In this special episode, on the occasion of the 140th Anniversary of the U.S. Naval War College, we take a break from the annals of Irregular Warfare and focus on the historical legacy and significance of this storied institution. Viribus Mari Victoria: or from the Latin (Victory thru Sea Power) is the motto of the college, and Dr. John Hattendorf and Dr. John Maurer join host COL Dave Brown as they reflect on the oldest continuing institution of its kind in the world. The Naval War College is a national treasure, and quoting its founder, Admiral Stephen Luce, its legacy and task today, remains to; “broaden an officer’s views, extend his mental horizon on national and international questions, and give him a just appreciation of the great variety and extent of the requirements of his (or her) profession.”

Reference:

Sailors and Scholars - The Centennial History of the U.S. Naval War College by John B. Hattendorf, B. Mitchell Simpson, III, John R. Wadleigh. Newport, R.I. : Naval War College Press ; 1984

Guests:

John B. Hattendorf, D.Phil., D.Litt., L.H.D., F.R.Hist.S.

Professor Emeritus, and former Ernest J. King Professor of Maritime History from 1984 to 2016, Professor Hattendorf also served as Chair of the College’s Advanced Research Department, Chair of the Maritime History Department, and Director of the Naval War College Museum. A former Surface Warfare Officer, he earned degrees in history from Kenyon College, Brown University, and the University of Oxford. He is the author or editor of more than 50 books, including "Sailors and Scholars," and the "Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History."

John H. Maurer, Ph.D.

The Alfred Thayer Mahan Distinguished University Professor of Sea Power and Grand Strategy at the college. He also served as the Chair of the Strategy and Policy Department, where he led a major reform of the College’s curriculum on strategy. He is a graduate of Yale University and holds a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He is the author or editor of books examining the outbreak of the First World War, naval rivalries and arms control between the two world wars, and a study about Winston Churchill’s views on British foreign policy and grand strategy. He is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI), and served as executive editor of Orbis: A Journal of World Affairs. He also serves on the Academic Board of Advisers of The International Churchill Society, and has served on the Secretary of the Navy’s advisory committee on naval history.

Marking the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, guests Dr. Tim Hoyt and Dr. Craig Whiteside join host Col. Dave Brown as they revisit their policy roundtable 2019 article, “Retrospect and Prospect: On Endless War,” and continue their discussion and analysis of not only how American thinking and counter-terrorism efforts have evolved, but that the simmering threats of Al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State still deserve continued monitoring.

Articles:

• Policy Roundtable: 17 Years After September 11, R. Evans et al, TNSR, 11 Sep 2018
• Non-state campaigning: Islamic State’s guerrilla warfare doctrine, C. Whiteside, et al, Jul 2024
• The Persistent Threat of Global Terrorism, P. Brookes, GIS Reports, 4 Apr 2024
• Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, Office of DIA, 5 Feb 2024
• The Terrorism Warning Lights Are Blinking Red Again, G. Allison & M. Morell, Foreign Affairs, 10 Jun 2024
• Where Do We Stand with Al-Qaeda and ISIS? International Salafi Networks in 2024, A. Byers, Small Wars Journal, 16 Jun 2024
• ‘ISIS Isn’t Done With Us’: Arrested Tajiks Highlight US Fears of Terror Attack on US, K. Lillis & J. Campbell, CNN, 14 Jun 2024
• The Islamic State: Background, Current Status, and U.S. Policy, Congressional Research Service, May 2024

Guests:

Timothy D. Hoyt, Ph.D.

Senior Professor at the U.S. Naval War College’s Strategy and Policy Department. Professor Hoyt holds the John Nicholas Brown Chair of Counterterrorism and Academic Director of the Advanced Strategist Program. Publications include articles on the war on terrorism in South Asia, the limits of military force in the global war on terrorism, military innovation & warfare in the developing world.

Craig Whiteside, Ph.D.

Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College’s resident program at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a senior associate with the Center on Irregular Warfare and Armed Groups, and a fellow at the International Centre for Counter-terrorism – The Hague, and George Washington's Program on Extremism. Whiteside’s current research focuses on the doctrinal influences on the leadership of the so-called Islamic State movement and its evolving strategies. He is a former U.S. Army officer with combat experience in the Middle East.

