Library Phishers
I just read the post “Silent Librarian: More to the Story of the Iranian Mabna Institute Indictment” and it was very eye opening. The United States Justice Department, FBI, New York FBI, and US Treasury announced charges against nine Iranians for conducting a huge cyber theft campaign. Prosecutors state the nine Iranians worked for the Mabna Institute and stole more than 30 terabytes of academic data and intellectual property from universities, companies, and governments around the world. That is roughly the equivalent to 8 billion double sided pages.
There were more than 750 phishing attacks identified t...
Source: The Krafty Librarian - March 27, 2018 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: KraftyLibrarian Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
What Does Japan Think of the Iran Nuclear Deal?
What is Tokyo ' s view of the Iran nuclear deal and how has Tokyo responded to the U.S. threat to withdraw from it? What role is Japan, the world ' s third-largest economy, a major U.S. ally, and the only country ever to be attacked with nuclear weapons, likely to play in attempting to preserve, improve, or scrap the deal? (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - March 26, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: Scott W. Harold Source Type: blogs
Bolton In, McMaster Out
Americans who voted for Donald Trump believing he would be disinclined to start new wars should be puzzled by his decision to tapJohn Bolton as his third national security adviser. The rest of us should be concerned.Bolton has been one of the most reliably hawkish voices in American politics in recent memory. In 2015, he openly called forlaunching a war against Iran. Earlier this year, he argued that the United States shouldinitiate a war against North Korea. His faith in the utility of force, and his general disdain for diplomacy, is legendary – and apparently hasn’t been shaken by the wars of the recent past.Most Ame...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 23, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Christopher A. Preble Source Type: blogs
The Two Faces of Mohammed bin Salman
Saudi Arabia ’s prodigal son returns to Washington this week, beginning a tour through the United States apparently aimed at drumming up investment in the country. Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is young with big ideas: he wants to reform Saudi society and wean the Saudi economy off oil. He also wants to build up S audi as a foreign policy player – with or without the United States – and cement Saudi dominance in the Gulf.It ’s small wonder then that profiles and articles about the prince typically either laud him as a great reformer or simply criticize his foreign policy blunders. The truth is an accurate portrayal of ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 19, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Emma Ashford Source Type: blogs
Farewell, Rex
Nothing about Rex Tillerson ’s firing should surprise us, except perhaps its timing. Tillerson has often been at odds with his boss in the White House, whether on Russia, Iran, or North Korea. Though widely hailed as one of the ‘adults in the room,’ it’s not clear he had much influence at all on Trump’s biggest forei gn policy decisions. He waswidely disliked inside his own agency; civil servants at Foggy Bottom hated his insularity and his plans to massively cut the State Department ’s budget and diplomatic capacity.Even the casual cruelty of the firing should not surprise us. Sure, the President fired his Sec...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 13, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Emma Ashford Source Type: blogs
Can Europe Save the Iran Nuclear Deal?
