Changing the Playing Field: Non-Traditional Security Threats and the State of International Security
Whenever national security is brought up in public discourse, it is commonly thought of and discussed in stricter terms. Images of military personnel performing combat operations, government-sponsored hackers performing network intrusions, or hypersonic missile launches are among the first images. However, these are only part of the entire national security threats posing nation-states around the globe. Non-traditional security threats pose a real and serious challenge to the Intelligence Community and the U.S. national security strategy as a whole.
Russian Special Operation: Genocide
It is difficult to be a neighbor of Russia because one fine morning the missiles may fall and the Kremlin's policy will try to convince you that this is a "special operation" and everything is happening for your own good. Occupation of Abkhazia in 1992, the Russian-Georgian war in 2008, the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the invasion of Ukraine in 2022: This is just a small list of Russia’s crimes in the recent past, disguised as a "special operation". However, unlike in 2008, today the world clearly sees the bloody crimes committed by Russia.
The Decision to Use Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
While it took less than a second for the atomic bombs on the 6th and 9th of August 1945 to detonate and usher in an age of nuclear fear and paranoia, the decision to drop the bombs took much longer. The ability to destroy an entire city within seconds, wiping out millions of people with the single press of a button, immediately became realized and decades of weapons stockpiling and threats would follow, multiple times stopping just short of bringing the world to destruction. Simply stated, a more diplomatic approach should have been performed to secure America’s moral and ethical standing in the aftermath of the Second World War and in contemporary times.
Orbán is performing a balancing act over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Hungarian prime minister Orbán is having a hard time balancing his close relationship with Moscow while at the same time supporting EU measures against Russia and the condemnation of Russian aggression. Even though Hungary did not veto the EU's sanction package on Russia, the country refuses to supply weapons and allow weapons transport through the country. Moreover, the government continues to reiterate that it is important to "keep the peace", without mentioning the aggressor who started this war: Putin.
Why Biden’s “democracy club” is likely to fail
The increasing tensions between China and the United States have taken Washington to revive old ideas. One example of that is the Summit of Democracies that was held virtually last December. The idea of a concert of democracies is not new and was already tried before, however unsuccessfully. Biden's administration is now trying to carry out this concept as a way to tackle autocracies like China and Russia. But will it work this time?
General Sam and the Warrior-Scholar: The Importance of Self-Education in the Armed Forces
Newly commissioned officers and officer hopefuls look to various areas for role models. Some look to business and politics while others look to science and academia. Yet, most look towards military officers, persons such as GEN Creighton Abrams, LTG Lewis “Chesty” Puller, or ADM Chester Nimitz. Many are able to find key qualities for officers in these persons; duty to country and subordinates, leadership, tactical ability, and intelligence.
However, one officer that frequently is never mentioned is Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson of the U.S. Army.
