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Briefing Papers
Concise, clear and easily digestible issue backgrounders, aimed at a time-poor policy audience
National Security Relations with France after Brexit
Briefing Papers, 15 January 2018Peter Ricketts
Written by Lord Peter Ricketts, former National Security Adviser and UK Ambassador to France, this Briefing Paper recommends that the UK and France step up joint work on defence, security and nuclear deterrence policy.
Tags: Defence Policy, Intelligence
A New State in the Middle East? From the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the Republic of Kurdistan
Briefing Papers, 19 September 2017Gareth Stansfield
The likely result of the upcoming referendum in the Kurdish areas of Iraq will create a dilemma for the Iraqi state and foreign powers.
Tags: Defence Policy, Global Security Issues
Still International by Design? Towards a Post-Brexit SDSR
Briefing Papers, 11 May 2017Malcolm Chalmers
The next British government will have to decide whether an earlier than anticipated review of the UK's military capabilities is needed.
Tags: Armed Forces, Defence Spending, Equipment and Acquisitions, Brexit, Defence Management, Defence Policy, UK Defence
Ready for Peace? The Afghan Taliban after a Decade of War
Briefing Papers, 31 January 2017Theo Farrell and Michael Semple
Despite high-profile success on the battlefield, interviews with Taliban personnel reveal substantial discord within the group.
Tags: The decade after 9/11, The Pakistan Nexus, The War on Terror, Counterinsurgency
UK Foreign and Security Policy after Brexit
Briefing Papers, 9 January 2017Malcolm Chalmers
Despite a looming split, the UK must seek to create a new relationship with the EU while strengthening ties with major European and non-European partners. Such measures could allow the UK to continue to contribute to resolving major security challenges.
Tags: European Union, Brexit, Security Policy
Russia Confronts NATO: Confidence-Destruction Measures
Briefing Papers, 6 July 2016Igor Sutyagin
Dr Igor Sutyagin argues that while Russia's recent military modernisation constitutes an important change in its own right, the most significant change is not to the size of the Russian military but to the nature of its forces: instead of being primarily structured for defensive operations (in case of a hypothetical large-scale military conflict), the Russian armed forces are now gaining an...
Tags: International Security Studies, NATO
Would a New SDSR Be Needed After a Brexit Vote?
Briefing Papers, 3 June 2016Malcolm Chalmers
Professor Malcolm Chalmers presents a personal argument stating that a UK decision to leave the EU would be as significant a shift in UK national strategy as the decision in the late 1960s to withdraw from bases East of Suez and, as a result, would necessitate a new Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).
Tags: Defence Spending, European Union, Brexit, Scottish Defence and Security Policy, Defence Policy, UK Defence
Spending Matters: Defence and Security Budgets after the 2015 Spending Review
Briefing Papers, 13 May 2016Malcolm Chalmers
While the 2015 Spending Review confirmed a stabilisation in the total defence and security budget after a period of sharp decline, a new RUSI report reveals a substantial shift in the way this is being spent across the government.
Tags: Defence Management, Defence Policy
UK Air Strikes in Syria: Time for a Decision?
Briefing Papers, 18 November 2015Malcolm Chalmers
In the aftermath of the Paris attacks, there may be an increasingly compelling case for extending UK counter-ISIS air strikes to Syria
Tags: UK Counter-terrorism, UK Defence
Understanding the Investigatory Powers Bill
Briefing Papers, 6 November 2015Calum Jeffray
The government's draft Investigatory Powers Bill is one of the most ambitious pieces of legislation laid before this Parliament. This briefing unpacks its implications
Tags: Terrorism and Conflict, Securing Britain, Intelligence, Technology