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ISN
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International Relations and Security Network www.isn.ethz.ch
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This Week at ISN Our Weekly Editorial Roundup
22 26 September 2014 JUMP TO Editorial Plan | Security Watch | Blog | Video
/// Security Watch
This week, our hard power-oriented Security Watch (SW) series asks if Indias jihadists pose a significant threat to
Western interests on the subcontinent and beyond; whether a second Cold War between NATO and Russia can be
averted; if the international community is doing enough to combat Boko Haram; whether Clausewitzs On War has much
to say about 21st century warfare; and if greater defense-industrial cooperation can help compensate for smaller defense
budgets. Then, in our second, more wide-ranging SW series, we look at an iconoclastic approach to global drug policies;
how Myanmar has fared as the current chairman of ASEAN; how the US could adapt Plan Colombia to tackle drug-related
violence in Mexico; why proposed solutions for ending Lesothos political problems are yielding more questions than
answers; and what is the current status of Israeli-Turkish relations.

The Indian Jihadist Movement: Evolution and Dynamics
22 September 2014
Do Indian mujahideen represent a destabilizing threat to Western and local interests in South Asia? Maybe, says Stephen
Tankel, but lets not downplay New Delhis ability to keep the dangers posed by indigenous jihadists in check. More
Rethinking Global Drug Policy
22 September 2014
What would happen if governments pushed criminal syndicates aside and took over the now illicit drug trade? According to
a recent Global Commission on Drug Policy report, production would become heavily regulated and drug use would
become a public health problem rather than a crime. More
NATO, Russia and Ukraine: Roulette or Reset?
23 September 2014
Given their tensions over Ukraine, can NATO and Russia avoid a new Cold War? Samir Tata believes that Germany
might be able to broker a suitable dtente, especially by promoting a two-sided embargo on military aid, calling for
parliamentary elections, and ruling out any future NATO relationship with Ukraine, Georgia or Belarus. More
Myanmar's ASEAN Chairmanship: An Early Assessment
23 September 2014
Given the existing problems in the South China Sea and the planned unveiling of the ASEAN Community in 2015,
Myanmars first term as chairman of ASEAN has been a stressful one. Yet, as Yun Sun observes, the internal and external
assessments of Naypyidaws leadership have been largely positive. More
Africas Islamic State?
24 September 2014
The international community needs to invest more social, economic and military resources into the fight against Boko
Haram, claims J Peter Pham. If it doesnt renew its focus on Nigeria, African nations may indeed end up having a
dangerous Islamic State in their midst. More
More Than a Mexican Problem: How the US Can Adapt Plan Colombia to Mexico
24 September 2014
Yes, how can Washington adapt Plan Colombia to tackle Mexico's drug-driven problems? Michael Osborne thinks it
should 1) help its neighbor develop robust special operations capabilities, 2) strengthen its intelligence-gathering
capabilities, and 3) lead a hemisphere-wide campaign to crush the cartels once and for all. More
Clausewitz and the Blue Flower of Romanticism: Understanding "On War"
25 September 2014
Does Clausewitzs On War have much to say about the nature of 21st century warfare? Bill Bentley thinks so. What we
may think are cutting-edge concepts (hybrid warfare, etc.) merely echo one of the Prussian generals central insights
wars are indeed complex, non-linear things. More
Lesotho after Pretoria: More Questions than Answers as Leaders Continue to Dance Close to the Flame
25 September 2014
Have the recent attempts to end Lesothos political turmoil left too many questions unanswered? Toeu Petlane worries
thats the case, which doesnt bode well for a country that has looked to the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) and its members to guarantee its stability. More
International Defense Industrial Cooperation Acting on Opportunities in Testing Times
26 September 2014
Defense spending remains a casualty of the Wests efforts to recover from the 2008 global financial crisis. Today, Lewis
Hedge and others look at how enhanced defense-industrial cooperation might help protect the strategic interests of allied
nations in a cash-strapped era. More
Turkey & Israel: There and Back Again
26 September 2014
Are Israeli-Turkish relations getting worse? Not necessarily, says Stavros Drakoularakos. Despite the lingering aftereffects
of the Mavi Marmara incident and Ankaras displeasure over recent Israeli operations in Gaza, the economic ties and
security exchanges between the two states remain largely unaffected. More
/// Blog
Book Review: The Peoples Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited by Louisa Lim
22 September 2014
Have most Chinese citizens bought into their governments amnesia about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests? Andrea
J anku believes that's generally true, but she also thinks that Louisa Lims new book is right there are dissidents in and
out of China who are keeping the memory of the protests alive. More
What Role for UN Peacekeepers in Tackling Ebola?
23 September 2014
Should UN peacekeepers in Liberia be doing more to stop the spread of the Ebola virus? Michael Snyder thinks so. UNMIL
has the personnel and resources to help roll back the virus and leave a lasting legacy once its mission is complete. More
The Ongoing Campaign to Restrict Egypts Public Space
24 September 2014
Will the Egyptian governments attempts to muzzle the countrys civil society end in failure? Sarah El Sirgany believes so.
As she sees it, the Al-Sisi regimes short-sighted crackdown will merely push the testing of government policies into
"alternative spaces." More
Cutting Corners in the South Sudan Peace Process
25 September 2014
Will the latest IGAD-brokered peace agreement bring stability to South Sudan? Emmanuel Kisiangani has his doubts. As
he sees it, setting deadlines for the formation of a transitional unity government and failing to provide a clear reform
agenda for the future are not helpful. More
Political Turmoil and the Pakistani Army Whats next?
26 September 2014
Will Pakistans politicians have only themselves to blame if the countrys military intervenes in their squabbles? V K
Srivastava thinks so. Popular protests led by Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri have destabilized the political system, while
Nawaz Sharifs failure to tackle corruption has weakened the influence of his office. More
/// Video
Destroying Syrias Chemical Weapons: One Year Later
In this video, three senior-level practitioners analyze 1) the destruction of Syria's declared chemical arsenal, including the
role diplomacy played in facilitating the process; 2) the part the US has played in destroying the arsenal; and 3) the
broader lessons that have been learned about the disposing of chemical weapons. More
Robert Haddick on China's Military
In this video, Robert Haddick discusses his book, "Fire on the Water," which examines China's military modernization
program, its security strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, and what potential threats they both pose to US interests. More
India's Asia-Pacific Policy: From "Look East" to "Act East"
This video features two group discussions on India's foreign policy and its growing preoccupation with the Asia-Pacific
region. The first group specifically looks at Sino-Indian relations while the second one focuses on India's relations with
J apan, South Korea and Southeast Asian states. More
/// Multimedia Content
Here is a selection of this week's additions to the ISN Digital
Library:
Publications More
/ / / Responsibility, Legitimacy, Morality: Chinese Humanitarianism in Historical Perspective More
/ / / Eurasian Union: The Real, the Imaginary and the Likely More
/ / / J apan: Defense of J apan 2014 More
Videos More
/ / / Delivering the Integrated Approach in Fragile and Conflict-Affected States More
/ / / World Order with Henry Kissinger More
/ / / Proliferation Challenges in Northeast Asia and South Asia More
Audio / Podcasts More
/ / / The Future, Declassified More
/ / / Step by Step: Researching the Global Distribution of Small Arms More
/ / / Homeland Security Secretary J ohnson on ISIL, Ebola, and Preventing Homegrown Terrorism More
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