The independent resource on global security

Backgrounders

Time for Europe to put Iran’s missile programme in context

Given the transatlantic disagreement over the JCPOA, European countries might feel increasing pressure to focus on Iran’s ballistic missile activities in order to find common ground with the USA. But is the Western perspective on Iran’s missile programme based on an objective threat assessment, and is a punitive approach helpful in addressing it?

Increased international transparency in military spending is possible

On 20 October the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly will discuss the annual report by the UN Secretary-General containing military expenditure data submitted by UN member states.

Will the EU and the USA part ways on the Iran deal?

The Iran nuclear deal has demonstrated that diplomacy can triumph in nuclear non-proliferation: dialogue, rather than military action, can convince states to forgo pursuing nuclear weapons.

Improving South American military expenditure data

Off-budget expenditure is used to fund a large proportion of the arms purchases not captured in the current military expenditure data on South American countries. This topical backgrounder begins to address this issue, using Venezuela as the initial country case for improvement.

China's calculus on hypersonic glide

Lora Saalman provides the context for how threat perceptions are manifested in China's hypersonic glide capabilities.

Balancing resource expectations in the Russian Far East

Jiayi Zhou discusses the penetration of Chinese labour migrants of Russia’s Far East Federal District (RFE), juxtaposing their commercial interests with local fears of land grabbing.

New domains of crossover and concern in cyberspace

Lora Saalman explores the appropriation of cyberspace as the newest domain for hybrid warfare, citing cases of alleged cyber intrusion and attack from Ukraine to the South China Sea.

After 72 years, nuclear weapons have been prohibited

7 July 2017 was a momentous day for disarmament and arms control. On that day, 122 states approved the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, often called ‘the ban treaty’, at the United Nations in New York.

China, Russia and the shifting landscape of arms sales

When it comes to the arms trade, China has not only learned from Russia, but succeeded in challenging it.

Peace solutions: Learning from what works and adapting to a changing world

This backgrounder looks at lessons and illustrative cases of 'what works' in preventing conflict and sustaining peace from sessions at the 2017 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development.