiety about the future.
Tags: Armed Forces, The Great War
Shooting the Messenger: Do Not Blame the Internet for Terrorism
Newsbrief, 15 February 2019Andrew Glazzard
The internet clearly matters to terrorists, but online content by itself rarely causes people to carry out terrorist attacks. Responses should therefore not be limited to the mass removal of terrorist content from online platforms.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Tackling Extremism, Information, Technology, Terrorism
Mackinder, Spykman and the Geopolitical Significance of Ballistic Missile Defence
Newsbrief, 8 February 2019Peter Roberts and Sidharth Kaushal
As missile defence becomes a central feature of many states’ security postures, it is attendant to frame the enterprise in a wider strategic context to understand its importance. The classic geopolitical dichotomy between Heartland and Rimland states outlined by Halford Mackinder and Nicholas Spykman might help us understand the geopolitical significance of global allied missile defences.
Tags: Global Strategy and Commitments, Maritime Forces
Once a Terrorist, Always a Terrorist? How to Respond to the Women of Daesh
Newsbrief, 25 January 2019Katherine E Brown
The mass repatriation of women who had joined Daesh in Iraq and Syria poses difficult logistical, as well as moral, considerations for the UK. Rather than relying on gendered assumptions about their motives and participation, the response must be in line with the UK’s human rights commitments and focus on sustainable outcomes.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Tackling Extremism, Domestic Security, National Security
China’s Growing Pains: A Review of 40 Years of Reform
Newsbrief, 23 January 2019Charles Parton
Now that Chinese President Xi Jinping has consolidated power within the Chinese Communist Party, the expectation is that he will turn his gaze to serious reform efforts needed to sustain the country’s rise. Changing an economic and social system described by Chinese leaders as ‘unsustainable’ without provoking instability – to be accomplished with the Party managing to stay in power and outrun...
Tags: Global Security Issues
The Good Friday Agreement and Brexit
Newsbrief, 18 January 2019Sir Paul Lever
Brexit negotiations on the Northern Ireland border question reveal diverging views on the future of the Good Friday Agreement.
Tags: Brexit Briefings, European Union
The Failure of China’s Security Policy in Xinjiang
Newsbrief, 11 January 2019Edward Schwarck
The mass internment of Xinjiang’s Uyghurs in supposed ‘re-education’ facilities as a means of combatting violent extremism suggests that Beijing lacks confidence in the effectiveness of its intelligence architecture, and by extension, its capacity to identify and eliminate actual terrorist threats.
Tags: Counterinsurgency, Intelligence, Technology, Terrorism
Small Parcels, Big Risks: The Forgotten Security Dimensions of the EU’s Digital Single Market Strategy
Newsbrief, 13 December 2018Alexandria Reid
E-commerce and cross-border delivery services within the EU are about to become more competitive, as new regulations introduced by the European Commission will permit a consumer in France to purchase a Gucci handbag from the company’s Romanian website with greater ease. While consumers are likely to rejoice at renewed efforts to harmonise prices across the single market, organised crime groups...
Tags: European Union, Organised Crime
The End of the Mexican War on Drugs?
Newsbrief, 30 November 2018Eduardo Guerrero
For the first time in a decade, Mexico can expect key changes to its security policy. While the ongoing war on drugs has proven to be an epic failure, the outcomes of the new strategy are uncertain.
Tags: Civil–Military Relations, Counterinsurgency, Organised Crime
Show us the Money: What to Expect from the UK’s First Unexplained Wealth Order
Newsbrief, 23 November 2018Florence Keen
The spendthrift wife of a jailed Azerbaijani banker has emerged as the subject of the UK’s first Unexplained Wealth Order, but will the tool mature into an effective method of combatting ‘dirty money’ at the heart of London’s luxury property market?
Tags: AML/CTF
Amphibious Assault is Over
RUSI Defence Systems, 21 January 2019Sidharth Kaushal and Jack Watling
In response the USMC has acknowledged the need for a ‘paradigm shift and the reinvigoration of a unified naval approach that effectively integrates sea control and maritime power projection capabilities’. The USMC’s answer – still being refined – is Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO). Rather than being supported by the US Navy at sea, the Marines instead provide crucial support to the...
