By Sam Kessler - Chief and Managing Editor This is Part 1 of a new series by the author called: “The Big Picture of the Russia-Ukraine War Series” The war in Ukraine is a catalyst breeding ground for several geopolitical and national security issues that have been looming in the background for several years. At this point in time there are recent efforts to de-escalate the … [Read more...] about How the War in Ukraine is Strengthening China and Weakening Russia
Featured Articles & Essays
These are typically individual analysis and think pieces that students, alumni, faculty, and guests of SDSS contribute to the publication.
For more information on the article and essay submission guidelines, please click here.
The Multi-Polar Role of Russia’s Primakov Doctrine and the Certainty of a Chinese-Russian Strategic Alliance
By Sam Kessler - Chief and Managing Editor ; SDSS President The new international system is one that has been built on trends, patterns, and indicators that have been in the making for several years. Trends are typically built on catalyst events and scenarios that cascade into a wide variety of situations and new norms that tend to result into both expected and unexpected … [Read more...] about The Multi-Polar Role of Russia’s Primakov Doctrine and the Certainty of a Chinese-Russian Strategic Alliance
Can Putin Restore Russia’s Superpower Status?
By Paul Seibel – Contributor Moscow’s intervention with Kazakhstan’s violent unrest earlier this year is a firm reminder that Russian hegemony in the former Soviet republics is still a priority for them. Tensions began to escalate among its citizens on January 2, 2022 over inflation and the Kazakhstan government’s decision to lift the price cap on fuel. Over several days, … [Read more...] about Can Putin Restore Russia’s Superpower Status?
AUKUS: Its Strategic Importance and What it Means for U.S. Allies and Quad Partners
By Katherine Sharp – Contributor The United States has long-maintained alliances with the United Kingdom and Australia by military cooperation and shared security concerns in the international community. Recently on September 15, 2021, the U.S. announced its formation of a new trilateral security pact with the United Kingdom and Australia known as AUKUS. This alliance will … [Read more...] about AUKUS: Its Strategic Importance and What it Means for U.S. Allies and Quad Partners
What Does the Taliban’s Return to Power Mean for China’s BRI Strategy in Central Asia?
By Paul Seibel – Contributor The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is an ambitious campaign to develop extensive economic networks across the world that incorporates soft power as a way to compete and undercut the United States and the Western liberal international order. This initiative is a key staple in the PRC’s foreign policy and is … [Read more...] about What Does the Taliban’s Return to Power Mean for China’s BRI Strategy in Central Asia?
Burma and China’s Strategy Beyond the Western Pacific: Assessing Instability and Opportunity
By Wayland Blue – Contributor After many years the Chinese and Burmese relationship has reversed itself from displaying limited importance to one that has great strategic value in this current period of great power competition between the United States (U.S.) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). As a result, the Indo-Pacific region has risen to prominence for U.S. … [Read more...] about Burma and China’s Strategy Beyond the Western Pacific: Assessing Instability and Opportunity
China and ASEAN’s Restructuring Reality in Light of the USMCA Trade Deal
By Sam Kessler – Chief & Managing Editor; Contributor The updated North American trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada that replaced the old NAFTA agreement is very much a policy that correlates with the 2017 U.S. National Security Strategy that emphasizes heavily on great power competition with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). In fact, the … [Read more...] about China and ASEAN’s Restructuring Reality in Light of the USMCA Trade Deal
The Hostile Vehicle Attack: An Example of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Sector Convergence
By Shelomo Alfassa, MPA, CEPD – Contributor Practitioners within the Homeland Security and Emergency Management communities have seriously discussed how their respective industries converge when responding to threats and emergencies. This discussion led to an intellectual debate on determining the juncture point where the Homeland Security and Emergency Management … [Read more...] about The Hostile Vehicle Attack: An Example of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Sector Convergence
Managing Conflict Escalation With Iran as Trump De-escalates the China Dispute
By Sam Kessler – Chief & Managing Editor; Contributor The end of 2019 illustrates the ongoing complexities in how the U.S. maneuvers between existing and evolving strategies in the Middle East and in Southeast Asia. However, this maneuvering process requires the effective utilization of developing and implementing viable strategies for both U.S. foreign policy and … [Read more...] about Managing Conflict Escalation With Iran as Trump De-escalates the China Dispute
New Friction Between the U.S., Iran, and China Makes Cyber Warfare More Attractive
By Sam Kessler - Chief & Managing Editor and Contributor Dustin Oaks - Contributor *Note: The two co-authors also wrote another article piece for Asian Affairs Magazine that discusses new U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper’s approach to tackling the Iran issue with a focus on the cyber, nuclear, proxy warfare, and China issues that surround it. The … [Read more...] about New Friction Between the U.S., Iran, and China Makes Cyber Warfare More Attractive
Drug Trafficking and Narcoterrorism Awareness Needs More Emphasis
By Alyssa LeVasseur - Contributor The scene is a typical afternoon in a quiet small neighborhood of houses where children regularly play outside and everyone knows each other’s name. A parent is currently playing with a drone and everyone thinks it is done to amuse the neighborhood kids. The awestruck children are fascinated by the drone but have no idea on the real reason … [Read more...] about Drug Trafficking and Narcoterrorism Awareness Needs More Emphasis
Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community: The Cyber Threat
By Brittany Lamon-Paredes - Contributor On February 13, 2018, “The Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community” was released to the general public. This report was presented to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and NSA Chief Mike … [Read more...] about Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community: The Cyber Threat
Chaos in Charlottesville
By Brian Moody - Contributor The city of Charlottesville became a battleground during a hot summer weekend in August, when white supremacist groups such as, the KKK, Neo-Nazi’s, and others, clashed with counter-protestors that included Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Antifa, a group that is anti-fascist as well as anti-capitalist. Antifa’s premise is to violently confront … [Read more...] about Chaos in Charlottesville
Renewed Russian Sanctions and its Impact on the China-Russia Relationship
By Sam Kessler - Chief & Managing Editor and Contributor Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress finalized the approval of renewed sanctions on the Russian Federation. This is a response to public outcry over allegations that Russia hacked the U.S. elections. However, it represents a continuation of U.S. sanctions policy toward Russia since their annexation of … [Read more...] about Renewed Russian Sanctions and its Impact on the China-Russia Relationship
