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Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Zenko covers the U.S. national security debate and offers insight on developments in international security and conflict prevention.

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Signing Off

by Micah Zenko August 31, 2017

Today is my last day at the Council on Foreign Relations after eight and one-half fun and fulfilling years. An archive of everything I authored or co-authored remains here. Subsequently, this is the final post of this blog after more than 400 posts. Read More

Featured

Military Operations

Red Team at Aspen
Late last month, I was honored to be a speaker at the Aspen Ideas Festival about my book Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy. The Festival, which the Aspen Institute began in 2005, in…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko July 20, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Defense and Security

Questioning Obama’s Drone Deaths Data
Months after promising to release the number of civilians that have been killed in U.S. lethal counterterrorism operations outside of "areas of active hostilities," the Obama Administration today rel…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko July 1, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

How Not To Estimate and Communicate Risks
Estimating and translating the probability of an event for decision-makers is among the most difficult challenges in government and the private sector. The person making the estimate must be able to …

Blog Post by Micah Zenko June 29, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

Will Killing Mullah Mansour Work?
On Saturday, the Pentagon released a remarkable statement: “Today, the Department of Defense conducted an airstrike that targeted Taliban leader Mullah Mansur.” Soon after, a tweet from the Office of…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko May 23, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

Are Drones More Precise Than Manned Aircraft?
This blog post was coauthored with my research associate, Amelia M. Wolf. In our latest piece at ForeignPolicy.com, we evaluate the Obama administration’s long-standing claim that drone strikes are …

Blog Post by Micah Zenko April 25, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Bitcoin for Bombs
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are gaining traction as a source of funding for terrorist groups, such as the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Counterterrorism policies should respond accordingly.
Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Micah Zenko August 17, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
Foreign Aid
Why Cutting Foreign Aid Benefits Terrorists
President Trump's proposal to cut USAID funding will not help the United States fight terrorism. 
Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Micah Zenko August 9, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
Middle East and North Africa
Geopolitical Information Blockades: A New Norm?
The information blockade on Qatar is an example of states increasingly using internet access policies as a tool against foreign adversaries—and being more brazen about it than they have in the past. 
Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Micah Zenko August 2, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
  • Politics and Government
    Hedgehogs, Foxes, and Superstar Intellectuals: A Conversation with Daniel Drezner
    Podcast
    I was joined this week by Daniel Drezner, professor of international politics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and regular contributor to the Washington Post. Professor Drezner is also the author of an excellent recent book, The Ideas Industry: How Pessimists, Partisans, and Plutocrats are Transforming the Marketplace of Ideas. We spoke about the difference between thought leaders and public intellectuals, and how the rise of the latter has affected the marketplace of ideas. Professor Drezner shares his thoughts on bridging the divide between the academy and policy worlds, and discusses how he approached writing about an industry while being an active participant in it. We also talk about the way analysis by private firms is contributing to the ideas industry, and Professor Drezner offers some advice for young people entering the field. Listen to our conversation, and be sure to follow Professor Drezner on Twitter @dandrezner.
    Podcast July 18, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
  • Trade
    What Americans Really Think About Trade: A Conversation with Alexandra Guisinger
    Podcast
    Senior Fellow Micah Zenko speaks with Temple University Assistant Professor of Political Science Alexandra Guisinger about her new book, American Opinion on Trade: Preferences Without Politics, and how gender and race affect support for trade protection.
    Podcast July 11, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action