Alejandro Mayorkas, United States Secretary of Homeland Security

Damage Control: What Ms. Marvel Tells Us About the State of Homeland Security in the United States

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on July 17, 2022 | Reading time 7 min

Marvel Studios’ latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is Ms. Marvel, the TV series which showcases Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American high school student who gains cosmic energy powers from a family heirloom, fights crime and becomes a superhero in her native home of Jersey City, NJ. One area that has been often overlooked in the discourse surrounding this series has been the behavior of the U.S. Department of Damage Control (DODC), a rather lesser agency than S.H.I.E.L.D or S.W.O.R.D, yet one that has been around for many years within the background of the MCU. With Ms. Marvel, however, we get a rather different view of the agency, one that has been hinted at before but never fully seen.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Show Bus Billboard

S.W.O.R.D and S.H.I.E.L.D: What the Marvel Cinematic Universe Tells Us About the World of Intelligence and Ethics

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on July 2, 2022 | Reading time 11 min

It is without question that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is one of the biggest media franchises in the current day. For many, it has become a part of their personality and something they enjoy either discussing, collecting, or watching. They allow us to see and explore the world differently than before and in many cases allow us commentaries on pressing issues within society or history, such as gender, race, and power. While there have been many commentaries and analyses on these topics, little has been said about the commentary the MCU offers on the world of intelligence and espionage.

United Nations Headquarters

Monisms in International Relations: The Differences and Benefits of Unilateralism and Multilateralism

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on June 21, 2022 | Reading time 5 min

Bruce Jentleson in his work “American Foreign Policy: The Dynamics of Choice in the 21st Century” defines multilateralism and unilateralism quite clearly. A multilateralist approach differs from a unilateralist approach starkly. However, there are certain aspects of the 21st-century world that assist in fostering such approaches. There are six points that assist in fostering a unilateralist and multilateralist approach; both approaches have been experienced within the new millennium.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg meets Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor

Changing the Playing Field: Non-Traditional Security Threats and the State of International Security

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on April 29, 2022 | Reading time 5 min

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.

The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima

The Decision to Use Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on April 11, 2022 | Reading time 14 min

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.

Confederate Monument, Arlington National Cemetery

Traitors to Their Country: The Argument for Removing Confederates from the Arlington National Cemetery

Opinion By Alan Cunningham on March 28, 2022 | Reading time 4 min

The U.S. Civil War began on 12 April 1861 and would end four years and fourteen days later on 26 April 1865. While exact numbers of the ceased are unknown, it is estimated that some 750,000 Americans died in the conflict, some 360,000 dying for the United States and 260,000 dying on the Confederate side. The conflict forever changed the course of American history and was a monumental development from a social, political, legal, and economic perspective.
However, in the decades after the Civil War, partly due to the promulgation of Lost Cause myths, a more positive view of the Confederacy and their military has evolved.

Marine Corps War Memorial

General Sam and the Warrior-Scholar: The Importance of Self-Education in the Armed Forces 

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on March 14, 2022 | Reading time 5 min

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.

U.S. Army in Afghanistan

Lessons on Insurgency and Counterinsurgency (COIN) from Star Wars

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on February 22, 2022 | Reading time 12 min

In the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan, much can be learned from Star Wars about the practice of Counterinsurgency (COIN). In the fictional universe, the period between the final moments of Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith (ROTS) and Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (ROTJ) would be when COIN tactics would be most clearly utilized. With Afghanistan, the United States effectively lost, the Taliban taking control of Kabul and pushing out the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the pro-democracy, U.S.-allied government. This is quite similar to how the Empire itself lost to the Rebel Alliance; a large, technologically advanced force being overwhelmed by a smaller, primitive force. However, beyond this similarity of being an insurgency, the Taliban and the Alliance share little else.

CIA director William Joseph Burns

Black Operations: A Primer on Covert Action throughout U.S. History

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on February 15, 2022 | Reading time 7 min

Covert Action (CA) has been a point of contention within political and foreign policy discourse, with constant discussions about the legalities of targeted killings and enhanced interrogation techniques. There are vast historical examples of U.S. intervention abroad which complicated matters in their respective regions, in some cases having an opposite effect than what was intended, in other cases resulting in scandals that eroded the public’s faith in governmental institutions, and in other cases simply resulting in a less stable country or government. In spite of all the discussion about covert action, it is undeniable that it can be extremely beneficial when dealing with foreign powers and with new issues like non-state actors and international terrorism.

US Navy Seal and Monument

A Professional Fighting Force: The U.S. Navy SEALs and the Road to Reform

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on January 28, 2022 | Reading time 11 min

The U.S. Navy SEALs have long been regarded as one of the most preeminent and effective special operations forces in the United States. However, in recent years, SEALs have displayed a serious problem in maintaining their level of professionalism. Various SEAL teams have been investigated for alcohol abuse, sexual assaults, and heavy narcotics usage, posing such a serious risk to national security that the units had to be called home or certain soldiers had to be placed on leave. These are serious problems within the SEAL community and pose a significant national security/defense risk.