The Paris Attacks Northeastern Forum: A Review
On January 7th, Paris and some of its surrounding municipalities fell victim to a series of terror attacks, including fatal shootings at the Charlie Hedbo offices, a kosher supermarket, and the killing of a police woman.[1] In the Charlie Hebdo attack, twelve individuals lost their lives; at the Hyper Cacher Supermarket, four hostages were killed.[2] […]
Counterbalance: To War or Not To War
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) or the Islamic State, the terrorist organization that has seized parts of both countries, has one overarching goal in mind- the creation of an Islamic caliphate. The breadth of this goal alludes to one of the largest dangers […]
Encryption is Not Terrorism
“Do we want to allow a means of communication between people which we cannot read?” Prime Minister David Cameron asked the press, attempting to propose a ban on services which offer “end-to-end” encrypted messaging.[1] Simply put, encryption is the technology used to protect data. When users wish to protect their data— passwords, bank account […]
Know Thy Enemy: Cyber Warfare in the 21st Century
“It’s the great irony of our Information Age – the very technologies that empower us to create and to build also empower those who would disrupt and destroy.”[1] Referring to the 2010 hacking attacks on Google and several other companies in various industries, President Obama demonstrates the new type of threat that the world is […]
US Policy in the Middle East
On Tuesday September 16, 2014, Professor Joel Migdal gave a guest lecture at Northeastern University about his new book Shifting Sands-The United States in the Middle East. His presentation focused on the four main ideas throughout the book: the United States’ global role post World War II, the transition of main powers in the Middle […]
Safety at a Price: The Effect of Israel’s Security Culture on Palestinians in the West Bank
From the 25-foot tall concrete barrier wall to the hundreds of military checkpoints, Israel employs a pervasive security culture in the West Bank. Since Israel’s controversial creation, it has faced numerous security risks, from terrorist attacks to foreign invasions, all of which potentially pose a threat to Israel’s sustained national security. These external risk factors […]
Were the Sochi Olympic Security Threats Valid?
After four long years, the image of the mountainous Vancouver landscape slowly faded away as the Olympic spotlight and Sochi geared up for the first Russian Olympic event since the breakup of the USSR. For more than a century, the Olympics have treated spectators around the world to a show that only the world’s […]
The Future of Saudi-US Relations
In a stark refusal that shocked the international community, the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced “the manner, the mechanisms of action, and double standards existing in the Security Council prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities towards preserving international peace and security.”[1] The move by the Saudi Arabians to […]
The Question of 2014: The Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement
The United States and Afghanistan are at a pivotal point in their relationship in which current negotiations over the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) could have either beneficial or catastrophic effects for both nations. The outcome of these negotiations will dictate how much of a military presence, if any, the US will have in Afghanistan […]