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Articles 31 - 55 of 55
Full-Text Articles in Defense and Security Studies
Czech Cultural Identity: Incompatible With Mass Muslim Immigration And Contributes To Rising European Populism, Alana Thi Vorda
Czech Cultural Identity: Incompatible With Mass Muslim Immigration And Contributes To Rising European Populism, Alana Thi Vorda
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis examines the respective successes and failures of the Czech experience with integrating Roma and Vietnamese immigrants, and asserts that, given deeply established historical and cultural narratives, and contemporary domestic political considerations as shown in these two previous cases, the Czech Republic is unlikely to effectively assimilate any new surge in Muslim immigration. Developments in the Czech Republic are likely, therefore, to reflect the accelerating populist momentum that is currently sweeping Central and Eastern European states.
Rivalry In The Middle East: The History Of Saudi-Iranian Relations And Its Implications On American Foreign Policy, Derika Weddington
Rivalry In The Middle East: The History Of Saudi-Iranian Relations And Its Implications On American Foreign Policy, Derika Weddington
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The history of Saudi-Iranian relations has been fraught. This relationship has impacted the United States’ role in the Persian Gulf. Prior to the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran could be characterized in terms of mutual understanding which allowed them to become integral parts of the American foreign policy in the1970s. This policy was intended to safeguard Western interests in the Persian Gulf after the British left. Saudi-Iranian cooperation during this time was in stark contrast to the hostile relationship that developed between them following the Iranian Revolution in 1979. …
Midnight In America: Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse And The 21st Century Threat To The United States, Angela Weaver
Midnight In America: Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse And The 21st Century Threat To The United States, Angela Weaver
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects produced by the detonation of a nuclear weapon at high altitude are capable of causing widespread destruction in the U.S. homeland with few to no immediate casualties. The threat of nuclear EMP attack against the United States was recognized as probable during the Cold War but as time passed, the threat lost consciousness among U.S. policy makers as other issues and threats rose to the forefront. Simultaneously, the United States military and civilian society grew increasingly reliant upon emerging electronic systems and capabilities while adversary nations and rogue states rapidly pursued nuclear weapons capabilities. Today, …
A Radical Idea: Applying Psychological Strategy To Combat Foreign Fighters Defending The Islamic State, David Michael Smaney
A Radical Idea: Applying Psychological Strategy To Combat Foreign Fighters Defending The Islamic State, David Michael Smaney
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis focuses on the necessity of psychological strategies to combat the Islamic State’s recruitment of foreign fighters. This thesis argues that psychological strategies are a primary weapon due to the psychological nature of the war against the Islamic State, which is a part of the overall war of ideas. This thesis does not consider psychological strategies for other aspects of U.S. counterterrorism strategy, nor does it reflect the difficulties involved with developing U.S. strategies in the U.S. federal government. Furthermore, this thesis only focuses on foreign fighter defending and supporting the Islamic State, which is the successor of Al …
The Third Offset: The U.S. Strategy To Combat Future Threats, Brian Charles Kempf
The Third Offset: The U.S. Strategy To Combat Future Threats, Brian Charles Kempf
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and into the 21st Century, the United States (U.S.) has continued to maintain global commitments and a global presence. In addition, the U.S. has expanded its aspirations to address a more diverse range of global security challenges than in previous periods; from conventional conflicts to climate change. In order to meet the demands of a 21st century superpower, the U.S. Department of Defense is expected to conduct a broad range of operations across a spectrum of threats. Indeed, U.S. technological superiority is a hallmark of U.S. military prowess and has been instrumental in …
Constrained Cognition: Information Management And The Practical Limits Of Nuclear Escalation Control, Luke James O'Brien
Constrained Cognition: Information Management And The Practical Limits Of Nuclear Escalation Control, Luke James O'Brien
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Nuclear escalation control theory rests on the idea that decision makers, in a limited nuclear war scenario, will choose their actions based on a rational assessment of the available information. That information essentially consists of intelligence reports about one's adversary and information reporting the status of one's own forces' ability to execute offensive actions and the damage level of vital national targets. Yet the practical limits of managing the flow and quality of this information, coupled with the fog and friction inherent in human analyses, significantly affect the decision-making process vis-à-vis nuclear escalation. Hence, these limitations cast a pall over …
International Law And The Use Of Lawfare: An Argument For The U.S. To Adopt A Lawfare Doctrine, Trevor Michael Alfred Logan
International Law And The Use Of Lawfare: An Argument For The U.S. To Adopt A Lawfare Doctrine, Trevor Michael Alfred Logan
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The purpose of this thesis is to develop a comprehensive operational definition of lawfare, analyze historical case studies of states currently implementing lawfare strategies, and to make an argument for why the U.S. should adopt a lawfare doctrine. Chapter 1 will focus on defining the concept of lawfare and drafting an operational definition of lawfare. Chapter 2 focuses on the evolution of the lawfare doctrine established by the People's Republic of China (PRC), identifies the current lawfare operations conducted by the PRC in the fields of maritime, airspace, cyberspace, and outer space, and analyzing the implications of PRC lawfare operations …
Energy Transformation: Examining How Nuclear And Solar Power Could Enhance Stability In The Middle East Region And Implications For U.S. Policy, Brett Matthew Roenigk
