In a democratic state the question of when it is appropriate to embark on a war is within the purview of the government, because it is the body responsible for any activity touching on relations between states and other political entities. This question has ramifications for defense of the state, its citizens, and its soldiers. Similarly, the question of what is appropriate action after the war, when working towards peace, is within the government’s purview because any step towards a settlement between the parties is of political...
The central questions regarding military force for a democratic nation state are: can war be expected, does military force deter a war, and should a war erupt, can the state endure it and emerge victorious. Force buildup derives from the operational response to the threat. The problem that states and militaries face today is that there is no generic formula for force application and force buildup relevant to a threat that combines large scale – even global – terrorism and conventional capabilities, all under the threat of a nuclear...
In light of talk about the northern sector heating up and the possibility of a deterioration into war, the question of the change in the threat facing Israel – from the longstanding situation in which the state’s reference scenario was a surprise attack for the purpose of conquering either limited or more extended territory to the new reality that includes extensive rocket and missile fire at Israeli population centers together with the use of terrorism and guerilla tactics – again rises to the surface.
This essay analyzes the current risks to Israel’s interests in Israel and abroad (including Jewish interests abroad) from al-Qaeda and its affiliates. To illustrate the risks, it is useful to review the ideology of these groups and show how it translates into practical expression through a survey of the groups’ activities in different arenas around the world.
During a recent trip to Prague, where he signed a new arms control treaty with Russia, President Barack Obama declared that nuclear terrorism is “the most immediate and extreme threat to global security.” Though the unique destructive power of nuclear arms justifies his concern regarding their spread and potential use, this grave assessment regarding the imminent threat of nuclear terrorism does not appear to stand up to scrutiny, and might even set the stage for weaker international non-proliferation resolve in the future.
Recent events in Russia – Islamic terrorist attacks on the one hand and the blunt message to Hamas demanding an end to the rocket fire on the other– are indicative of a Russian dilemma, reflected in its ambivalent policy on international terrorism
The 2001 anthrax envelopes affair was a formative event, as in its wake the United States and the West escalated their response to the threat of biological terrorism, including new legislation and extensive resources. Yet while nearly a decade has passed, only recently did President Obama issue a document called “National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats.” In this document, the term “biological threat” refers to severe diseases and pandemics liable to bring about tens or hundreds of thousands of...
The book, which continues the annual Strategic Balance series, includes thirteen analytical essays written by INSS researchers. The focus is on developments in the internal, regional, and internaional arenas that shape Israel’s strategic environment and the strategic options before it. Special emphasis lies on the Middle East as it adjusts to a new US administration and a newly-elected Israeli government.
In recent years, a serious academic discussion about the al-Qaeda organization (or AQC – al-Qaeda Central) has been underway, one that has also found its way into the popular media. It has focused on whether AQC has ceased functioning as an active organization and turned into an icon only, and whether its role as leader of the global jihad has been assumed by a mass movement run by a network of people, groups, and organizations whose members have undergone a process of self-radicalization. A response to this question may be found in...
The attempted attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253 (December 25, 2009) by a would-be suicide bomber is a rude reminder of the trend that has been emerging for some time, and is evidence of renewed efforts on the part of al-Qaeda and its affiliates to attack the United States on its own soil and US allies around the globe.
On December 1, President Obama unveiled the administration’s new approach towards the wars raging in the Afghan-Pakistan (AfPak) arenas. Entering into office with a message of peace and detente toward the Muslim world, Obama did not make his decision lightly. Yet in light of the alternative strategies proposed by his inner circle, it appears that the president has chosen a solid course regarding the AfPak campaigns.