In conjunction with the 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies II, guests Royal Navy Commodore Adrian Fryer (Ret.) and Mr. Evan Curt join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Jon R. Huggins to discuss security threats to shipping, particularly energy exports sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the security threats within this critical maritime strait, and to global maritime commerce.

Articles:

• DIA Report on Houthi Attacks and Pressure on International Trade, USNI News, 13 June 2024
• 65 countries affected by Houthi attacks in Red Sea, including Iran, A. Helou, Breaking Defense, 13 Jun 2024
• Maritime Terrorism Is on The Rise Whether We Notice It or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• Ending the Houthi Threat to Red Sea, N. Al-Dawsari, Casey Cooms, et al, American Enterprise Institute, 26 Mar 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi attacks could affect 90% of world trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Co-Host:

Jon Huggins Associate Professor for International Programs at the U.S. Naval War College. As the founding Director of the Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) program during the height of the Somali piracy crisis, his organization’s research was featured by the BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Al Jazeera. OBP was also a key contributor to the release of 44 piracy hostages held in Somalia for up to four years. He later worked across four continents as a maritime security consultant for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Maritime Organization, the G7++ Presidency and the commercial shipping industry. A career Navy P-3 Naval Flight Officer, he directed multi-squadron flight operations for Operation Enduring Freedom, and also served on the NATO and EU Military Staffs in Brussels, 7th Fleet HQ, and was a Federal Executive Fellow at the Atlantic Council, and a member of the CNO Executive Panel staff.

Guests:

Evan Curt

Deputy Commissioner of Maritime Affairs, Republic of the Marshall Islands. In 2012, Mr. Curt joined International Registries, Inc.’s Maritime Services Group as Maritime Security & Investigations Coordinator and in 2015 was promoted to Ship Security Manager. In 2021, Mr. Curt was promoted to Vice President, Maritime Security. In this role, Mr. Curt is responsible for issues relating to the ISPS Code and related maritime security issues and initiatives including piracy and armed robbery against ships, maritime terrorism, stowaways, contraband smuggling, and maritime cyber risk management. He serves as a delegate to many maritime security working groups coordinated and supported by shipping industry...

In conjunction with the 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies II, guests Capt. Joe Baggett, Nadwa Al-Dawsari, and Evan Curt join host Col. Dave Brown to discuss the Houthi attacks on global shipping vessels and U.S. warships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in the Red Sea. Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the threat to this critical maritime region.

Articles:

• DIA Report on Houthi Attacks and Pressure on International Trade, USNI News, 13 June 2024
• 65 countries affected by Houthi attacks in Red Sea, including Iran, A. Helou, Breaking Defense, 13 Jun 2024
• Maritime Terrorism Is on The Rise Whether We Notice it or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• Ending the Houthi Threat to Red Sea, N. Al-Dawsari, Casey Cooms, et al, American Enterprise Institute, 26 Mar 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi attacks could affect 90% of world trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Guests:

Nadwa Al-Dawsari

A veteran researcher, conflict analyst, and policy advisor, Nadwa Al-Dawsari has 20 years of experience in Yemen and the Middle East. She is a Nonresident Scholar at the Middle East Institute (MEI) and a Fellow at the Center on Armed Groups. She advises policymakers, donors, and humanitarian organizations, and her insights are widely published by the top think tanks in the United States and Europe. In her previous roles, Nadwa served as a senior conflict advisor to the World Food Program, a Yemen Country Director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, the founding Director at Partners Yemen, a MENA advisor at Partners Global, and a Senior Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute. Nadwa’s research focuses on Yemeni and regional conflict dynamics, including the impact of U.S. foreign policy, internationally led peace efforts, counterterrorism, and aid on regional stability, amidst the rise of non-state armed actors and proxy warfare.

Capt. Joseph Baggett, USN

Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare School and former senior staff officer for MOC-D C5F. Capt. Baggett served on a number of U.S. naval vessels including the USS Klakring (FFG 42); USS Stout (DDG 55); USS Barry (DDG 52); USS Anzio (CG 68); He also was commanding officer of the Destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61). Shore tours include service on the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet as lead exercise planner in Future Plans; lead requirements officer for the Littoral Combat Ship - Mine Warfare Mission Package, at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; and the operations officer for the Deployable Training...

