International Security Studies

Events

Rogue States and U.S. Foreign Policy: Containment after the Cold War

President Clinton and other U.S. officials have warned that "rogue states" pose a major threat to international peace in the post-Cold War era. But what exactly is a rogue state? Does the concept foster a sound approach to foreign policy, or is it, in the end, no more than a counterproductive political epithet? Robert Litwak traces the origins and development of rogue state policy and then assesses its efficacy through detailed case studies of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. He shows that the policy is politically selective, inhibits the ability of U.S. policymakers to adapt to changed conditions, and has been rejected by the United States' major allies. Litwak concludes that by lumping and demonizing a disparate group of countries, the rogue state approach obscures understanding and distorts policymaking. In place of a generic and constricting strategy, he argues for the development of "differentiated" strategies of containment, tailored to the particular circumstances within individual states.

New Indications of Possible Iranian Weapons Work, According to New IAEA Report

The UN nuclear watchdog has new information that Iran may have worked on making nuclear weapons. Public Policy Scholar Michael Adler reports on the IAEA's new confidential report, distributed Friday.

Ilya V Gaiduk

"Rogue States" Approach Is Counterproductive, Claims Author of New Book

The Post 9/11 Threat

In this interview, Counterterrorism expert Philip Mudd describes the ability of the US to identify and respond to emerging global threats such as terrorism, drug cartels, and human trafficking. Are we safer today and what is the US national security narrative in the age of globalization?