STRATEGY AND NATIONAL SECURITY
November, 2009
Strategies for Acquiring Foreign Nuclear Assistance in the Middle East: Lessons from the United Arab Emirates
Working Paper
By Bryan Early, Research Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
The path to acquiring a peaceful civilian nuclear program is fraught with challenges for countries in the Middle East. Given Israel's proactive policies in preventing the proliferation of its neighbors and nuclear supplier states' consternation about the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region, Arab states face a number of unique obstacles in acquiring foreign nuclear assistance. Yet as the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) recent success in courting the assistance of a number of nuclear supplier states demonstrates, these obstacles are not insurmountable. This piece explores the UAE's strategies in obtaining foreign nuclear assistance to uncover the generalizable insights that may be of use to other Middle Eastern countries seeking to develop peaceful nuclear programs.
AP Photo
Winter 2008/09
"The Heart of the Matter: The Security of Women and the Security of States"
Journal Article, International Security, issue 3, volume 33
By Valerie M. Hudson, Mary Caprioli, Bonnie Ballif-Spanvill, Rose McDermott and Chad F. Emmett
A multidisciplinary theoretical and empirical investigation of the “women and peace” thesis not only proves that the physical security and well being of women is directly linked to the security of the state, but it explains more of the variance in state peacefulness than do conventional measures such as level of democracy, level of wealth, and preponderance of Islamic civilization. Scholars and policymakers would therefore do best to analyze the security of women when considering the linkage between state security and peacefulness.
January 2009
Defense Management Challenges for the Next American President
Journal Article, Orbis, issue 1, volume 53
By Dr. Ashton B. Carter, Co-Director, Preventive Defense Project (on leave), Harvard & Stanford Universities
PDP Co-Director Dr. Ashton B. Carter explores the daunting list of national security challenges facing the next American president.
AP Photo
December 1, 2008
"When will Osama test Obama?"
Op-Ed, Chicago Tribune
By Graham Allison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government; Faculty Chair, Dubai Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
In the final weeks of the presidential campaign, vice presidential candidate Joe Biden predicted "an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of [Barack Obama]." Belfer Center Director Graham Allison argues that history is on Biden's side. "In the first year of each of the last two presidents' terms," Allison says, "Osama bin Laden has claimed the mantle of 'tester in chief'" Allison suggests three steps President-elect Obama should take to meet this threat.
November 2008
Partnership for Progress
Report
By Xenia Dormandy, Former Senior Associate, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Hassan Abbas, Senior Advisor, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
The Belfer Center's Xenia Dormandy and Hassan Abbas participated in a working group on the state of Pakistan convened by the Center for American Progress. The resulting report proposes strategies for enhanced security, democratization, and economic growth.
October 27, 2008
"Israeli Words or Actions?"
Op-Ed, Agence Global
By Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow, The Dubai Initiative
"The Israeli expressions of interest in the Arab peace plan are hard to fathom in terms of their seriousness, motivation or intent."
AP Photo
October 13, 2008
"Obama Is Right About Talking to Iran"
Op-Ed, Wall Street Journal
By Vali Nasr, Senior Fellow, Dubai Initiative
"Many have assumed that Russia can help solve the Iran problem, but few have considered that the reverse is also true. Iran is important to Russia's game plan and how Moscow weighs its options going forward. That makes talking to Iran an essential part of America's plans for containing Russia."
Fall 2008
"Wishful Thinking or Buying Time? The Logic of British Appeasement in the 1930s"
Journal Article, International Security, issue 2, volume 33
By Norrin M. Ripsman and Jack S. Levy
British appeasement was primarily a strategy of buying time for rearmament against Germany. British leaders understood the Nazi menace and did not expect that appeasement would avoid an eventual war with Germany. They believed that by the time of the Rhineland crisis of 1936 the balance of power had already shifted in Germany’sfavor, but that British rearmament would work to reverse the balance by the end of the decade. Appeasement was a strategy to delay an expected confrontation with Germany until the military balance was more favorable.
August 22, 2008
Obama's National Security Summit
Media Feature
Belfer Center Director Graham Allison participated in a panel discussion hosted by Senator Barack Obama on national security at Purdue University on July 16, 2008.
August 22, 2008
Memo to President-elect McBama
Memorandum, Aspen Strategy Group
By Graham Allison, Director, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Douglas Dillon Professor of Government; Faculty Chair, Dubai Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Graham Allison writes in a memo to a fictional President-elect McBama on the suject of nuclear terrorism, "You pledged that you would make preventing this catastrophe an organizing principle of your administration. This memo provides a brief outline of strategy and organization to fulfill that promise."