In anticipation of CIWAG’s 2024 Maritime Symposium: Exploring Our Maritime Strategies – II, scheduled for June 24-25, Guest Dr. Ian Ralby joins host Col. Dave Brown to discuss the two great maritime straits in the Middle East. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf currently share several things; both are under threat and both have tremendous implications related not only to global shipping, but by extension, the entire global economy.

Listen to this episode to gain an overview of the threats to these two critical maritime regions. Join us for more in-depth discussion, at our Maritime Symposium 24-25 June, by registering here.

Articles:

• Maritime Terrorism Is On The Rise Whether We Notice It Or Not, The Diplomatic Courier, 23 May 2024
• IntelBrief: Iran and the Houthis Issue New Threats to Commercial Shipping, The Soufan Center, 26 Mar 2024
• Escalating Houthi Attacks Could Affect 90% of World Trade, ABC News, 21 Feb 2024

Guest:

Ian M. Ralby, Ph.D. is a globally recognized expert in maritime law and security, especially addressing evolving threats, maritime strategy, and the global maritime economy. In addition to being founder and CEO of I.R. Consilium, providing advice and assistance on maritime and resource security, he is also a Fellow at the Center on Maritime Strategy in partnership with the Navy League, and an affiliate of several institutions including the U.S. Naval War College, the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies, and the Institute for Security Governance. He previously spent 6 years as an Adjunct Professor of Maritime Law and Security at the U.S. Department of Defense’s Africa Center for Strategic Studies, and served 5 years as a subject matter expert on Maritime Crime for the United Nations Office on Drugs and the Global Maritime Crime Program.

• Selected Publications

Guests Dr. Lawson Brigham and Dr. Rebecca Pincus join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Dr. Walter Berbrick to discuss the growing importance of the Arctic Sea as an area of economic resources, Trans-Arctic shipping routes, and a potential zone of international security concerns. This episode will touch upon items relating to the Arctic Council, Arctic development, the impact of the Russia-Ukraine War, and a new era of peace and security in the region. Tune in to hear our participants’ thoughts on threat activity in the High North, along with the need for increased strategic considerations and updated U.S. policy directions.

Articles:

• New Challenges for the Bering Strait, L. Brigham, USNI Proceedings Vol.150/5/1,455, May 2024.
• Polar Points No. 27 | New Era of Arctic Cooperation, L. Brigham & R. Pincus, Wilson Center, 4 Apr. 2024.
• 360° View of Policies Needed to Secure Shipping Chokepoints, M. Kennedy, J. Macaron, Wilson Center, et al. (R. Pincus, co-author), 13 Feb. 2024.
• The IMO Polar Code: Safety and Environmental Protection for Polar Waters, L. Brigham, USNI Proceedings Vol.150/1/1,451, Jan. 2024.
• Agency Challenges and Implications with a US Extended Continental Shelf, L. Brigham, Wilson Center, 19 Dec. 23.
• Polar Institute Director Rebecca Pincus on 'What Is Strategic Competition?', R. Pincus, Wilson Center, 5 Jan. 2024.
• Arctic Militarization and Russian Military Theory, M. Petersen & R. Pincus, Orbis, Volume 65, Issue 3, 2021, Pages 490-512.
• Security and geopolitics in the Arctic: The Increase of Hybrid Threat Activities in the Norwegian High North, G. H. Gjorv, Hybrid CoE, March 2024.
• 400+ Allied, Joint Special Operations Forces Secure the Arctic, M. Carey, DVIDS, 14 Mar. 2024.

Co-Host:

Walter Berbrick, Ph.D. Senior national security executive, strategist, and advisor with two decades of experience leading teams in policy, intelligence, military and academic communities at the highest levels of government. He currently serves as an analyst in the War Gaming Department in the U.S. Naval War College, and was a previous professor at the college. Walter has held national security roles at the State Department and Pentagon and served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy.

Guests:

Lawson W. Brigham, Ph.D. Global Fellow in the Wilson Center's Polar Institute in...