Tags: Equipment and Acquisitions, Maritime Forces
What Does the Future of Land Fires Look Like?
RUSI Defence Systems, 20 November 2018Adam Coffey
In early 2018, a US forward operating base in Syria came under fire from an unknown massed force, which included tanks and artillery. The US commander, Brigadier General Jonathon Braga, ordered his force to return fire in self-defence. In a three-hour engagement US artillery, supported by layers of ISR assets and airstrikes, killed and wounded up to 300 enemy fighters, and many support and...
Tags: Land Forces
Australia’s Aegis Destroyer Will Improve its Defensive Capabilities
RUSI Defence Systems, 13 August 2018Debalina Ghoshal
The recent deal is comprehensive and includes command display systems; consoles; multimission display systems including projectors, sensors and cameras; Tactical Equivalent AEGIS LAN Interconnect System Cabinets; Tactical Equivalent AEGIS LAN Interconnect System (ALIS); Tactical Equivalent Advanced Storage Area Network Cabinets; Global Command and Control System- Maritime; Cooperative Engagement...
Tags: Maritime Forces
Enter the Tempest
RUSI Defence Systems, 16 July 2018Justin Bronk
The various artworks and the demonstrator model all includes canted vertical stabilisers, which are a feature on all currently operational fighter aircraft, but not the US Air Force’s famous B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, or various flying wing/cranked kite shapes that have come to characterise unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) demonstrators produced around the world, including Taranis, nEUROn,...
Tags: Aerospace
A Fourth F-35 Variant?
RUSI Defence Systems, 15 June 2018Andrew Hartland
STOVL Vs CV Operation - Benefits and LimitationsThe traditional method of operating fast jets from ships is to use steam-operated catapaults for take-off and arrester wires and tailhooks for landing. These systems are expensive, high maintenance and require a large ship to permit efficient flight deck operations. They also impose large loads on the aircraft and hence significant weight penalties...
Tags: Aerospace
Counter-UAS – a ‘Wicked’ Problem?
RUSI Defence Systems, 6 June 2018Adam Coffey
The need to counter UAS has been understood for some time but has so far gained limited traction within stretched budgets and competing demands. However, this is changing and a whole spectrum of projects have been started to address this challenge. With such a wide variety of potential UAS threats to tackle, it is unsurprising that unique and innovative approach are being tested, from training...
Tags: Technology
The European Fighter Cooperation Question: How Many UK F-35s?
RUSI Defence Systems, 18 May 2018Justin Bronk
BAE Systems, which is one of the prime partners within the Eurofighter consortium that produced Typhoon, and which also produces significant parts of each F-35 built globally, faces a major problem. While ongoing upgrades to Typhoon for customers such as Kuwait and Qatar, and potentially Germany, help to maintain a core of design, integration and testing skills in the workforce, the Typhoon...
Tags: Aerospace
The lights are going out all over Europe
RUSI Defence Systems, 27 April 2018Joss Meakins
Attacks on energy infrastructure are not new. In 2007, the US government ran the Aurora Test to prove that a cyberattack could destroy the physical components of a generator. A few years later, US intelligence used Stuxnet to destroy and disrupt Iranian nuclear centrifuges. This operation presaged a new dawn in cyber warfare, vividly illustrating the digital vulnerability of energy systems....
Tags: Cyber
Networked Air Warfare – Where Next?
RUSI Defence Systems, 26 March 2018Andrew Hartland
In parallel with the development of UAVs, the use of airborne sensor/C2 platforms such as the EC-121 and E-3 AWACS for air targets and the E-8 JSTARS and Sentinel R-1 for ground targets has also steadily increased. The radars on these platforms are much more capable than those carried by any fighter-type aircraft because of greater size and power. As a result, they could take on much of the...
