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This Week at the ISN

Our Weekly Content Roundup

26 30 January 2015

JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video

// Security Watch

This week, our hard power-centered Security Watch (SW) series wonders if the US' littoral combatant ship (LCS) and
small surface combatant (SSC) are more survivable than larger combat vessels; how you merge armed rivals into a
unified national army at the end of a civil war; whether like-minded organizations will try to follow the template developed
by the so-called Islamic State; what the US military's efforts to combat Ebola in Liberia tells us about effective security
sector reform (SSR); and what measures did US forces take to build trust in Iraq and Afghanistan as their wars wound
down. Then, in our second, week-long SW series, we give free rein to our soothsaying partners to share their predictions
for 2015 and beyond.

The LCS and SSC Survivability Dilemma

26 January 2015

Is the United States' littoral combatant ship (LCS) and follow-on small surface combatant (SSC) more survivable than
larger combat vessels? Not according to Steven Wills. That's because these vessels' 'operational profiles' are defined
more by weight limitations than anything else. More

Annual Forecast 2015 the View from Stratfor

26 January 2015

An oversupplied oil market, the relative decline of Europe and China, and Russia's confrontation with the West dominate
Stratfor's predictions for the year ahead. But that's not all. Find out here how the globe's economic, political and security
trends might evolve during 2015. More

Merging Competing Militaries after Civil Wars

27 January 2015

10 Wars to Watch in 2015

27 January 2015

What conflicts have made the International Crisis Group's list of 10 wars to watch for in 2015? And further, why does our
partner organization think that increased global fragmentation might help resolve some of these struggles? Find out here.
More

Can ISIL Be Copied?

28 January 2015

Will like-minded extremist groups try to duplicate ISIL's vision of an Islamic state? Florence Gaub thinks it's unlikely, at
least for now. However, we shouldn't rule out the possibility of groups such as al-Shabab trying to transform themselves
into bigger organizations with similar ambitions. More

Challenges for European Foreign Policy in 2015

28 January 2015

Futurology can take on different guises, particularly when trying to anticipate the problems Europe's foreign policymakers
will face in 2015. In this paper, FRIDE's tack is to look at the shifting postures, concerns and priorities of nine regional
powers and then propose a spectrum of 'coping strategies' for them to consider. More

Preventive Medicine: Ebola and Security Sector Reform in Liberia

29 January 2015

Theo Lipsky thinks that the US military's anti-Ebola mission in Liberia should teach us an important lesson about security
sector reform (SSR) in fragile states. As he sees it, SSR isn't merely just about establishing stability it's also about
building the capacity to respond to any crisis. More

Prospects for the Global Economy in 2015

29 January 2015

Will the global economy continue to navigate through stormy waters in 2015? Will the US economy remain on an upward
swing? And will 2015 be 'a year of breakthroughs' in global trade liberalization? The answers to these and other questions
are available in this expert roundup from the CFR. More

Winning Trust under Fire

30 January 2015

When dealing with Iraqi and Afghan stakeholders, how did US forces manage to build and maintain trust? In today's
analysis, Aaron Bazin credits confidence-building measures that were both incremental & culturally sensitive. More

America's Strategic Position at the Dawn of 2015

30 January 2015

The United States has not entered 2015 in a state of terminal decline, argues War on the Rocks' Ali Wynne. In fact, there
is still no country or coalition of states that can replace it as the foundation stone of an increasingly complex and uncertain
world order. More

// Blog

Civilian Drones: Fixing an Image Problem?

26 January 2015

What are the potential benefits of drones being increasingly used for recreational and commercial purposes? At a
minimum, Ulrike Franke believes that their public image will improve, to include diminishing their association with targeted
killings. More

Tensions Rise Between India and Pakistan

27 January 2015

Military crises between India and Pakistan have historically been kept in check by international pressure and nuclear
deterrent. Haifa Peerzada worries, however, that growing tensions along the two nations' Line of Control and increased
media posturing are raising the possibility of all-out war. More

Low Oil Prices Could Shake up Africa's Petro States

28 January 2015

What negative impact could lower oil prices have on Africa's petro states? Jill Shankleman believes the problem could be
twofold. Not only might these states experience increased political instability, they could also clamor for increased external
support, particularly in order to sustain public services. More

Between Cohesion and Division: Reconciling the Faultines of Europe's Past

29 January 2015

Giacomo Lichtner and others believe that Europe should indeed reconcile the historical fault-lines of its past. By doing so,
the continent will sustain its functional cohesion, social-democratic vision, and broader norms. More

Mediation Perspectives: Dealing with Organized Crime

30 January 2015

If you're trying to mediate a conflict where organized crime is heavily involved, what three principles should you
remember? According Sabrin Kassam, you should be inclusive, distinguish financial goals from political ones, and build
trust in the negotiations' endgame. More

// Video


What to Worry about in 2015

In this video, three veteran analysts ruminate on the potential crises and conflicts that might afflict the world in 2015.
More

Libya in 2015: The Scramble for Oil and Scenarios for Transition

In this video, three analysts focus on the following questions about Libya. 1) Is the country on the verge of de facto
partition? 2) Who are the internal actors aggravating Libya's troubles and how are external stakeholders affecting matters?
And 3) what steps can the US take to promote stability, if not peace, in this troubled 'country'? More

Top Risks and Ethical Decisions 2015

In this video, Ian Bremmer, who is the President of the Eurasia Group, makes his global political predictions for 2015.
Overall, Bremmer concludes that while the domestic economic and political outlook for both China and the US is fairly
positive, the same can't be said for global geopolitics in general.More

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

Publications More
// Using Technology in Nonviolent Activism against Repression More
// Defend, Defect, or Desert? The Future of the Afghan Security Forces
More
// Russia's Breakout from the Post-Cold War System
More

Videos More
// Nigeria's Security: Insurgency, Elections and Coordinating Responses to Multiple Threats
More
State of Citizen Security in Mexico: 2014 in Review and the Year Ahead More
/The
/
and Trends in Iraq More
/Developments
/

Audio / Podcasts More

// What's Next for the Global Economy: A Look Ahead at 2015
More
// Insurgent Diplomat: Civil Talks or Civil War?
More
// Aftermath of the Paris Attacks: Issues of Integration and Inclusion in Europe More

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