International Security

“A Parade Like the One in France”: A Reflection on Militarism Today 0
- Analysis
- 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 …
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Afghanistan’s Outlook for 2018 and Beyond 0
- Analysis
- 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 …
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“Returned Extremist Travellers”: The Small Numbers Problem for Canada, Part 1 0
- Analysis
- 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. …
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“Returned Extremist Travellers”: The Small Numbers Problem for Canada, Part 2 0
- Analysis
- 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 …
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Trump’s Security Strategy is more about his Personal Grievances 0
- Analysis
- 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, …
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Mapping Out a North Korean Peace Process 0
- Analysis
- December 11, 2017
By John Gruetzner

There are ultimately four critical components to a peace process:

The first component is to submit and then finalize a draft of a document acceptable to the original signatories that converts the armistice agreement signed on 27 …
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Canada Doubling Down on Diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula 0
- Analysis
- December 11, 2017
By John Gruetzner

Canada has announced that it is co-hosting a 16-nation summit with the United States early next year to explore options to engage North Korea. Prime Minister Trudeau is also likely to meet this month with US Secretary …
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Ottawa Needs to Re-Evaluate the Mission in Iraq 0
- Analysis
- November 1, 2017
The Canadian government announced last Friday that it is temporarily suspending its mission to train Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish forces given growing tension between the two sides. Ottawa should take this opportunity to carefully consider its next steps: because of …
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No Easy Route to Nuclear Disarmament 0
- Analysis
- October 11, 2017
Last week, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to a campaign group seeking a global ban on nuclear arms. The award to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) surprised many observers, particularly in a year when the architects …
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Just Don’t Share, Except With Care 0
- Analysis
- September 26, 2017
The federal government’s Public Safety Department has just released a bombshell ministerial directive dealing with the sensitive issue of intelligence sharing in cases that might involve torture. This issue has long and delicate roots, reaching back to the terrible case …
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Canada Needs a Wait-and-See Approach on Afghanistan 0
- Analysis
- September 1, 2017
By Lindsay Rodman

Will US President Donald Trump’s new plan for Afghanistan pull Canada back into a war that many deem a “lost cause”? Mr. Trump explicitly invited other nations to contribute in support of his new plan. Although Prime …
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The Case of Omar Khadr 0
- Analysis
- July 13, 2017
The Omar Khadr case is again front-page news following the settlement of his longstanding lawsuit against the Canadian government. The news has elicited a wide range of comments from the usual suspects. I was among a small group in Foreign …
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