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Jonathan Masters leads writers and editors who produce wide-ranging content for CFR.org, including Backgrounders, visual stories, and events. He also writes on foreign policy and national security and his work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, the Atlantic, and Bloomberg. Masters has a BA in political science from Emory University and an MA in social theory from the New School. He is a term member of CFR and a member of the Overseas Press Club.
Most Recent
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Russia’s threat to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus has raised the specter of a new nuclear standoff with the United States and its allies in Europe. It also draws new attention to how such arms are deployed in NATO states.
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Six graphics illustrate the extraordinary level of support the United States has provided Ukraine this past year in its war against Russian invaders.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
NATO leaders are gathering in Madrid for their annual summit, and two Nordic states are making their case for membership as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on. Here’s what alliance enlargement would mean. -
The nuclear arms race was perhaps the most alarming feature of the Cold War competition between the United States and Soviet Union. Over the decades, the two sides signed various arms control agreements as a means to manage their rivalry and limit the risk of nuclear war. However, deep fissures have reemerged in the U.S.-Russia relationship in recent years, raising once again the specter of a nuclear arms race.
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With brazen terrorist attacks at home and abroad, the Somalia-based Islamist insurgent group has proved resilient despite strategic setbacks in recent years.
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Russia’s extraordinary show of force in and around Ukraine underscores the military imbalance between the two countries.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Russian leaders have watched with mounting resentment as the transatlantic alliance has nearly doubled its membership since the end of the Cold War. President Vladimir Putin has drawn a red line in Ukraine. -
Terrorism and Counterterrorism
The U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has generated intense debate for two decades, raising enduring questions about national security, human rights, and justice. -
The inauguration of President Joe Biden was unlike any U.S. power transition in modern times, providing stark imagery of a country at a crossroads.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
The U.S. military is considering some major shifts to its posture in Europe, including a large withdrawal from bases in Germany, that are raising security concerns on the continent. -
Amid protests against racial injustice, can President Trump deploy the military to bring “law and order” to American streets?
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A pending U.S. withdrawal from the Treaty on Open Skies has alarmed some allies in Europe, who fear losing a valuable means of monitoring Russia.
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The coronavirus has cut into few industries more deeply than aviation and aerospace, putting some strategically important companies in dire financial straits.
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State and Local Governments (U.S.)
The coronavirus pandemic is placing enormous budget pressure on state and local governments, threatening deep and potentially lasting cuts to education, infrastructure, and other important investments. -
The coronavirus pandemic is slowing global commerce to a crawl, but many of the world’s largest economies are taking extraordinary actions to propel them through the crisis.
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Ukraine’s Westward drift since independence has been countered by the sometimes violent tug of Russia, felt most recently with Putin’s 2022 invasion.
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The U.S. Navy’s dominance of the world’s oceans has made it an indispensable foreign policy tool as well as a guarantor of global trade, but a mix of challenges is raising difficult questions about its future.
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The extradition process enables governments to bring fugitives abroad to justice, but it can be fraught with political tension, even when a treaty is in place.
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Nonproliferation, Arms Control, and Disarmament
A collapse of this Cold War–era arms treaty, which many believe has favored the United States, could unleash a new age of nuclear weapons competition. -
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
The military exercises in and around Norway are a significant test of NATO’s collective defenses at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. -
President Trump’s revocation of a former CIA director's security clearance has stirred up a debate about access to government secrets, free speech, and democratic norms.
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If Tesla goes private with significant funding from Saudi Arabia or other foreign investors, it would raise national security and ethical questions.
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In striking Syria without an international law justification, the United States leaves itself open to criticism and may invite similar behavior by other countries.
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The expulsion of Russian diplomats by more than twenty governments is a remarkable show of unity and a deepening of Moscow’s rift with the West.
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A growing list of brazen foreign operations signals that there are few constraints on Russian intelligence under Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
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Charges of foreign power interference in the U.S. presidential election have raised grave national security concerns and touched off multiple federal inquiries that could drag on for months.
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The dismissal of FBI Director James Comey raises concerns about the government’s ability to investigate Russian meddling in U.S. elections, and the broader national security role of the agency.
