Research and Policy Reports

Mainstreaming Hate: The Far-Right Fringe Origins of Islamophobic and Anti-Refugee Politics Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster and Samuel Davidoff-Gore December 2015 To read the full report, click here. The National Security Network (NSN) is pleased to release a new policy brief, Mainstreaming Hate: The Far-Right Fringe Origins of Islamophobic and Anti-Refugee Politics. Since the November 13 terrorist attack in Paris, politicians have seized on reports of participation in the attacks by alleged Syrian refugees to impugn U.S. efforts to resettle 10,000 refugees displaced by the Islamic State and the violence of the Syrian civil war – a relatively small number of refugees in relation to the overall number of people displaced from Syria and the burden on other nations accepting Syrian refugees. These political… Read More ›

Thunder without Lightning: The High Costs and Limited Benefits of the F-35 Program Policy Report by Bill French August 2015 The National Security Network (NSN) is pleased to release a new policy report, Thunder without Lightning: The High Costs and Limited Benefits of the F-35. According to our analysis, the F-35 lacks the capabilities to execute its primary mission, and costs too much relative to its predecessors. The Department of Defense should examine ways to reduce its commitment to this albatross of an acquisition program. To read the full report, click here. From the report: “To perform against near-peer adversaries, the F-35 will have to be capable of executing a range of missions, from defeating enemy aircraft to penetrating enemy air defenses to strike surface… Read More ›

Living with the Consequences: The Effects of Voting Down the Iran Nuclear Agreement Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster July 28, 2015 Should Congress vote down the nuclear agreement with Iran, it will inhibit the ability of the United States to implement an effective foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Rejecting the deal will alienate U.S. allies and diminish U.S. standing in future negotiations. It will isolate the United States both diplomatically and economically, as the sanctions regime collapses and rivals set up a new financial infrastructure that will undermine the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions. It will empower the hardliners in Iran that drive the worst elements of Iran’s regional policies, escalating conflict in Iraq and Syria, and encourage them to rush for the nuclear weapon… Read More ›

The Limits of Iran’s Regional Ambitions Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster July 9, 2015 The reach of Iran’s foreign policy has exceeded its grasp. For all its efforts to maintain its sphere of influence and expand its power in the Middle East, it has gained little from its interventions. Tehran has consolidated its control over the leadership in Damascus and South Beirut, but these allies are stretched thin and seeing their power and influence recede. Meanwhile, Iran is increasingly challenged in Iraq by the Islamic State and resurgent U.S. diplomacy. In Gaza, Tehran has ceded its influence with Hamas to the same governments supplying its opponents in Syria. Far from an ascendant actor in the region, Iran is currently fighting the greatest challenge to… Read More ›

Statement by Bill French, NSN Policy Analyst Congressional Progressive Caucus Forum on ISIL and the President’s AUMF Proposal March 16, 2015 Distinguished members of Congress, I am honored to join you to discuss the president’s proposed authorization for use of military force (AUMF) against ISIL. Over the next few minutes, I would like to outline how a number of key national security issues relate to considering the president’s proposed resolution and what kind of provisions it should – and should not – ultimately include as a result. In particular, I will focus on select aspects of how the U.S. military strategy against ISIL should inform congressional action on a potential AUMF. As I think all of us know, ISIL poses a very real national security… Read More ›

Confronting the Islamic State: An Assessment of U.S. Strategic Options Policy Report by J. Dana Stuster and Bill French Foreword by Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton, USA (Ret.) February 2015 The National Security Network (NSN) is pleased to release a new policy report,Confronting the Islamic State: An Assessment of U.S. Strategic Options. The report, which features a foreword by NSN Senior Advisor Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton (Ret.), reframes the debate on U.S. strategy in Iraq and Syria. NSN Policy Analysts Dana Stuster and Bill French analyze the full field of strategies to counter the Islamic State proposed by experts and outline a new approach to combat it. To read the full report, click here. Confronting the Islamic State categorizes the various strategic proposals into four camps: those… Read More ›

Navigating an AUMF for the Islamic State: Toward a High-Standard Authorization Policy Brief by Bill French and J. Dana Stuster September 18, 2014 Policymakers in Congress and the Executive Branch are rightfully focused on addressing the threat posed by the Islamic State. The White House maintains that it already possesses the legal authority for armed conflict against the Islamic State under the 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF). This view is mistaken, and has received a critical reception from legal experts and members of Congress, some of whom have called for a new AUMF. In the past week, several new authorizations have already been proposed. If Congress is to authorize the armed conflict, lawmakers should use this opportunity to construct a… Read More ›

Ending the Endless War: An Incremental Approach to Repealing the 2001 AUMF Policy Report By Bill French with John Bradshaw August 2014, Updated February 2015 This paper was updated in February 2015. The Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF)  passed in 2001 is unique among other such authorizations in American history in that it includes no limitations in time, geography, operations, or a named enemy, as this report documents in detail. The lack of limits in the 2001 AUMF has set America adrift on an unreflective course toward perpetual war, increasing the risks of blowback against American national security objectives. The lack of limits in the AUMF has also facilitated an expansion of combat operations far beyond the scope envisioned by the lawmakers that… Read More ›

U.S. Policy towards North Korea: Strategic Shaping and Interim Steps to Denuclearization For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 WASHINGTON, DC — Today, the National Security Network and the National Committee on North Korea released the paper, “U.S. Policy towards North Korea: Strategic Shaping and Interim Steps to Denuclearization.” The paper’s release coincided with an event on Capitol Hill featuring Ambassador Christopher Hill, NSN Executive Director John Bradshaw, and NCNK Executive Director Karin Lee. Below is an executive summary of the paper. To read the full report, click here. North Korea’s WMD program advances pose an increasing threat to the U.S. while its brinksmanship tactics create instability and the risk of conflict arising from miscalculation. The administration’s emphasis on coordination with South Korea, Japan, and China is an important step toward… Read More ›

Reshaping Pentagon Spending and Capabilities: Setting Priorities for the Future By Bill French March 2013 A NEW PHASE of the debate over Pentagon spending is on the horizon. On March 1, sequestration went into effect as mandated by the Budget Control Act (BCA) and as modified by the American Taxpayer Relief Act. Under sequestration, Pentagon spending is to be reduced by approximately $500 billion over the next decade. But whether or not sequestration is the mechanism of reductions, what the Pentagon needs now are choices about U.S. strategic priorities in order to guide allocating resources.  Therefore, whereas the debate prior to sequestration focused tightly on budgetary considerations, the next round of debate over funding for the Department of Defense (DoD) will likely focus on the… Read More ›