Tags: Aerospace
China’s 21st Century Maritime Silk Road: Implications for the UK
Occasional Papers, 14 February 2019Veerle Nouwens
This Occasional Paper explores China's Maritime Silk Road in economic and political terms, its maritime routes, its key destinations and example projects, and its potential strategic implications for the UK
Tags: China
Project Sandstone Report 1: The Jie Shun Incident
Other Publications, 6 February 2019James Byrne and Tom Plant
This report examines potential connections between Chinese state-owned enterprises and the North Korean arms trade.
Tags: China, North Korea
Roundtable to Discuss Russian Involvement in Ukraine's Elections
Conference Reports, 7 February 2019Ewan Lawson
A RUSI roundtable in January 2019 discussed Russia's involvement in elections in Ukraine, in light of the country's upcoming election. Tools for involvement have included political destabilisation, media manipulation, and economic interconnection. Participants discussed Ukraine's resistance to influence and the need for further study.
Tags: Ukraine, Global Strategy and Commitments, Russia, International Responses, Law and Ethics, Resilience
Public–Private Collaboration to Counter the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes: What Can be Learnt from Efforts on Terrorist Financing?
Other Publications, 7 February 2019Florence Keen
Notwithstanding inherent differences between the counterterrorist financing regime and the regulatory regime governing communication service providers, there are clear benefits in taking lessons learnt from longstanding efforts on terrorist financing into account when developing a response to the online terrorist threat.
Tags: AML/CTF, Tackling Extremism, Information, Technology, Terrorism
Swiss–UK Dialogue: Promoting a Coordinated Response to De-Risking
Conference Reports, 11 January 2019Florence Keen and Kayla Izenman
On 29 October 2018, RUSI and the Embassy of Switzerland in the UK jointly hosted a conference on de-risking, the phenomenon of financial institutions ending or restricting relationships with clients (such as non-profit organisations) that are deemed financially risky. Given that de-risking efforts often lead to the displacement of financial risk and the interruption of counterterrorism efforts rather than the reduction of overall risk, conference participants sought solutions.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, AML/CTF, Global Strategy and Commitments, UK, Global Security Issues, National Security, Organised Crime, Resilience, Europe
Deradicalisation and Disengagement in Somalia: Evidence from a Rehabilitation Programme for Former Members of Al-Shabaab
Whitehall Reports, 4 January 2019James Khalil, Rory Brown, Chris Chant, Peter Olowo and Nick Wood
This report examines efforts in Somalia to disengage and deradicalise former members of Al-Shabaab through the Serendi rehabilitation centre. This programme is designed to weaken the group's influence by providing an attractive alternative. The report analyses the programme's effectiveness and makes a case for exploring similar initiatives in other comparable environments.
Tags: Tackling Extremism, International Responses, Terrorism, Africa
Armed Drones in the Middle East: Proliferation and Norms in the Region
Occasional Papers, 17 December 2018Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi and Justin Bronk
This Occasional Paper aims to provide an in-depth inventory of armed drones possessed by Middle Eastern states, assessing quantity, types and timeframes; and to explore where and how armed drones have been used so far, to assess whether and how countries' practices and ethical considerations around airpower and airstrikes are affected.
Tags: Aerospace, Middle East and North Africa
Lethal Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy
Conference Reports, 14 December 2018Peter Roberts
RUSI convened a conference on Lethal Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy on 7 November 2018, aimed at illuminating some of the challenges that are unique to military forces in the use of AI and autonomy
Tags: Defence Policy, Technology
Peacekeeping After Brexit
Conference Reports, 12 December 2018David Curran, Georgina Holmes and Philip Cunliffe
On 7 September 2018, the British International Studies Association (BISA) Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Working Group, in partnership with RUSI, held a roundtable on the future of the UK's relations with UN peace operations in the event of Brexit.
Tags: United Nations, Brexit Briefings, European Union, UK, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding, Europe
Leaning In: Advancing the Role of Finance Against Modern Slavery
Occasional Papers, 11 December 2018Jo Webb and Tom Keatinge
This paper explores the role that the financial sector can play in reducing human trafficking and modern slavery through exerting responsibility and leverage.
Tags: Security Policy, Global Security Issues, International Institutions, Law and Ethics, Organised Crime, Resilience
The Scale of Money Laundering in the UK: Too Big to Measure?