Energy Transformation: Examining How Nuclear And Solar Power Could Enhance Stability In The Middle East Region And Implications For U.S. Policy, Brett Matthew Roenigk
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The U.S. Department of Energy projects that rapid growth in population and access to domestic resources will cause the Middle East's energy consumption to increase by 95% from 2012 to 2040. Currently, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates do not have enough installed power capacity to handle this increase in consumption. Due to this, these states are looking to solar and nuclear power to diversify their energy sectors. This thesis' focus is to examine the impending energy demand crisis that will affect Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Jordan. I argue that solar and nuclear power …
Human Trafficking: A Global Tragedy In Five Acts, Cynthia Rhiannon Knight
Human Trafficking: A Global Tragedy In Five Acts, Cynthia Rhiannon Knight
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Transnational security is an emerging sub-field within the broader scope of international relations. Human trafficking is a wide-spread but rarely emphasized threat to global security with powerful transnational dimensions. This type of crime threatens security at all levels of society. At the individual level, the victims of trafficking are abused, tortured, and experience incredible trauma. The traffickers themselves exploit weaknesses at the state level, either leveraging lack of political will or corrupt officials into their schemes to make more money, or by circumventing lax laws entirely. States have serious power to affect change at this level, particularly in the realm …
Frozen Conflicts, De Facto States, And Enduring Interests In The Russian Near Abroad, Brittany A. Pohl
Frozen Conflicts, De Facto States, And Enduring Interests In The Russian Near Abroad, Brittany A. Pohl
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The dissolution of the Soviet Union resulted in the establishment of fifteen sovereign nations and a number of separatist states concentrated in the greater Black Sea region. The latter, so-called de facto states, are the result of frozen conflicts that emerged as Moscow's grip over its territory weakened in the waning years of the USSR and dormant ethno-religious tensions erupted into internecine conflict. Separatists, ultimately with help from Moscow, were able to enshrine victories on the battlefield through ceasefires with metropolitan states that have held for over two decades. However, the issues surrounding these pseudo-states remain unsettled, and attempts at …
Concurrent Biological, Electromagnetic Pulse, And Cyber Attacks - A Challenge To The Interagency Response, Patricia Rohrbeck
Concurrent Biological, Electromagnetic Pulse, And Cyber Attacks - A Challenge To The Interagency Response, Patricia Rohrbeck
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The U.S. including its military depends on an electrical grid and electricity-based critical infrastructure. An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and cyber attack can disable not just a significant portion of the electrical grid and critical infrastructure, but also the networkcentric military response to such an attack. There is a large range of actors that might attempt EMP attacks against the U.S.. Health surveillance systems are network-centric, and if mass destruction is the goal of an adversary, launching a biological attack concurrently with EMP and cyber attacks may achieve this goal. Current agency response plans focus on one WMD attack at a …
Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: The Case For International Prohibition, Kenneth Brandon Turner
Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: The Case For International Prohibition, Kenneth Brandon Turner
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
In October of 2001, an American unmanned aerial vehicle was credited with the first 'kill' by a drone strike, setting off an enduring debate on the role of unmanned systems in warfare. Over a decade later, the number and capability of unmanned systems have grown and are rapidly expanding in use worldwide, the proliferation of weaponized ‘drones' now extending to non-state actors as well as nation-states. This thesis examines the current and future state of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and the argument that the development and deployment of LAWS should be subject to an international prohibition until the facets …
Challenges Of Implementing Defense Policies To Deter Hostile Actors In Space And Cyberspace, Stephan Dwayne Bjerring Powers
Challenges Of Implementing Defense Policies To Deter Hostile Actors In Space And Cyberspace, Stephan Dwayne Bjerring Powers
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Space and cyber operations have changed national security for both nations and non-state actors worldwide. The low barriers to entry have allowed less sophisticated nations and actors to have an impact on the U.S. and near-peer nations. The lack of attribution and the ability to obfuscate the source of the space or cyber weapon will make the case for wartime retaliation difficult. The highly proactive antisatellite weapons test conducted by China in 2007 and the alleged employment of Stuxnet against Iran's nuclear program by the United States and Israel illustrates the potentially destabilizing effects to high priority national programs. If …
The Relevance Of Militant Islamist Ideology In Crafting Countering Violent Extremism Policy In The U.S., Leena Almeda Carmenates
The Relevance Of Militant Islamist Ideology In Crafting Countering Violent Extremism Policy In The U.S., Leena Almeda Carmenates
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Militant Islamist ideology and the level of attention and reaction it merits from the United States government has been the point of much contention and debate within both the academic and policy communities. The purpose of this thesis is to discuss the relevance of militant Islamist ideology in crafting and implementing the emerging United States policy of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). Militant Islamist ideology provides its adherents with a strong sense of identity, motivation towards a seemingly worthy cause, and an all-encompassing and simplistic worldview. This ultimately points to the importance of engaging with the Muslim community, careful and tactful …
Japan: Nuclearizing The Reclining Dragon?, Michael Ladon Cribb Jr.