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The dismissal of FBI Director James Comey raises concerns about the government’s ability to investigate Russian meddling in U.S. elections, and the broader national security role of the agency, says CFR’s Matthew Waxman.
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The quadrennial U.S. presidential nominating conventions are usually dominated by domestic themes. But they have at times been flavored by global economic concerns and national security threats, offering competing Democratic and Republican visions about the United States' role in the world.
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The Arctic should be a major consideration in discussions of U.S. national security, says Thad Allen, co-chair of CFR’s Independent Task Force on the Arctic.
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The separation of powers has spawned a great deal of debate over the roles of the president and Congress in foreign affairs, as well as over the limits on their respective authorities, explains this Backgrounder.
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The winner of the presidential election this spring will heavily influence how France approaches foreign and domestic issues, including its future with the European Union.
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See where Donald Trump wants to take U.S. foreign policy
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Modern vice presidents can trace much of their political influence to the broad reforms that Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale made to the second-highest elected office in the late 1970s.
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Modern vice presidents can trace much of their political influence to the broad reforms that Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale made to the second-highest elected office in the late 1970s.
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Stricter gun laws and new civil society programs are needed to prevent the next mass shooting in the United States, says expert Karen Greenberg.
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Foreign policy issues regularly come to the fore at the national political conventions, especially during periods of global instability. Sometimes the events are marked by bitter disagreements within the parties, explains this Backgrounder.
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The U.S. Supreme Court is set to determine the fate of millions of undocumented immigrants and could influence how future presidents wield power.
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Every four years, U.S. presidential candidates compete in a series of state contests to gain their party’s nomination. The political process is one of the most complex and expensive in the world.
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The Obama administration has other methods to pursue a binding international agreement on climate change in Paris that fall short of a treaty, says CFR’s John B. Bellinger III.
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A U.S. destroyer’s recent operation demonstrates how the United States is protecting its interests in the South China Sea, says Capt. Sean Liedman, CFR’s Navy fellow.
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The Republican presidential candidates are aligned on most foreign policy issues, but they could quarrel over immigration and the Iran nuclear deal in their first debate, says CFR’s James M. Lindsay.
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This regularly updated guide features transcripts from the Republican and Democratic presidential debates as well as select foreign policy speeches, op-eds, and interviews of the candidates.
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The prospect of sanctions relief as part of an Iran nuclear agreement has alarmed some in Congress, but they should see the value of a UN Security Council resolution affirming the deal, says CFR’s John B. Bellinger III.
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For many policymakers, economic sanctions have become the tool of choice to respond to major geopolitical challenges such as terrorism and conflict.
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The terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo could have a chilling effect on the coverage of Islam in certain countries, says expert Karin Karlekar.
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Military power has reemerged as an important component of Russian foreign policy, which some believe aims to reestablish Russian hegemony in the region.
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It is time for the United States, Canada, and Mexico to take integration to the next level, coordinating more closely on energy, security, and trade policy, says Robert Zoellick, co-chair of a new CFR Independent Task Force Report.
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The 2001 law that authorized the U.S. war against al-Qaeda and its affiliates is not an appropriate justification for the offensive against ISIS and other emerging terrorist groups, says CFR’s John Bellinger.
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Foreign media coverage of the social unrest in Ferguson reinforces damaging global perceptions of the United States, says expert Philip Seib.
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The BNP Paribas case demonstrates the growing rigor of U.S. prosecutions of illicit finance, and will have implications for markets and the global banking industry, says expert Juan C. Zarate.
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An intense international debate over who manages parts of the internet’s technical infrastructure is likely to feed a broader discussion of internet-related public policy.
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Tighter Western sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine may be necessary but could bring unwelcome consequences, explains CFR’s John Bellinger.
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NATO’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea may require it to bolster eastern European members with both military and non-military actions, says expert Christopher S. Chivvis.
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The vote by some Crimean citizens to join Russia violates Ukrainian and international law and could come back to haunt Moscow, its primary backer, says CFR’s John Bellinger.
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President Obama’s announced reforms should help restore public confidence in some controversial U.S. surveillance practices, says expert Andrew Weissmann.
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Nations are reexamining their interests and capabilities in the Arctic, as climate change in the region presents new economic opportunities and security challenges.