Briefing Papers, 11 February 2019Anton Moiseienko and Tom Keatinge
By measuring the measurable – rather than lamenting the immeasurability of the immeasurable – the lower bounds of the scale of money laundering in the UK can be established.
Tags: AML/CTF, Intelligence
Brexit and European Security
Briefing Papers, 26 February 2018Malcolm Chalmers
RUSI Deputy Director-General Malcolm Chalmers looks at the security implications for the UK and Europe post-Brexit.
Tags: European Union
National Security Relations with France after Brexit
Briefing Papers, 15 January 2018Peter Ricketts
Written by Lord Peter Ricketts, former National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France, this Briefing Paper recommends that the UK and France step up joint work on defence, security and nuclear deterrence policy.
Tags: France, Defence Policy, UK, Intelligence
A New State in the Middle East? From the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the Republic of Kurdistan
Briefing Papers, 19 September 2017Gareth Stansfield
The likely result of the upcoming referendum in the Kurdish areas of Iraq will create a dilemma for the Iraqi state and foreign powers.
Tags: Iraq, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Still International by Design? Towards a Post-Brexit SDSR
Briefing Papers, 11 May 2017Malcolm Chalmers
The next British government will have to decide whether an earlier than anticipated review of the UK's military capabilities is needed.
Tags: Armed Forces, Defence Spending, Brexit Briefings, Equipment and Acquisitions, Defence Management, Defence Policy, UK, UK Defence, Europe
Ready for Peace? The Afghan Taliban after a Decade of War
Briefing Papers, 31 January 2017Theo Farrell and Michael Semple
Despite high-profile success on the battlefield, interviews with Taliban personnel reveal substantial discord within the group.
Tags: Afghanistan, The decade after 9/11, The Pakistan Nexus, Counterinsurgency, The War on Terror, Central and South Asia
UK Foreign and Security Policy after Brexit
Briefing Papers, 9 January 2017Malcolm Chalmers
Despite a looming split, the UK must seek to create a new relationship with the EU while strengthening ties with major European and non-European partners. Such measures could allow the UK to continue to contribute to resolving major security challenges.
Tags: Brexit Briefings, European Union, Security Policy, UK, Europe
Russia Confronts NATO: Confidence-Destruction Measures
Briefing Papers, 6 July 2016Igor Sutyagin
Dr Igor Sutyagin argues that while Russia's recent military modernisation constitutes an important change in its own right, the most significant change is not to the size of the Russian military but to the nature of its forces: instead of being primarily structured for defensive operations (in case of a hypothetical large-scale military conflict), the Russian armed forces are now gaining an offensive-oriented structure, with capabilities tailored for large-scale war.
Tags: NATO, Ukraine, Russia
Would a New SDSR Be Needed After a Brexit Vote?
Briefing Papers, 3 June 2016Malcolm Chalmers
Professor Malcolm Chalmers presents a personal argument stating that a UK decision to leave the EU would be as significant a shift in UK national strategy as the decision in the late 1960s to withdraw from bases East of Suez and, as a result, would necessitate a new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).
Tags: Defence Spending, Brexit Briefings, European Union, Scottish Defence and Security Policy, Defence Policy, UK, UK Defence, Europe
Spending Matters: Defence and Security Budgets after the 2015 Spending Review
Briefing Papers, 13 May 2016Malcolm Chalmers
While the 2015 Spending Review confirmed a stabilisation in the total defence and security budget after a period of sharp decline, a new RUSI report reveals a substantial shift in the way this is being spent across the government.
Tags: Defence Management, Defence Policy, UK
Security in Northern Europe: Deterrence, Defence and Dialogue
Whitehall Papers, 25 October 2018Edited by John Andreas Olsen
There are a number of challenges facing NATO members in coordinatng their response to Russia.
Tags: United States, US Defence Policy, NATO, North America, Americas, Germany, Russia, France, Defence Policy, UK, International Institutions, Europe
Strategic Hedging in the Arabian Peninsula: The Politics of the Gulf-Asian Rapprochement
Whitehall Papers, 20 September 2018Jean-Loup Samaan
Offering a new perspective on the geopolitics of Gulf-Asian relations.
