Blog Posts

Continue on for the latest issue of the Combating Terrorism Center’s Sentinel.

"A handgun is not an aircraft carrier... The system is broken."

Short and sweet - Via USNI - SECDEF Mattis’ first message.

Continue on for a video recording and the transcript of President Trump’s inaugural address.

“President-elect Trump should zero in on the following lessons from the Surge.”

"Islamic State is fighting hard to reinforce its presence in Syria as it loses ground in Iraq."

Trump has professed no great power doctrine and his advisers discourage applying labels to his vision of the world.

“The U.S.-led coalition in Syria has amassed an Arab force it considers large enough to move the fight against Islamic State into the city of Raqqa.”

“The so-called Islamic State lost almost a quarter of its territory in 2016, according to new analysis.”

President-elect Donald Trump's campaign pledge to wage war on "radical Islamic terrorism" is about to become U.S. policy.

"With just days left as commander in chief, President Obama is confronting a wrenching decision on whether to move ahead with plans to arm Syrian Kurdish fighters battling the IS."

“A top NATO general said aspects of the alliance were ‘obsolete’, saying that the Western military alliance needs to adapt for a changing world.”

“These options would increase the risk for US troops beyond what Obama accepted. One option would put hundreds of additional US troops into a combat role to take Raqqa.”

“Officials credit their slow-and-steady strategy, centered on local combat power backed by U.S. air support, for the gradual recapture of much of the territory held by IS militants.”

"In a 33-page white paper, 'Restoring American Power,' McCain says the US military cannot do what he says it must."

“A period of looming unpredictability will make the role of the Department of Defense unusually important in shaping the Trump team’s thinking during its first year and beyond.”

"They are some of the biggest names in the Republican national security firmament, veterans of past GOP administrations."

A grand U.S. strategy for Syria - three options and the risks and gains for each.

"The president-elect favors people who have been successful in the private sector and amassed personal wealth over those who have achieved prominence in academic or policy fields."

"Outgoing CIA Director John Brennan on Sunday issued a stern parting rebuke to Republican Donald Trump."

To be sure all governments collect intelligence, including damaging information on rivals, real or imagined. But "kompromat" is an entrenched Russian practice.

“Commanders say they’re already fighting ISIS the right way: ‘by, with, and through’ local forces.”

U.S. officials are hailing the latest push by Iraqi forces into Mosul, confirming reports that a key government building has been retaken from Islamic State fighters.

"Twitter doesn’t do enough to proactively monitor, identify and remove terrorist-related accounts and hasn’t made an effective or prolonged effort to ensure that the accounts are not re-established."

Continue on for the executive summary and a link to this 11 January Lexington Institute study.