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“Islamist extremism is growing in Mindanao, with serious security implications for the region and beyond.”

The U.S. military has been conducting joint patrols in the South China Sea with the Philippines and is increasing its presence on the archipelago with rotational forces and equipment.

The report is the result of discussion in one of five working groups in the Middle East Strategy Task Force. The task force is an Atlantic Council initiative.

Continue on for information on this 21-22 April conference. This event will be streamed live.

"The losses suffered by the Filipino military demonstrate the difficulty of uprooting entrenched localized insurgencies."

Why Russia’s answer to the Syrian civil war is not within NATO’s reach.

“The battlefield successes enjoyed by Western-backed forces in the IS heartland have done little to stop the expansion of the militants to Europe, N. Africa and Afghanistan.”

No one—unless he/she sits inside the Oval Office for only a few days—has any clue how different the world looks as an occupant of the White House.

“Capturing the top-secret documents that tie the Syrian regime to mass torture and killings.”

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“I can predict with high confidence that sometime soon, Pentagon priorities will change markedly.”

“Next week, President Obama flies into Riyadh. He will find an unsettling welcome. The mood has darkened since his first trip in 2009.”

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President Obama wishes to restore America’s diplomatic voice in the world.  In the Kurdish region, the silence is deafening.

“Analysts agree that Carter’s suggestions mainly picked around the edges of known issues without making major changes.”

“Ultimate success will depend on who fights the battle, who rules after the peace, and how Mosul is integrated into overall U.S. planning.”

"We must remember that in the brutality of battle another such apocalypse is always just around the corner."

"Defense Secretary Ash Carter has scrubbed a planned visit this month to Beijing amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China."

“After 15 years, billions of dollars and thousands of American casualties, U.S. efforts to rebuild Afghanistan are in a perilous state.”

"Executions in Mosul occur every few days, says Mohammed, an exercise that keeps people following IS rules publicly."

“Project Will Provide a Positive Vision for Collaboration Between DOD and Cutting-Edge Industries.”

“So-called gray zone wars are not new, but they have highlighted shortcomings in the way the West thinks about war and strategy.”

This report examines the 14-year experience of U.S. special operations forces in the Philippines from 2001 through 2014.

In general, these campaigns were moderate and mostly failed to cause substantial damage to Israel.

“In fighting terrorism, ‘building local capacity is one of the best weapons we have,’ the Secretary-General says.”