Tags: Pacific, Central and South Asia, Middle East and North Africa
Making Mogadishu Safe: Localisation, Policing and Sustainable Security
Whitehall Papers, 31 July 2018Alice Hills
Tailoring approaches to local conditions has been an important aspect of community security in Mogadishu.
Tags: Horn of Africa, Tackling Extremism, Domestic Security, National Security, Terrorism, Africa
The Spectre of a Westphalian Europe?
Whitehall Papers, 7 March 2018Luis Simón
European geopolitics is undergoing a major structural revision.
Tags: NATO, Germany, European Union, Russia, France, Defence Policy, UK, UK Defence, Europe
Russia's New Ground Forces: Capabilities, Limitations and Implications for International Security
Whitehall Papers, 28 June 2017Igor Sutaygin with Justin Bronk
Russia is undertaking a number of reforms to enhance the capabilities of its land forces in the twenty-first century.
Tags: Russia, Defence Policy, Land Forces, Europe
China's Eurasian Pivot: The Silk Road Economic Belt
Whitehall Papers, 31 May 2017Raffaello Pantucci and Sarah Lain
The modern Silk Road is a key component of China's political and economic strategy in Eurasia.
Tags: China, Pacific
NATO and the North Atlantic: Revitalising Collective Defence
Whitehall Papers, 6 March 2017Edited by John Andreas Olsen
NATO will need to respond effectively to Russia's return to the North Atlantic.
Tags: US Defence Policy, NATO, North America, Defence Policy, Maritime Forces, UK Defence, Europe
Poaching, Wildlife Trafficking and Security in Africa: Myths and Realities
Whitehall Papers, 30 November 2016Edited by Cathy Haenlein and M L R Smith
A multidimensional approach is needed to combat poaching and wildlife trafficking and the security and environmental challenges that they have created.
Tags: Global Security Issues, Africa
Indian Power Projection: Ambition, Arms and Influence (WHP 85)
Whitehall Papers, 27 December 2015Shashank Joshi
India’s power projection remains in a nascent stage while its threat perceptions continue to be dominated by local threats. But as the country’s power, interests and capabilities all grow, India may once more find itself using military force beyond its land borders
Tags: Aerospace, India, Defence Management, Defence Policy, Maritime Forces
Target Markets: North Korea’s Military Customers in the Sanctions Era (WHP 84)
Whitehall Papers, 8 December 2015Andrea Berger
Despite a decade-long UN arms embargo, North Korea continues to export conventional weapons to state and non-state clients around the world. Understanding the drivers of this trade is essential if the sanctions regime is to be strengthened.
Tags: North Korea, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy
Shooting the Messenger: Do Not Blame the Internet for Terrorism
Newsbrief, 15 February 2019Andrew Glazzard
The internet clearly matters to terrorists, but online content by itself rarely causes people to carry out terrorist attacks. Responses should therefore not be limited to the mass removal of terrorist content from online platforms.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Tackling Extremism, National Security Studies, Information, Technology, Terrorism
Mackinder, Spykman and the Geopolitical Significance of Ballistic Missile Defence
Newsbrief, 8 February 2019Peter Roberts and Sidharth Kaushal
As missile defence becomes a central feature of many states’ security postures, it is attendant to frame the enterprise in a wider strategic context to understand its importance. The classic geopolitical dichotomy between Heartland and Rimland states outlined by Halford Mackinder and Nicholas Spykman might help us understand the geopolitical significance of global allied missile defences.
Tags: Global Strategy and Commitments, Military Sciences, Maritime Forces
Strategic Net Assessment: Opportunities and Pitfalls
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Peter Roberts and Sidharth Kaushal
What are the strengths of strategic net assessment?
Tags: Defence Policy, Intelligence
Introducing a Trauma-Informed Practice Framework to Provide Support in Conflict-Affected Countries: The Case of the Syrian White Helmets
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Nicola Lester
A proposal for a ‘trauma-informed’ framework to provide training and support to the Syrian White Helmets.
