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- A Long-Term Vision for Homeland Security,
P.J. Crowley and Lindsey Ross
- A View from Baghdad, Sadiq Al-Rikabi
- Threats, Options, and Risks in Pakistan,
Colin Cookman
- Splitting the Taliban, Reuben Brigety
- Obama Considering Tanker Deal Delay,
Lawrence Korb
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P.J. Crowley and Lindsey Ross, "A Long-Term Vision for
Homeland Security," Center for American Progress, March 10, 2009
The Department of Homeland Security
is at a crossroads. Now six years
old, DHS is under new management, and, like its cabinet siblings, the
department is undergoing a head-to-toe reevaluation of its current
programs, priorities, and resource allocation. Its capable new leader,
Secretary Janet Napolitano, faces a daunting management challenge. DHS
is large, complex, and still in its adolescence: It does many things
well with appropriate supervision, but is still better at individual
tactics than integrated strategy.
Click here to
read the full article.
Sadiq Al-Rikabi, "A
View from Baghdad," Middle East Bulletin interview, March 10, 2009
There are many challenges. In terms of internal
politics, we have to work to consolidate democracy and develop a stable
democratic state in Iraq. We must move forward on reconciliation to
absorb all those people who are still outside the political process,
regardless of whether they support the government or not. ... The
second challenge is Kirkuk and the disputed areas, as they are called.
We have to reach a solution on these issues through dialogue and not
through armed conflict. We must abide by the constitution and use
dialogue as a tool to resolve all these challenges. We also have
a challenge with our neighbors. We have to build new relations with our
neighbors based on three principles: non-interference in our internal
issues, security guarantees and working on mutual interests.
Click here
to read the full interview.
Colin Cookman,
"Threats, Options, and Risks in Pakistan," Center for American
Progress, March 5, 2009
On March 1, two missiles from a remote-piloted American aircraft struck
a camp
in the Sararogha region of South Waziristan. At least seven people were
reportedly killed, including four Arab Al Qaeda fighters; few other
details emerged, and the incident passed largely without remark. Covert
strikes along Pakistan’s border, initially a relatively rare
occurrence, have taken place with increasing frequency since the summer
of 2008, when the Bush administration reportedly authorized
an expansion of the covert targeting program in the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas. Although operations have slowed from a peak
tempo of multiple strikes per week, they have continued under the Obama
administration, with two occurring just three days after the
president’s inauguration.
Click here to
read the full article.
Click here to view the accompanying
interactive map of missile strikes in the Pakistani tribal areas.
New York Times -
Reuben Brigety analyzes prospects of negotiations with some elements of
the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan: "I think it is clear that you
have to have a political solution to
Afghanistan, and I wouldn’t rule anything off the table,
including
conversations with some aspects of the Taliban. ... there are
fissures that could be exploited ... As long as we’ve adopted a
position that all are our enemies, we could be missing an opportunity
to exploit those divisions."
Washington Post -Lawrence Korb
says that the Obama administration's desire to cut back military
spending is necessary in a time of budget constraints, but questions
the wisdom of delaying the purchase of aerial refueling tankers:
"This is a zero sum game... You need tankers more than fighters.
You need to refuel."
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