Latest Articles about Military/Security
China’s New Military Strategy: “Winning Informationized Local Wars”
In November 2013, the report of the Third Plenum of the 18th Party Congress hinted that China might adjust its national military strategy. The Plenum’s Decision outlined the need to “strengthen military strategic guidance, and enrich and improve the military strategic guideline for the new... MORE
China’s Counter-Terrorism Vanguard: Public Security Border Control Troops’ Organization, Strategy, Training and Intelligence Capability
The past two years have been a period of frustration and setbacks for China’s counter-terrorism agencies. In spite of the state’s efforts to clamp down on terrorism, the number of terrorist attacks actually experienced an upsurge in 2013 and 2014, with one even striking near... MORE
Nuclear Policy Issues in the 2013 Edition of The Science of Military Strategy: Part 2 on PLA Second Artillery Force (PLASAF) Strategy and Capabilities
As highlighted in Beijing’s May 2015 defense white paper, China is modernizing its strategic missile force as part of its focus on strengthening the PLA’s preparation for “winning informationized local wars, highlighting maritime military struggle and maritime PMS [preparation for military struggle]” (State Council Information... MORE
Kadyrov Plays Down Threat of Islamic State in Chechnya
On June 26, one day after the Russian security services killed Magomed-Ali Aliev and his wife Leila in Nazran, Ingushetia (Topwar.ru, June 25; see EDM, July 1), law enforcement agencies in the Chechen capital Grozny killed two suspected terrorists. According to the Chechen government forces,... MORE
Dual-Use Ships and Facilities Send Mixed Message in South China Sea
In mid-June, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lu Kang announced that Chinese land reclamation efforts would soon end, hopefully marking the end of tensions caused by China’s rapid expansion of a number of land features in the South China Sea (MOFA, June 16). Although... MORE
Russian Counter-Terrorism Operations Return to Ingushetia
After months of relative quiet, there have been unexpected reports in recent weeks of battles with militants in Ingushetia, Russia’s smallest republic. Among other reported incidents, police officers were apparently wounded during a special operation in the republic’s foothills in May (Echo.msk.ru, May 23), and... MORE
Moscow Appears to Be Playing a Most Dangerous Game With the Islamic State
In the wake of terrorist attacks by the Islamic State (IS) across the Middle East and Europe, Russian diplomats and the Kremlin-controlled media have been working overtime to suggest that the West will not be able to contain IS unless it secures Moscow’s cooperation. And... MORE
Putin’s Use of the ‘Nuclear Card’
President Vladimir Putin continues to use strong rhetoric not only linked to what he sees as Kyiv’s “responsibilities” to adhere to Minsk II but also in an increasingly controversial area of Russia’s military modernization: namely the future role of the country’s nuclear deterrent. Moscow has... MORE
Ahlam al-Nasr: Islamic State’s Jihadist Poetess
Finally, God granted me al-samaha [allowance to enter the caliphate land], Oh, my comrade, I’ve shook hands with arms I’ve lived [in] the caliphate and its excellencies (al-Quds al-Arabi, October 14, 2014) With these lines, Syrian revolutionary poetess turned Islamic State propagandist Ahlam al-Nasr announced... MORE
Abu Ridha al-Turkistani: A Post-Mortem Analysis of the Turkistan Islamic Party’s First Apparently Non-Uyghur Leader
Abu Ridha al-Turkistani was the leader of the “Syria Branch” of the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP)—the first TIP leader ever to hold that position. He died under as murky circumstances and with as little fanfare as he arrived. There is very little information on where... MORE