Guests Dr. Colin Clarke and Raphael Parens join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Dr. Christopher Faulkner to discuss the Wagner Group’s rise and fall, as well as what’s happened to the group since the death of its leader in August 2023. Private military companies (PMCs) have been around for decades, but Russia’s use of these private military entities has become an increasingly prominent feature of its overall foreign policy, and the Kremlin has made extensive use of them across the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and Ukraine. One of the most well-known of these PMCs in security circles is the infamous “Wagner Group,” which burst on the international scene in 2014, but became increasingly visible after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Articles:

• Wagner Group: Where Are They Now?, C. Clarke, C. Faulkner & R. Parens, FPRI, 29 Nov 23
• Commentary: “Who Thinks Wins”: How Smarter U.S. Counterterrorism in the Sahel Can Pay Dividends for Great Power Competition, C. Faulkner, R. Parens & M. Plichta, CTC Sentinel, Apr 23 – Vol 16 – Issue 4
• How Russia’s Wagner Group Is Fueling Terrorism in Africa, C. Clarke, Foreign Policy, Jan 25.
• After Prigozhin: The Future of the Wagner Model in Africa, C. Faulkner, R. Parens & M. Plichta, CTC Sentinel, Sept 23 – Vol 16 – Issue 9
• Mercenary Shocks: What the War in Ukraine Will Eventually Mean for Africa?, R. Parens, WOTR, 17 Feb 23
• Niger’s Pivot to Moscow: What’s Next for US Engagement in Africa?, R. Parens, C. Faulkner & M. Plichta, FPRI, 5 Apr
• The West Needs to Prepare for the ‘Next Wagner’ in Africa, C. Faulkner, R. Parens & M. Plichta, WPR, 20 Jul 23

Guests:

Colin P. Clarke, Ph.D., Director of Research and Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Group (TSG), an intelligence and security consulting firm based in New York City. He is also an Associate Fellow at the International Centre for Counter Terrorism (ICCT) - The Hague, and a non-resident Senior Fellow in the Program on National Security at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI). Prior to joining TSG, Clarke was a professor in the Institute for Politics and Strategy at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. He appears in the media frequently to discuss global security, conflict, and terrorism, and is the author of several books, including After the...

Guests Dr. Bruce Hoffman and Jacob Ware join host Col. Dave Brown and co-host Dr. Timothy Hoyt to discuss the modern growth of Far-Right terrorism in the United States; its definitions and distinctions, historical roots, major groups, recruitment, connections to U.S. military services, international expansion, and policy options in confronting these emerging militant movements.

Articles:

• God, Guns, and Sedition - Far-Right Terrorism in America, B. Hoffman & J. Ware, Columbia University Press, Jan 2024
• Why the Far-Right Terrorist Threat Is Often Misunderstood and Underestimated, B. Hoffman & J. Ware, CFR, 26 Feb
• The Urgent Mission to Counter Military Extremism, B. Hoffman & J. Ware, U.S. NEWS, 19 Jan 2024
• How the United States Became a Leading Exporter of White Supremacist Terrorism, B. Hoffman & J. Ware, Foreign Affairs, 19 Sept 23
• The Terrorist Threats and Trends to Watch Out for in 2023 and Beyond, B. Hoffman & J. Ware, CTC Sentinel, Nov/Dec 2022, Vol 15, Issue 11.

Guests:

Bruce Hoffman, Ph.D. Shelby Cullom and Kathryn W. Davis senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He has been studying terrorism and insurgency for almost half a century. He is a professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, and professor emeritus of terrorism studies at the University of St Andrews; and the George H. Gilmore Senior Fellow at the US Military Academy’s Combating Terrorism Center. He is the author of a number of books including Inside Terrorism, 3rd edition.

Jacob Ware: Research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), where he studies domestic and international terrorism and counterterrorism. He was previously a research associate for counterterrorism at CFR. In addition to his work at CFR, Ware is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, where he teaches a class on domestic terrorism. He also serves on the editorial boards for the academic journal Studies in Conflict & Terrorism and the Irregular Warfare Initiative at the Modern War Institute at West Point.