ISN

ETH Zurich

//

International Relations and Security Networkwww.isn.ethz.ch

///

This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

23 27 March 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series asks if the EUFOR RCA mission in the Central African
Republic has been a success; what the US needs to factor into its new train-and-equip program for Syria's armed
opposition; whether Canada has enhanced its access to foreign intelligence in the years since 9/11; whether UN
peacekeepers are being increasingly used in complex and asymmetric environments; and if the US' nuclear arsenal is
really worth the cost. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at how Eyal Weitzman uses
'heterogeneous materials' to analyze incidents in global politics; why the US' New Silk Road Initiative needs a shot in the
arm; what steps Japan needs to take in order to normalize its relations with Russia; what Iraq can do to deal with conflict
pollution; and how authoritarian regimes respond to the sudden exit of their leader(s).

EUFOR RCA: Tough Start, Smooth End

23 March 2015

Has this EU-led operation succeeded in restoring a degree of stability to Bangui, the Central African Republic's capital
city? Thierry Tardy believes so, but building on this success in part through a new EU-led mission will be a major
challenge. More

Eyal Weizman on the Architectural-Image Complex, Forensic Archeology and Policing across the
Desertification Line
23 March 2015

Eyal Weizman analyzes incidents in global politics by sifting through a heterogeneous mix of sources and materials,
including digital imagery and blast patterns. Find out how and why he developed this uncommon approach in today's
Theory Talk. More

Train-and-Equip: Fight for Pluralism in Syria

24 March 2015

According to Nicholas Heras, the United States' new train-and-equip program for Syria's opposition needs a 'sustainable
ideological model' to justify it. Such a model, however, has to accept that not every opposition fighter is 'perfectly aligned'
with the belief in a democratic and pluralistic Syria.More

US New Silk Road Initiative Needs Urgent Renewal

24 March 2015

If this is true, then what should the Obama administration do to revitalize its political and economic ties with South and
Central Asia? One step, Richard Weitz argues, would be to balance the influence of China and Russia in the regions,
which is what local leaders want.
More

Past, Present, and Future: The Evolution of Canadian Foreign Intelligence in a Globalized World
25 March 2015

According to Michael Tierney, Canada's intelligence community has markedly increased its foreign intelligence capabilities
since 9/11. What's interesting about that is that the government's mandate to collect foreign HUMINT has been limited.
More

Japan-Russia Relations: Toward a Peace Treaty and Beyond

25 March 2015

What will it take to normalize Japanese-Russian relations? Yoko Hirose recommends 1) resolving the two countries'
Northern Territories disputes, ideally by ratifying a long overdue peace treaty; 2) cooperating more closely in the AsiaPacific region; 3) balancing the Russo-Chinese relationship more adroitly, and much more. More

The Perils of Peacekeeping in Unstabilized Environments

26 March 2015

Iraq's Continuing Struggle with Conflict Pollution

26 March 2015

Are Iraq's struggles with the so-called Islamic State complicating its efforts to recover from the environmental damage
caused by both Gulf Wars? Wim Zwijnenburg believes so. He also thinks the country is a perfect example of why the
international community needs to focus more on conflict pollution. More

Are Nuclear Weapons Worth the Cost?

27 March 2015

Is it wasteful for the United States to spend $348 billion on its nuclear forces over the next decade, as the Congressional
Budget Office predicts? John Klein isn't convinced. He argues that a robust nuclear arsenal is essential for international
stability and therefore worth the high cost. More

Life after Caesar: What Happens when the Leader Doesn't Return
27 March 2015

When 'Caesar' suddenly exits, Alexander Baunov observes, the fate of his authoritarian regime typically depends on which
bureaucratic faction first seizes the initiative. That could mean a period of reform and liberalization, or it could involve
something much worse. More

// Blog

Foreign Aid and the 28 Percent Myth

23 March 2015

Does the US government really spend 28 percent of its budget on foreign aid, as many Americans seem to believe?
Nonsense, says Alice Hu. In reality, foreign aid accounts for only 0.7 percent of US spending and only a part of that is
military aid. More

Lying to Ourselves: The Demise of Military Integrity

24 March 2015

David Barno and Nora Bensahel believe there are at least three reasons why the US Army is facing, yet again, a
challenge to its institutional integrity. One of them is the careerism that inevitably creeps into militaries during postwar
drawdowns. More

The Future of Political Demography and Its Impact on Policy

25 March 2015

Is political demography set to play an even greater role in policymaking? It's quite possible, says Schuyler Null. After all,
the demand for more prediction-heavy analyses is increasing, primarily because of phenomena such as urbanization and
the rise of different Arab Spring 'moments'. More

Cuba: Not a Terrorist Threat

26 March 2015

Lissa Weinmann and Jordan Clifford think it's time for the United States to remove Cuba from its list of state sponsors of
terrorism. Doing so would facilitate even closer cooperation on shared security interests, such as thwarting drug trafficking
in the Gulf of Mexico. More

Mediation Perspectives: Reframing the Ukraine Crisis

27 March 2015

Is the ongoing proxy war in Ukraine immune to a mediated solution? On the contrary, says Alex Azarov. Mediation can
help address the underlying sources of the conflict and find lasting geopolitical solutions too. More

// Video

Russia's Hybrid War Campaign: Implications for Ukraine and Beyond

In this video, the Potomac Foundation's Phillip Karber discusses 1) the hybrid warfare techniques that Russia is using to
support separatists in eastern Ukraine; 2) the effectiveness of these techniques; and 3) how they are impacting Ukraine
and the West.
More

Anonymous Soldiers: The Struggle for Israel, 1917-1947

In this video, Georgetown University's Bruce Hoffman discusses his new book, "Anonymous Soldiers," which explores 1)
the three decades of anti-colonial unrest that culminated in the end of British rule in Palestine; 2) the UN-backed creation
of Israel in 1947; and 3) the effectiveness of terrorist tactics that were used to end the British mandate. More

James Clapper on Global Intelligence Challenges

In this video, the Director of the US National Intelligence, James Clapper, focuses on the challenges facing his community
and others. More specifically, he addresses the ongoing impact of violent extremism, the role of foreign fighters in Syria
and Iraq, Yemen's political instability, and Russian adventurism in eastern Ukraine.
More

// Multimedia Content
Here is a selection of this week's additions to the ISN Digital
Library:

Publications More
// Human Rights in North Korea: Pressure and Engagement More
// Morocco's Religious Diplomacy in Africa (FRIDE)
More
// UN Sanctions and Peace Negotiations: Possibilities for Complementarity More

Videos More
// Rights up Front and the Protections of Civilians
More
Security Challenges in Georgia and the CaucasusMore
/New
/
//Beyond the Cold War: How Summits Shaped the New World OrderMore

Audio / Podcasts More

// Nigeria and the Horror of Boko Haram
More
// The United States, Russia, and Ukraine: Report from Moscow
More
// Voices on Ukraine - Svitlana Zalishchuk More

Interact with us:

Contact us:

Disclaimer:

Unsubscribe:

International Relations and Security Network

ETH Zurich

Leonhardshalde 21, LEH

8092 Zurich

Switzerland

The
ISN is a service of the Center for Security
Studies (CSS) at the ETH
Zurich (Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Zurich). Read the ISN

Disclaimer here.

If you would like to change or cancel your

newsletter subscription profile with us, please do
so here.

Tel: +41 44 632 07 57 / 40 25