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ISN
ETH Zurich
International Relations and Security Network www.isn.ethz.ch
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This Week at ISN Our Weekly Editorial Roundup
18 22 August 2014 JUMP TO Security Watch | Blog | Video
/// Security Watch
This week, our hard power Security Watch series asks how the international community should go about addressing
concerns over the potential weaponization of space; if terrorists can really develop and make use of dirty bombs; if the
Advanced Undersea Weapon System will provide the United States with vital asymmetric advantage in future maritime
conflicts; if maritime strategy can be used to devise the strategic principles of cyber-warfare; and what is the current state
of Russias nuclear forces. Then, our second, more wide-ranging feature considers the internal and external factors that
are starting to shape the Kosovo crisis; if lessons from the successful resolution of the Bangladesh-India maritime
boundary dispute can be applied elsewhere; the social services that Hamas provides to Palestine; how the international
community should go about regulating the international arms trade; and how El Salvador's new president might tackle the
country's gang problem. More
Defining and Regulating the Weaponization of Space
18 August 2014
How should the international community go about addressing mounting concerns over the weaponization of space? David
C. DeFrieze thinks that regulating the behavior of space powers through the likes of the United Nations will be more
effective than attempting to limit their technological capabilities. More
The Balkan Conundrum: Kosovo and Regional Ripple Effects
18 August 2014
Deep-seated ethnic and religious tensions continue to complicate Kosovos transition from former Yugoslav republic to
fully-fledged democracy. Worse still, warns Regina J oseph, additional threats are now starting to coalesce within and
around its borders that could keep the country locked into insecurity and instability for the foreseeable future. More
Dirty Bombs: Reason to Worry?
19 August 2014
Should we really be worried about terrorists developing explosive radiological dispersal devices? Absolutely, says J ohn R.
Haines. Acquiring radiological materials and incorporating them into an explosive device is by no means beyond the grasp
of the most competent actors and organizations. More
Resolution of Bangladesh-India Maritime Boundary: Model for South China Sea Disputes?
19 August 2014
Sam Bateman thinks the successful delineation of the Bangladesh-India maritime boundary demonstrates that, with
sufficient political will, maritime disputes can be settled peacefully. Thats something China might want to take into account
as it asserts its territorial claims in the East and South China Seas. More
Mine and Undersea Warfare for the Future
20 August 2014
J oshua Edwards and Dennis Gallagher believe that the Advanced Undersea Weapon System will provide the US with vital
asymmetric advantage in future maritime conflicts. As they see it, this lower-cost force multiplier will allow commanders to
apply more clandestine solutions and free traditional platforms to undertake more appropriate tasks. More
Terrorism and Charity: Defining Hamas
20 August 2014
Is it right to label Hamas an exclusively terrorist organization when it is also responsible for providing social services to
Palestinians? Not at all, says Lara Pham. The organizations charitable and welfare-based activities undoubtedly make it a
very powerful community actor. More
Some Principles of Cyber Strategy
21 August 2014
Although cyberspace has existed for decades, the strategic principles of cyber-warfare have not yet been devised. In beginning to do so,
John J. Klein believes that similarities between the cyber and maritime domains suggest that the thought of Sir Julian Corbett should be used
as inspiration. More
Coordinating a Global Strategy for the International Arms Trade
21 August 2014
Globalization has allowed the international arms trade to circumvent state-based arms transfer controls and put more
weapons into more hands than ever before. To mitigate these challenges, Rachel Stohl thinks the international community
should develop a multi-layered strategy that tackles irresponsible and illicit arms transfers. More
Russias Nuclear Revival and Its Challenges
22 August 2014
Russia is slowly but surely replacing its aging stockpile of Soviet-era nuclear weapons with an arsenal thats fit-for-purpose
in the 21st century. Richard Weitz reminds us, however, that a weakening Russian economy and less-than-favorable
international climate may yet derail Moscows efforts to revive its nuclear prowess. More
El Salvador's Gang Problem: The Truth Behind the Truce
22 August 2014
El Salvadors new government recently declared the two year-old truce between its largest gangs was effectively at an
end. Carlos A Rosales warns that negotiations might unravel completely unless San Salvador leads the way in developing
a more comprehensive approach to resolving the countrys gang problem once and for all. More
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Central American Blow-Back
18 August 2014
What factors help to explain Central Americas now well-documented problems of gang violence and large-scale
immigration? Robert Muggah believes that the United States deportation policies and unintentional short-circuiting of the
regions dilapidated penal system are at least partly to blame. More
How Qatars Hand Casts Syrian Shadows
19 August 2014
Why is Qatar so heavily involved in the Syrian crisis? Thats not an easy question to answer, thinks Thomas MacManus.
However, growing confidence on the international stage, financial self-interest and Qatars record on human rights
undoubtedly contribute to Dohas Syria policies. More
After Joining the WTO, Whats Next for Laos?
20 August 2014
How should Laos build on its recent accession to the WTO and the decision to move to a market economy? Buavanh
Vilavong thinks that Vientiane should keep its post-accession reform momentum going and open up the countrys internal
markets to foreign competition. More
Peacekeeping Works Better Than You May Think
21 August 2014
Does peacekeeping generally help to prevent a return to violence, or does it generally fail to do so? Like many other
academics, Roland Paris is convinced that on average peacekeeping does indeed reduce the risk of warring parties
resuming conflict. More
The Islamic World and the West: Recovering Common History
22 August 2014
Could acknowledging shared cultural values and heritage counter emerging narratives that Islam is dangerous for the
West in general and Europe in particular? Nayef Al-Rodhan thinks it might help. However, acknowledgement on its own
will not be enough to ensure long-term security. More
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Analyzing Differences between al Qaeda and the Islamic State
In this video, Stratfor's Paul Floyd and Scott Stewart explore the differences between the recently created Islamic State in
Iraq and al Qaeda. In particular, they examine 1) the origins of both groups; 2) their strategic objectives, training methods
and tactics; and 3) their transnational impact. More
The Dark Secrets of a Surveillance State
In this video, Hubertus Knabe, who is the Scientific Director of the Berlin-Hohenschnhausen Memorial, discusses the
history, structure and activities of the Stasi, which was the East German state security agency that spied on the country's
citizens until the end of the Cold War. More
Maritime Security in East Asia
In this video, two experts discuss the overlapping maritime claims that exist in East Asia, which also reflect conflicting
views on international governance and the conduct of oceanic affairs. In exploring these topics, Kings College Londons
Geoff Till first reviews the strategic and operational dynamics that exist in the region and how countries are adapting their
navies to cope with them. The University of Wollongongs Sam Bateman then follows with an exploration of the ongoing
political and legal battles over East Asian maritime security, which involve access to the global commons, differing
interpretations of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and creating good order at sea.
More
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