Political and security risk updates from the Open Briefing intelligence unit. World Cup 2014 commences in Brazil with no major reported incidents despite numerous protests, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant seizes large parts of Nineveh province and pushes further south towards Baghdad, meeting of Russian foreign minister and Finnish president fuels debate on NATO membership, and more.
Tag: United States
Remote-control warfare briefing #02
Monthly briefing on developments in remote-control warfare from the Open Briefing intelligence unit. This month: United States renews lease of Djibouti base important for counterterrorism and drone strike operations; new reports spur debate over drone research, export and proliferation; NSA allegedly hardwired backdoor access tools into intercepted exported US routers; and more.
The weekly briefing, 28 April 2014
Political and security risk updates from the Open Briefing intelligence unit. US president sheds light on strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific during regional tour, peace talks between Israel and Palestinian Authority come to halt following reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, Russian president holds special meeting on Arctic policy, and more.
Remote-control warfare briefing #01
The first in a new series of remote-control warfare monthly briefings. US special forces deployed to Uganda to assist in tracking down the LRA, Kiev accused of hiring US private military company to suppress pro-Russian dissent, new Israeli intelligence-gathering and surveillance system demonstrated during Brazilian carnival, and more.
The view from Russia: Russia reacts to looming sanctions
A fortnightly series looking at how major events and issues are reported in Russian media. This week we examine the Kremlin's reaction to the United States' threat to impose additional, more severe, economic sanctions against Russia if it does not cease interference in Ukraine and pull its troops back from the border.
The weekly briefing, 31 March 2014
Political and security risk updates from the Open Briefing intelligence unit. President Nicolás Maduro averts ‘military coup’ amid political crisis in Venezuela, North Korea launches two missiles into the Sea of Japan prior to high-level talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin orders Arctic military development, and more.
India: Jostling for geopolitical control in Afghanistan
In this article co-published with openDemocracy, Open Briefing contributing analyst Shazad Ali argues that the international community has somewhat ignored India's role in Afghanistan's future, which, in fact, will be pivotal as US forces drawdown in the country by the end of the year.
How Israel should approach Iran’s nuclear programme
In this article for the Jerusalem Post, Open Briefing Middle East analyst Kevjn Lim proposes a controversial three-part strategy to strengthen Israel's 'Iron Wall' by bringing a nuclear-threshold Iran under firm international constraints, restoring Israel’s conventional deterrence, and closing the gap with Israel’s closest allies.