Tags: Resilience
Editor's Note: RUSI Journal, December 2018
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Emma De Angelis
Editor Dr Emma De Angelis introduces the December 2018 edition of the RUSI Journal.
Tags:
Book Review: Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Sue Onslow
Sue Onslow reviews Total Onslaught: War and Revolution in Southern Africa Since 1945, by Paul Moorcraft.
Tags: History
Book Review: Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Stephen F Szabo
Stephen F Szabo reviews Berlin Rules: Europe and the German Way, by Paul Lever.
Tags: NATO, European Union, International Institutions
Beyond Force Transformation: Rethinking South Sudan’s Defence Policy
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Brian Adeba
South Sudan needs a new defence policy.
Tags: Defence Management, Defence Policy
Spinning Russia’s 21st Century Wars: Zakhar Prilepin and his ‘Literary Spetsnaz’
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Julie Fedor
Cultural celebrity Zakhar Prilepin is a prominent voice in Russia’s militaristic popular discourse.
Tags: Art, Culture and Literature
Book Review: An Army of Tribes: British Army Cohesion, Deviancy and Murder in Northern Ireland
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christian Tripodi
Christian Tripodi reviews An Army of Tribes: British Army Cohesion, Deviancy and Murder in Northern Ireland, by Edward Burke.
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, Counterinsurgency, Security Policy, History, Securing Britain, Terrorism
Why the British Government Must Invest in the Next Generation of Intelligence Analysts
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Joe Devanny, Robert Dover, Michael S Goodman and David Omand
The UK government needs a new approach to intelligence.
Tags: Intelligence
Bougainville, Papua New Guinea: Lessons from a Successful Peace Process
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Anthony Regan
Can the success of the peace process in Bougainville offer useful lessons for similar situations?
Tags: Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
The Foreign Policy of Cities
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Simon Curtis and Michele Acuto
Cities are pursuing their own diplomatic activities and gaining increasing prominence in international affairs.
Tags: Defence Policy, Global Security Issues
Book Review: Bolts from the Blue: From Cold War Warrior to Chief of the Air Staff
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott reviews Bolts from the Blue: From Cold War Warrior to Chief of the Air Staff, by Richard Johns.
Tags: Aerospace, History, Military Personnel
Book Review: NATO’s Return to Europe: Engaging Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond
RUSI Journal, 28 January 2019Christian Nünlist
Christian Nünlist reviews NATO’s Return to Europe: Engaging Ukraine, Russia, and Beyond, edited by Rebecca R Moore and Damon Coletta.
Tags: NATO, Defence Policy, International Institutions
In Context podcast - Episode 2: Baroness Ashton
Multimedia, 12 October 2018This time Karin von Hippel talks to the European Union’s former foreign policy chief, Baroness Cathy Ashton. We’ll be talking about the EU, the Iran Deal and... Daleks.
Tags: Europe
In Context podcast - Episode 1: Chris DiBona
Multimedia, 28 September 2018For the first In Context podcast, RUSI Director-General Dr Karin von Hippel talks to Chris DiBona, Director of Open Source at Google. Chris has witnessed the rise of one of the biggest tech firms on...
Tags: Technology
US Sanctions on Russia
Multimedia, 10 August 2018Emily Ferris, RUSI Research Fellow, on the new US sanctions on Russia and what the Russian response might look like.
Tags: United States, International Security Studies, Russia
Imran Khan's Pakistan
Multimedia, 27 July 2018Raffaello Pantucci and Kamal Alam talk about the recent election victory by Imran Khan in Pakistan.
Tags: Pakistan, International Security Studies, Global Security Issues, Central and South Asia
NATO Round-table
Multimedia, 11 July 2018A round table discussion on the up coming NATO summit between Jonathan Eyal, Malcolm Chalmers and Emily Winterbotham.
Tags: NATO
Episode 8 – Janice Charette
Upholding Stability in the Middle East: An Opportunity for Russia–Europe Cooperation?
Malcolm Chalmers assesses Defence Secretary's Speech at RUSI