-
‘Nihilistic Violent Extremism’ Isn’t a Thing, and I’m Tired of Pretending It Is
“Nihilistic violent extremism” (NVE) is a term used to bring together an array of hateful actors who, working online, try to convince people to kill themselves, produce child sexual abuse material, and other hateful actions. But the term confuses more than it helps—NVE is too vague a concept and encompasses too wide a range of behavior, leading to misunderstanding, poor analysis, and potential response mistakes.
-
-
Spy Agencies Say AI Can Help Combat AI Cyber Risks. But Don’t Forget the Basics
Defenders should assume their adversaries already have access to AI on par with that used for cyber defense. Only by investing in strong foundations can they hope to escape the cat-and-mouse AI cyber arms race.
-
-
How Cybercriminal Networks Evolve into Global Security Threats
Cyberattacks have become an increasingly common part of modern life, disrupting hospitals, schools, businesses and governments around the world. New research points to a new threat: online communities can also spread political extremism.
-
-
Congress Set to Overhaul Disaster Recovery, Speeding Up New Home Builds
There are a lot of ways for disaster victims to get help in the immediate aftermath of a flood or fire, and now there is a new way: A little-noticed section in a bipartisan housing bill could accelerate new construction after major disasters.
-
-
Researchers: No Guarantee Against Another Terrorist Attack, Despite Increased Surveillance
77 people were killed on 22 July 2011 in Norway. ‘Never again’ became a national promise. 15 years later, terrorism researchers cannot rule out that a similar attack could happen again. “A society that would be able to guarantee against terrorist attacks is, unfortunately, probably a society we would not want,” says one expert.
-
-
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Colorado-Nebraska Water Dispute
Nebraska has set aside $600 million for a new canal that would start along the South Platte River in the northwest corner of Colorado. But the state alleged Colorado has sought to impede the effort, in violation of its compact with Nebraska.
-
-
Hamas Files Reveal Long-Term Plan to Trigger Israel’s Collapse: New Research
Hamas had spent years meticulously preparing to “detonate” a regional infrastructure to bring about the total military collapse of the State of Israel, according to seized documents reviewed in a new study.
-
-
The Drone Threat to America’s Cities
Drones are coming for our cities. The tech is cheap, the threat is real, and our defenses are nearly nonexistent. To avoid that ugly reality, we need to come up with better ideas, and we need them fast. Because ready or not, the drones are coming.
-
-
At a Mosque in San Diego, Trump’s Counterterrorism Strategy Falls Flat
The United States faces a threat landscape that is evolving and unlike anything counterterrorism professionals have dealt with before. Keeping Americans safe from such threats requires serious, sustained counterterrorism, informed by data and unbothered by politics and ideology. More simply, to even begin to address this new threat environment, the administration has to acknowledge it. But the administration does not. Its strategy trades an accurate assessment of the threat landscape for political rhetoric.
-
-
Combat Experience as a Strategic Resource: Lessons of the Red Army Purges
Since January 2025, the Defense Department has removed, replaced, or forced the early retirement of a remarkable concentration of operationally experienced senior officers. What is the impact of these removals on combat effectiveness, which is Secretary Hegseth’s own widely shared standard? I believe the impact is negative. In fact, the impact of those decisions on combat effectiveness constitutes a strategic liability of the Defense Department’s own making – the depletion of a vital resource central to the Secretary’s sought-after lethality.
-
-
The Lamentable State of British Defense Acquisition
Britain needs to move towards the French or Swedish model. Each nation has a defense acquisition agency with real authority, as well as a working deal with industry and the services on one side and the government moneybags on the other.
-
-
Study Analyzes Crime Rates by Nationality and Debunks Its Link to Immigration
A detailed data analysis demonstrates that the apparent crime gap between the foreign and native populations is primarily due to the fact that the immigrant profile tends to concentrate more young men—the demographic sector with the highest crime rates in any society.
-
-
Courts Keep Blocking Trump’s Push to Federalize Elections
Judge Emmet G. Sullivan’s (D.D.C.) decision that the United States Postal Service’s June 2, 2026, proposed rulemaking on mail ballots violates an agreement it had previously entered into with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the latest defeat in President Trump’s rough, two-week stretch of efforts to federalize broad swaths of American election administration.
-
-
Trump Administration, GOP Seek Workarounds to Tackle Birthright Citizenship
Following a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold birthright citizenship, Republicans and the Trump administration are seeking ways to curb babies born in the U.S. to noncitizens.
-
-
From San Diego to Montreal: Antisemitism Serves as a Throughline in Recent Extremist Shootings
A 22 June shooting at Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood follows a disturbing pattern: Mass shooters are often motivated by a range of extremist beliefs, and antisemitism is often part of their apparent worldview.
-
The long view
The Drone Threat to America’s Cities
Drones are coming for our cities. The tech is cheap, the threat is real, and our defenses are nearly nonexistent. To avoid that ugly reality, we need to come up with better ideas, and we need them fast. Because ready or not, the drones are coming.
Remotely Coerced Violence: 764, The Com Network, and the Hybridization of Threats
Nihilistic violent extremism is best understood as a victim-driven, youth-centered online ecosystem in which status, belonging, and identity are earned through the production, circulation, and escalation of harm. It combine sadistic online exploitation, cybercrime, self-directed violence, animal abuse, school-violence threats, and terrorist or violent-extremist conduct.
Combat Experience as a Strategic Resource: Lessons of the Red Army Purges
Since January 2025, the Defense Department has removed, replaced, or forced the early retirement of a remarkable concentration of operationally experienced senior officers. What is the impact of these removals on combat effectiveness, which is Secretary Hegseth’s own widely shared standard? I believe the impact is negative. In fact, the impact of those decisions on combat effectiveness constitutes a strategic liability of the Defense Department’s own making – the depletion of a vital resource central to the Secretary’s sought-after lethality.
How Cybercriminal Networks Evolve into Global Security Threats
Cyberattacks have become an increasingly common part of modern life, disrupting hospitals, schools, businesses and governments around the world. New research points to a new threat: online communities can also spread political extremism.
‘Nihilistic Violent Extremism’ Isn’t a Thing, and I’m Tired of Pretending It Is
“Nihilistic violent extremism” (NVE) is a term used to bring together an array of hateful actors who, working online, try to convince people to kill themselves, produce child sexual abuse material, and other hateful actions. But the term confuses more than it helps—NVE is too vague a concept and encompasses too wide a range of behavior, leading to misunderstanding, poor analysis, and potential response mistakes.
Bookshelf: The Next China Is Still China
Could another country replace China as the world’s economic growth leader, or could China reset for a new phase of economic leadership? This is the key question Joe Ngai and Nick Leung address in their new book.