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The treatment of terrorism suspect Abu Anas al-Libi, who seems destined for trial in U.S. federal court, fits the Obama administration’s new protocol for such captures, says expert Stephen Vladeck.
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The United States and other Western countries are reevaluating their foreign investment regulations amid an uptick in Chinese interest in strategic sectors.
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The Obama administration’s strongest case for intervening in Syria rests on the global security risks posed by the regime’s suspected use of chemical weapons, says CFR’s John B. Bellinger.
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While the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has granted U.S. agencies broad legal authority to collect sensitive information, it is hardly a "rubber stamp" for government surveillance requests, says CFR’s Matt Waxman.
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Whether NSA leaker Edward Snowden is extradited to the United States will hinge more on diplomatic relations than international legal considerations, says expert Stephen Vladeck.
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The U.S. government needs to marshal its cybersecurity resources in support of the private sector and build alliances with international partners, says former CIA director Michael Hayden, member of a new CFR independent task force on digital policy.
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President Obama’s counterterrorism speech made strides toward greater transparency but missed opportunities to articulate a vision for moving beyond a perpetual war footing, says CFR’s John Bellinger.
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The Obama administration’s “Joining Forces” initiative hopes to decrease the high rate of unemployment for new (post-9/11) vets.
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U.S. missile defense in the twenty-first century is focused on emerging threats from North Korea and Iran, but critics say these systems are too costly and largely unproven.
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The Boston Marathon bombings illustrate the stresses on domestic intelligence gathering and counterterrorism in a democratic system, says CFR’s Richard Falkenrath.
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What is the Obama administration’s legal justification for targeted killings? CFR national security expert John Bellinger explores this question as well as others with significant implications for U.S. counterterrorism.
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The United States is witnessing another year of record gun violence, raising domestic and international scrutiny of its comparatively loose gun laws and placing pressure on lawmakers to enact meaningful reforms.
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Many states and cities face significant fiscal stress that could impede the U.S. economic recovery and undermine long-term growth, including cuts to education and infrastructure, explains this CFR Backgrounder.
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Post-9/11 U.S. counterterrorism and surrounding civil liberties issues are unlikely to stray far from currently policy no matter who is in the White House in 2013, says CFR’s Matthew Waxman.
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While congressional action lags, a series of year-end fiscal measures could derail the U.S. recovery.
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A post-Assad Syria will likely create distinct challenges for each of its neighbors, including creating a major loss for Iran, says Michael Young of Lebanon’s Daily Star.
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An end to Syria’s conflict seems unlikely in the near term, as a number of obstacles on and off the battlefield have stymied international diplomatic efforts, explains this Backgrounder.
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NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
The alliance is bolstering its military deterrent in Europe amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and could be poised for another major expansion. -
Targeted killings are up in Yemen and military trials have resumed in Guantanamo. CFR’s Matthew Waxman assesses the White House’s evolving legal basis for its war on al-Qaeda.
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Since its founding in 1944, the World Bank has evolved from a lender focused on European reconstruction to the preeminent international institution for economic development and poverty reduction.
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Declining academic performance at K-12 levels poses a threat to U.S. competitiveness and national security. Greater school choice and support for core national standards should be central to reform, says Joel Klein, co-chair of a new CFR independent task force.
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The Obama administration’s 2013 budget plan has revived debate over the sustainability of U.S. spending. As the United States emerges from a deep recession, it must maintain a tricky policy balance.
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As the Pentagon attempts to refocus the U.S. military strategy toward Asia, the department is facing major budget constraints. Experts disagree on how to balance the fiscal challenge with the country’s national security priorities.
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Arab states in the throes of political change must embrace economic policies that combat cronyism, spur private sector growth, and ensure safeguards for the poor, says the World Bank’s Manuela Ferro.
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Despite the failure of a supercommittee deficit deal, budget expert Peter Orszag says there will still be opportunity for policies, such as more economic stimulus and cutting healthcare costs, to avert a U.S. fiscal crisis.
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Lawmakers are considering sharp cuts to defense spending as part of mandated deficit-reduction efforts. This Backgrounder discusses the effects of such major cuts and implications for U.S. military strategy.