In mid-January, President Trump threatened to withdraw from the Iran agreement if Europe does not “ fix ” it within four months. There are viable steps Europe could take to address Trump ' s concerns about the deal — on missile development, inspections, and sunset clauses. However, if the U.S. withdraws, Europe could still work with other international powers to keep the deal alive. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - March 12, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: Dalia Dassa Kaye; James Dobbins Source Type: blogs
Putin's Shiny New Missile Threatens Nonproliferation
Vladimir Putin ’s public speech Thursday night hit many of its objectives: a memorable branding moment for a politician heading into an election this month, boasted a new image of Russia after years of economic stagnation and military decline, and debuted a shiny new missile to emphasize that point. The new nuclear-powered cruise missile could have serious implications for U.S.-Russia relations by complicating the bilateral New START treaty that intended to downsize the world ’s two largest nuclear arsenals. The state of American nonproliferation efforts seems to be at a low in recent history. President Trump frequ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - March 2, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Caroline Dorminey Source Type: blogs
Syrian Civilians Pay the Price in Ghouta
After a third consecutive day of attacks, the Syrian governmenthas killed over 250 people in Eastern Ghouta, a region near Damascus. TheSyrian Observatory for Human Rights stated thatthe death toll included 58 children and 42 women, and will most likely rise as the attacks continue.The Assad regime, backed byRussia, claims that the attacks, which include air strikes andbarrel bombs, are necessary to rid Eastern Ghouta of terrorists. Eastern Ghouta is thelast rebel stronghold and home to bothJaysh al-Islam, a Syrian opposition militia that routinely attacks the Assad regime, Islamic State, and selective Kurdish forces, and ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 21, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Sahar Khan Source Type: blogs
Israel Prepares to Take on Iran and Hezbollah in Syria
Clashes between Israeli, Iranian, and Syrian forces have injected new volatility into the Middle East. This increases the likelihood of miscalculation and escalatory military action across the region. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - February 19, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: Richard Charles Baffa Source Type: blogs
The Trump Administration and Preventive War
CNAS Senior Fellow Mira Rapp-Hooper has authored a first-rate take-down of the illogic of supposedly limited strikes (aka the “bloody nose” option) against North KoreaatThe Atlantic. Here are a few choice passages:it makes little sense for American war planners to assume a “limited” strike like this would stay limited. A U.S. operation may not achieve its objectives, and even if it does, it would still leave the decision of whether or not to retaliate up to Kim. The North Korean leader would make that decision based on his own beliefs about the strike once it t ook place, not based on American wishes for his res...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 6, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Christopher A. Preble Source Type: blogs
Trump's Bombast On Iran & North Korea Makes War More Likely
Neatly defining President Trump ’s foreign policy has never been easy, characterized as it is by contradictory impulses, fragmentary ideas, and strains of paradox. However, on the two most arresting national security issues at the top of Trump’s agenda—Iran and North Korea—his approach is plain: aggressive confrontation is good; diplomacy is bad.The problem is that, even if Trump himself is not determined to go to war with either of these countries, he is making it far more likely.Last month, Trump once again waived nuclear-related sanctions on Iran, consistent with our obligations under the Joint Comprehensive Pla...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - February 5, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: John Glaser Source Type: blogs
Tillerson's All of the Above Policy for Syria
In his recent address on American policy in Syria, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson proposed to suppress ISIS resurgence, oust Bashar al Assad, reduce Iranian influence, continue to back a Kurdish dominated enclave and reassure our Turkish allies. It ' s important to understand why such an“all of the above” approach would not be workable. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - February 1, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: James Dobbins Source Type: blogs
Leading from Behind on Trade
Right after he took office, President Trumpfamously withdrew from the 12 nation Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement that the Obama administration had negotiated. That was not too surprising, given that during the campaign, hehad referred to the TPP as “a continuing rape of our country.”But the other 11 TPP nations decided to move forward without the U.S., and on Tuesday they wereable to agree on a revised deal (with key changes to the text undertaken in the form of suspensions, so that the original provisions can be reinstated if the U.S. decides to rejoin). By Thursday, President Trumpseemed to be rethink...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - January 26, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Simon Lester Source Type: blogs
Counteracting Iran's Gray Zone Strategy in Syria
Iran is extending its influence throughout Syria as the Islamic State ' s influence declines. To counter Iranian efforts and the inevitable similar actions of other countries, the United States should dedicate significant resources to crafting its own strategy to prevent Tehran from taking advantage of the current conflict and humanitarian crisis. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - January 25, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: Colin P. Clarke Source Type: blogs
The Trump Doctrine and Public Opinion at One Year
In advance of the January 30 conference here at Cato —The Trump Doctrine at One Year—I review public attitudes toward Trump’s “America First” vision and his foreign policy handling over his first year in office. Join us for a what will undoubtedly be a spirited conversation with a fantastic group of experts.Donald Trump ’s America First rhetoric during the 2016 presidential campaign marked a sharp departure from the fundamental tenets of liberal internationalism that have guided U.S. foreign policy since World War II. Trump’s tirades against free trade, NATO allies, immigrants (legal and otherwise), and his g...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - January 22, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: A. Trevor Thrall Source Type: blogs
