Commentary

Mohammed Merah 2Mohammed Merah - Lone Wolf or Al-Qa'ida Operative? He bore the hallmarks of a trained and motivated operative, but it is unclear whether the Toulouse self-confessed terrorist, Mohammed Merah. was an Al-Qa'ida foot soldier. What is apparent is that that he was motivated by both the street-cool allure of extremism, and the grievances that are common to many young radicalised Muslims in the West.
23 Mar 2012
Libya uprisingThe Challenges of Keeping Libya Together The province of Cyrenaica is the latest region to have announced its intention to have greater autonomy in Libya. Being the birthplace of the Libyan revolution, this has drawn the ire of the fragile National Transitional Council in Tripoli. Asserting its control will involve firmer security control and a rapid transition to democracy.
23 Mar 2012
The Falklands: The Security Equation in 2012 Megaphone diplomacy precedes the forthcoming thirtieth anniversary of the Falklands War. But the stakes are too high for Argentina to turn the rhetoric into another armed conflict.
16 Mar 2012
Bosnian armed forcesWhat Ends a War? The Limits of Bosnia-Syria Parallels The military option is still on the table as the atrocities in Syria continue. But what is the best template for intervention? For all its successes, the example of Bosnia in the mid-1990s is not one of them.
14 Mar 2012
British Soldier and ANA thumbNot Over Yet – The Bloody Battle for Helmand Continues The death of six British servicemen, pushing British deaths in Afghanistan over 400, is a sober reminder that the Helmand campaign is still far from over. Leaders, both military and civilian, still have to overcome serious challenges if there is to be a peaceful transition in 2014.
9 Mar 2012
UK Norway ArcticLooking North: Britain's revitalised interest in the northern areas of Europe A recent defence Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Norway underscores renewed British strategic interest in the north. Such alliances are crucial in the face of the Arctic region gaining further geopolitical relevance.
9 Mar 2012
Vladimir PutinPutin's Return: Much of the Same, Only Older The less-than-convincing victory of Vladimir Putin in the Russian presidential election suggests a presidency that may be a little more liberal and a little less authoritarian. But Putin is unlikely to change his tune as he delivers on his election promise: that Russia must be feared.
5 Mar 2012
Ahmedinejad NuclearIs a Nuclear Iran as Dangerous As We Think? Pessimists warn that a nuclear Iran cannot be safely contained. But these risks - irrational behaviour, nuclear safety, and further proliferation - need to be dispassionately assessed and put into context.
27 Feb 2012
Attacking Iran: Up in the air RUSI's Malcolm Chalmers talks to The Economist newspaper on the risks involved in a pre-emptive strike against Iran's nuclear programme
27 Feb 2012
London 2012 Somalia ConferenceA Fine Talking Shop: The London Conference on Somalia Initial reflections on the high-level international conference on Somalia to agree a shared agenda on piracy, terrorism and development.
23 Feb 2012
wavyiranianflagthumbThe Israel Embassy Attacks: Where next for Iran and Israel? The attacks against Israel diplomatic targets in India and Georgia may well usher in a new chapter in the covert war between Iran and Israel. The Jewish state may feel emboldened to retaliate decisively on an Iran that is becoming increasingly isolated in the Arab world.
14 Feb 2012
Analysis Podcast thumbANALYSIS PODCAST: Counter-Terrorism in an Olympic Year Security for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will include the deployment of more than thirteen thousand military personnel joining police and private security teams. The Government revised the Games' security budget up from £282m to £553m in December last year. So what is the terror threat likely to look like? And will the operation be a hindrance to long-term UK counter-terrorism?
12 Feb 2012
Syrian FlagARGUMENTS FOR Military Intervention in Syria With over 6000 dead, there is little option but to intervene in Syria and dismantle the regime. It is important that the international community joins the Arab states in their determination to get involved and ensure a stable post-Assad Syria.
8 Feb 2012
Syrian FlagARGUMENTS AGAINST Military Intervention in Syria Something needs to be done to stop the Syrian Army killing ever increasing number of its citizens. But Syria is far more complex than Libya and simply sending arms and further internationalising the Syrian Civil War will only exacerbate the war and elongate suffering. A more viable solution is for Arab states to use their muscle as energy suppliers to slow down the Assad regime.
8 Feb 2012
UKTA BadgeUKTA No. 1: Counter-Terrorism in an Olympic Year The first report focuses on the British counter-terrorism landscape as we prepare ourselves for the 2012 Olympic Games.
24 Apr 2012
Analysis Podcast thumbANALYSIS PODCAST: The Defence Pound Defence spending cuts are rarely out of the news. One of the ways of economising is for the UK's Ministry of Defence to spend money on so-called, 'off the shelf' systems. But there could be problems with that. In this podcast, Elizabeth Pearson talks to Dr John Louth, Deputy Head of RUSI's Defence Industries and Society Programme. He's looked into the effects of buying off the shelf - and found it could be a false economy.
3 Feb 2012
London Stock Exchange Bomb PlottersThe London Stock Exchange Bomb-Plotters - Lone Wolves and Successful Counter-Terrorism Work A decision by four Britons to plead guilty to terrorist offences including a plan to bomb the London Stock Exchange sheds new light on the current terrorist threat to the UK. It also gives fresh insight into the work of counter terrorism officers in the UK, and of their coverage of extremist networks.
3 Feb 2012
Ministry of DefenceThe UK Government’s New Plan for Defence and Industry: A Fresh Approach to Procurement? On 1 February 2012, the UK government published its long awaited on defence procurement. It sets a vision intending to reform Britain's fraught acquisition and procurement process, but the challenge will be at the implementation stage.
2 Feb 2012
Hague FCO FlickrBeyond Rhetoric: Could the Heightened Falklands Debate Threaten British Strategic Interests In Latin America? Relations between Latin America and the UK are at a level unseen for almost two centuries, but attempts by Argentina to diplomatically isolate the UK from the region over the Falkland Islands could seriously impact British strategic interests across the continent.
31 Jan 2012
Mugabe ThumbCentral Africa and Southern Africa: Elections and Economics Predictions of a 'sub-Saharan spring' in southern Africa have as yet proved unfounded, but elections in the DRCongo and Zimbabwe are proving to be risky in the current climate of domestic turmoil.
30 Jan 2012
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