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Founded as a loose confederation of states in 1945, the Arab League has struggled to overcome dysfunction and disunity among its members.
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The quest by Palestinian officials for statehood recognition could have major repercussions for the Mideast peace process. This Backgrounder outlines the potential impact of the UN vote.
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Within days of the 9/11 attacks, Congress authorized U.S. military and intelligence agencies to kill and detain terrorists. It is time to revise that authority on matters like detentions and drone attacks, says CFR’s John B. Bellinger III.
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The steady theft of U.S. intellectual property by foreign cyberattackers could mean decreased economic growth, reduced competitiveness, and loss of jobs, says McAfee cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch.
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Britain’s phone-hacking scandal is raising questions about the power and reach of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. For Columbia University’s Nicholas Lemann, the episode proves the value of expanding public media.
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Defense-spending cuts should be a big part of a deficit reduction deal, says CFR’s Richard Betts, with the Pentagon pursuing a budget that reflects a reduced threat environment and limits the production of expensive, state-of-the-art equipment.
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The Pentagon’s new strategy for operating in cyberspace breaks little ground and offers few specifics, says CFR’s Adam Segal. While the last six months have been busy for U.S. cybersecurity policy, he cautions that "speed is not a measure of efficacy."
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The International Monetary Fund, both criticized and lauded for its efforts to promote financial stability, continues to find itself at the forefront of global economic crisis management.
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The arrest of IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on charges of sexual assault could hamper the fund’s short-term ability to help manage the eurozone crisis but is not likely to harm the IMF over the long term, says CFR’s Steven Dunaway.
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Classified military documents leaked by Wikileaks suggest the Obama administration’s changes to Guantanamo policy can’t improve a system that was flawed from the beginning, says international law expert Karen Greenberg, who argues better risk assessments of prisoners are needed.
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President Obama is right to balance U.S. national interests with democracy promotion in dealing with the Middle East, intervening in select cases and standing behind democracy advocates in others, says expert Larry Diamond.
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The U.S. Navy’s maritime strategy, in which humanitarian missions play a prominent role, is based on a debatable assumption that credible enemies have largely disappeared and that competition of the seas is something of the past, says defense expert Seth Cropsey.
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The Muslim community has played an integral role in U.S. counterterrorism efforts, and congressional hearings on radicalization of Muslims risk polarizing a considerable asset for law enforcement, says expert Mark Fallon.
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With his new executive order on Guantanamo, President Obama acknowledges that the controversial detention center will remain open for some time, says CFR’s Matthew Waxman, but provides improved protections and review processes.
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Congress passed a short-term extension for three surveillance provisions of the Patriot Act to allow for more debate, which CFR’s Matthew Waxman says will likely focus on tightening restrictions and oversight.
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Al-Shabaab remains capable of carrying out massive attacks in Somalia and nearby countries despite a long-running African Union offensive against the Islamist terrorist group.
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Terrorism and Counterterrorism
President Obama vowed in January 2009 to close the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay. Two years later, the White House continues to face challenges to that promise, leaving critics to suggest the facility will remain open for the foreseeable future. -
Foreign governments, non-state actors, and criminal networks are targeting the digital networks of the United States with increasing frequency and sophistication. U.S. cybersecurity has made progress, but relies heavily on the private sector to secure infrastructure critical to national security.
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Algerian and Western counterterrorism efforts, along with an African-led peacekeeping force in Mali, have shifted the North African al-Qaeda franchise’s criminal and terrorist activities to remote areas of the Sahara and Sahel.
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Targeted killings, especially those conducted by drone strikes, have become a central component of U.S. counterterrorism operations around the globe.
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Violent acts by homegrown militant extremists in the U.S. have declined, but "lone wolf" attacks are on the rise. The post-9/11 legal and political landscape poses new challenges to law enforcement authorities seeking to prevent such attacks.
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The Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, an exiled Iranian resistance group, continues to stir controversy despite its removal from a U.S. terrorism list.
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The Arab Spring severely weakened the narrative of Islamist extremists but they are now stirring anti-U.S. sentiments in fragile new democracies, says Mideast expert Ali Soufan.
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