Japan: Nuclearizing The Reclining Dragon?, Michael Ladon Cribb Jr.
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Japan may be about to cross the threshold of a slow march toward nuclearization. This thesis will highlight signals that Japan not only has the means to develop nuclear weapons but maybe approaching a culmination point where Japan will cross the nuclear threshold. This thesis relies on a range of open-source documents and previously classified documents of the United States and Japan in order to reveal some of these subtle indications. Japan relies on four main factors to maintain its non–nuclear status: its alliance with the United States, nuclear deterrence underwritten by the United States, regional stability, and the nuclear …
Law V. Safety: Balancing Domestic Surveillance's Legal Deficiencies Against The Necessity Of Counterterrorism, Jeremy Kommel-Bernstein
Law V. Safety: Balancing Domestic Surveillance's Legal Deficiencies Against The Necessity Of Counterterrorism, Jeremy Kommel-Bernstein
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis discusses whether the collection of metadata by the NSA, as revealed in 2013 by Edward Snowden, from domestic sources is legal and/or effective, and how to balance safety and liberty. The topic is both timely and important due to the potential for abuse that comes with domestic intelligence programs, as well as the risk of suffering a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Research for this thesis included personal interviews with former NSA and CIA Director Michael Hayden, and reviewing numerous court cases, legal documents, and articles and books on the subject. There is significant evidence that the NSA's …
Understanding The Roots, Methods And Consequences Of Islamic Radicalization In Kosovo, Agnesa Dalipi
Understanding The Roots, Methods And Consequences Of Islamic Radicalization In Kosovo, Agnesa Dalipi
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis examines the root causes of the appeal of violent Islamic extremism that led to the surge of foreign fighters from Kosovo to Syria and Iraq. The subject of Islamic foreign fighter recruitment is a nascent area of research. From the analysis of the phenomenon in Kosovo, this thesis seeks to extrapolate insights that can be applied more broadly to the debate over whether the success in the Islamic State's recruitment is a result of religious or socioeconomic factors, or a combination of both. Understanding the causes will enable counterterrorist analysts and in both Kosovo and other countries to …
Complexity In Modern War: Examining Hybrid War And Future U.S. Security Challenges, Joseph Dvorak
Complexity In Modern War: Examining Hybrid War And Future U.S. Security Challenges, Joseph Dvorak
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Hybrid warfare is a recently formed concept that focuses on the complexity of modern conflicts and those in the future. After the Russian Federation annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, US and Western analysts started using the term hybrid warfare to describe Moscow's strategy. Analysts and policymakers are starting to consider the approach and direction in Ukraine to be a new and unique type of warfare. This study discusses the usefulness of the term hybrid warfare and examines two case studies that reflect the characteristics of hybrid war, the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine, to determine if hybrid warfare is …
The United States, Russia, And Missile Defense: Why They Do Not Agree On Approach, Policy, And Implications, Nathaniel Taylor Green
The United States, Russia, And Missile Defense: Why They Do Not Agree On Approach, Policy, And Implications, Nathaniel Taylor Green
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Missile defense has long played a key role in the national defense posture of the United States, despite longstanding objections from the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. To gain insights into why these objections continue, this thesis looks at three key factors: threat assessments, geopolitics, and technology (to include specific capabilities) and the impact they have on the decision-making calculus of both the United States and Russia regarding missile defense. It is believed that geopolitical considerations, stemming from the Cold War and the different values, culture, background, and experiences between the United States and Russia, are key to understanding …
Nonproliferation: Rapid Retreat From The Gold Standard Negatively Impacts Future Nuclear Negotiations, Evan Tyler Beese
Nonproliferation: Rapid Retreat From The Gold Standard Negatively Impacts Future Nuclear Negotiations, Evan Tyler Beese
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
In 2009, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) concluded a nuclear cooperation agreement which contained a commitment on the part of the U.A.E. not to enrich uranium through its own domestic programs. Dubbed the "Gold Standard” of nuclear nonproliferation by the Obama administration, such an accomplishment has not been repeated in nuclear agreements between 2009 and 2015. This paper examines American nuclear cooperation negotiations following the establishment of the "Gold Standard,” and argues that the rapid reversal of American negotiating policy toward enrichment and reprocessing technologies will hinder U.S. nonproliferation goals going forward.
