National Security

Terrorism in Latin America (Part Two): The Threat from Human Trafficking

Hypothetical scenarios often dominate the storyline of possible collusion between organized crime and jihadists in Latin America. The elaborate web of networks woven by drug cartels and Islamists adds…
Terrorism in Latin America (Part One): The Infiltration of Islamic Extremists

The threat from Islamic extremists in Latin America remains an overlooked aspect of U.S. national security strategy. And the threat is worsening – not “waning” as the Obama administration claimed abou…
Reforming the Social Security Appeals Process

In 2015, about 12 million workers and their dependents received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. While this is slightly fewer than the 12.1 million beneficiaries in 2014, benefici…
Antiquities and Conflict: Changing Military Strategy

Once treated as purely a criminal problem, the looting and sale of illicit antiquities has recently become matter of national security. The frequent contact between the U.S. military and non-state act…
The Economics of NATO Expansion

In his January 1997 State of the Union speech, President Bill Clinton lauded the
expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into Central and East
Europe, saying America’s “first task is…
A New Budgeting Approach for the Defense Department
Cyber Threats to the Texas Electric Grid

Texas plays a unique role in America’s infrastructure as the only state with a self-contained electric grid. The entire U.S. electric power system is a prime target of cyberattacks from hostile govern…
How Defense Dollars Are Wasted on Security Assistance