International Security

Sovereignty Served Cold
- September 5, 2019
The Canadian government depends radically on the permanent population of Inuit and other Northerners … but, those Northern communities live with less.

I was on the lookout for Russians when I should have been looking for icebergs. As part of …
By Mark Salter
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Punishment or Banishment?
- February 22, 2019
So-called jihadi brides are in the news, accused of supporting terrorism by having travelled to ISIS territory to marry ISIS fighters in support of the caliphate. Three Western states are implicated: the UK, the US, and Canada.

UK citizen Shemima …
By Patti Tamara Lenard
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Time to Move Past the Errors of the War on Terror
- December 10, 2018
The aftermath of 9/11 produced many problems in many countries. Canadian police and security agencies made numerous mistakes as followers and participants in an ill-considered American-led War on Terror declared shortly after that tragedy. The evidence in two public inquiries …
By Daniel Livermore
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Why Canada Should Care — a lot — about that UN Security Council seat
- December 3, 2018
Canada will stand for election to the United Nations Security Council in June 2020. Our competitors are Norway and Ireland. Of the three countries, two will win seats on the council and begin their two-year terms in January 2021.

There …
By Roland Paris
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In Defence of Liberal Internationalism?
- July 15, 2018
Alexandra Gheciu, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa, and Associate Director of CIPS

At first glance, the recent — unprecedentedly acrimonious — G7 Summit had a silver lining: it seemed to demonstrate that …
By Alexandra Gheciu
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The (Vanishing?) Conspiracy Theory Part 1: Daniel Jean on the PM’s India Trip
- April 21, 2018
The National Security and Intelligence Adviser to the Prime Minister, Daniel Jean, made a rare appearance before a Parliamentary committee on April 16. Such visits are usually sparked by scandal and controversy, and Jean’s appearance was no different. On the …
By Wesley Wark
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The (Vanishing?) Conspiracy Theory Part 2: Media Reports on the PM’s India Trip
- April 21, 2018
Here is a sample of what the media reported after Daniel Jean’s background brief:

Globe and Mail, February 22, 2018: “…after initially pointing the finger at Mr. Sarai, the Canadian government later spread the blame to ‘factions in India’ …
By Wesley Wark
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“A parade like the one in France”: A Reflection on Militarism Today
- February 8, 2018
According to The Washington Post, US President Donald Trump has asked the Department of Defense to plan for a military parade later this year. The date is yet to be set, but it is likely to be either July …
By Srdjan Vucetic
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Afghanistan’s Outlook for 2018 and Beyond
- January 29, 2018
The New Year ushers in predictions of what to expect in the coming year, but no predictions are necessary for Afghanistan this past week — the news says it all: three major attacks adding up to hundreds of casualties. Since …
By Nipa Banerjee
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“Returned Extremist Travellers”: The Small Numbers Problem for Canada, Part 1
- January 18, 2018
On 21 December, the Public Safety department released the government’s “Terrorist Threat to Canada” report for 2017 to no fanfare and little media attention. If you want something to get no attention, send it out just before the Christmas holidays. …
By Wesley Wark
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“Returned Extremist Travellers”: The Small Numbers Problem for Canada, Part 2
- January 18, 2018
See Part 1 of this blog here.

The key to a successful response to RETs is knowing who they are and when they will reach your shores. Impossible though this seems, real opportunities for identifying the IS fighter cadre …
By Wesley Wark
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Trump’s Security Strategy is more about his Personal Grievances
- December 20, 2017
US President Donald Trump released his administration’s national security strategy, presented in a speech to a subdued military audience on the afternoon of December 18^th. The strategy document was previewed by Trump’s national security adviser, General H.R. McMaster, …
By Wesley Wark
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