Isis Propaganda And United States Countermeasures, Daniel Lincoln Stevens
Isis Propaganda And United States Countermeasures, Daniel Lincoln Stevens
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
The purpose of this study is threefold: 1. Examine the use of propaganda by the Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) and how its propaganda enables ISIS to achieve its objectives; 2. Examine the United States Government (USG) response; 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the USG response and how it can be improved. The goal of ISIS is to overturn the Middle East, attack westerners in the region and in the West, and create one all-encompassing Islamic State. ISIS' innovative use of propaganda has been central to its success. ISIS uses propaganda more effectively than previous terrorist groups. …
Reversing The Tao: A Framework For Credible Space Deterrence, Christopher Michael Stone
Reversing The Tao: A Framework For Credible Space Deterrence, Christopher Michael Stone
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This thesis was written to provide the reader with a firm understanding of the realities of the current DoD space deterrence concept, its shortcomings and the threat that these shortcomings pose to the United States and its Allies if a more realistic, credible space deterrence concept is not created and deployed. To highlight these shortcomings, a review of deterrence theory from classical to modern writers were explored to compare and contrast with the DoD's present concept to highlight its lack of deterrence theory. In addition, it was highlighted through an analysis of the Chinese view of deterrence in space, space …
Terrorism And The Rise Of Isis In Egypt, Jantzen William Garnett
Terrorism And The Rise Of Isis In Egypt, Jantzen William Garnett
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Using mostly primary source materials this thesis seeks to understand the evolution of and linkages between different terrorist organization that have operated in Egypt and the Sinai, in particular. Of particular interest was the terrorist group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) which later became an Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham [Syria] (ISIS) affiliate known as Wilayat Sinai. The thesis then documents the group's operations and shows how it has evolved over the past five years into one of ISIS' most lethal affiliates. ISIS' expansion into Egypt by incorporating ABM into its global terrorist network has increased the threat posed by …
Iran As A Strategic Threat To The U.S. In The Middle East And Its Impact On U.S. Policy In The Region, Aaron Michael Craig Richards
Iran As A Strategic Threat To The U.S. In The Middle East And Its Impact On U.S. Policy In The Region, Aaron Michael Craig Richards
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
This essay will examine Iran's nuclear program and foreign and defense policy and how these threats shape U.S. defense and foreign policy in the region. Iran's advanced nuclear program is only one aspect of its goal to reaching regional hegemony in the Middle East. Iran looks to establish itself as a dominant power in the region by employing non-military tools such as promoting Shiism and Iranian ideology and supporting Arab and non-Arab political leaders and groups friendly toward Iran. Meanwhile, the United States and other world powers are concerned about Iran's enrichment program being diverted to develop nuclear weapons, which …
In Harm's Way: The Continued Relevance Of The U.S. Navy's Forward Presence Mission In The Post-Cold War World, Christopher B. Earls
In Harm's Way: The Continued Relevance Of The U.S. Navy's Forward Presence Mission In The Post-Cold War World, Christopher B. Earls
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, the United States Navy has seen the fleet shrink from nearly 600 ships in 1988 to 320 ships in 1999, with a planned reduction to 305 ships by 2004. While the fleet has been reduced by nearly 50 percent over the last decade, the deployment of U.S. naval forces has continued at near-Cold War levels. The result is a mismatch between the national security requirements that naval forces are called on to support, and the forces available to meet those requirements. Some have suggested that the traditional forward presence mission of the Navy-Marine …