Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: Defense & Security
Murrett Discusses China’s Taiwan-Targeted Military Drills in Politico Article
That show of force was as much for “domestic consumption inside China” as it was for Taiwan, says retired Vice Adm. Robert Murrett, professor of practice of public administration and international affairs. And the scale and intensity of the drills “were calibrated very, very carefully,” to minimize threat perceptions, he says.
See related: China, Conflict, East Asia, Government, International Affairs
Maxwell-in-Washington Graduate Student Mario Marquez Joins in Call to Repeal War Authority in Iraq
The Iraq War veteran is director of national security for The American Legion and is pursing an executive master’s in international relations degree.
Taylor Quoted in Vox Article on Russian Paramilitary Network the Wagner Group
“Wagner was a very useful stopgap in that period between when [Russia] had so many of their regular forces attrited and Putin came around to the realization that he had no choice but to bring in hundreds of thousands of more people. That may, in some sense, prove to be that Wagner is at its sort of height of influence,” says Brian Taylor, professor of political science.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
McFate Speaks With Newsweek About the Exodus of Wagner Group Soldiers
"Most of the old guard have sought to remain in places like Mali, or in Africa, away from the Ukraine fight, because the guys I talked to before the invasion were not supportive of the invasion," says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
Putin’s War of Recolonization
"Putin’s War of Recolonization," co-authored by Maxwell professors Renée de Nevers and Brian Taylor, was published in the Journal of Democracy.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
Murrett Discusses the Putin-Xi Moscow Summit with the Associated Press, Daily Mail
The Moscow summit has the effect of underscoring and reinforcing the status of “Russia as a junior partner with China—economically, militarily and diplomatically,” Robert Murrett, professor of practice of public administration and international affairs, tells the Associated Press.
See related: China, Conflict, Government, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
McFate Talks to Newsweek About the Rift Between the Wagner Group and the Russian Military
"There's an ongoing public split between Wagner and the Russian military, and both sides are looking for symbolic wins," says Sean McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.
See related: Conflict, International Affairs, Russia, Ukraine
McCormick Comments on the Use of Military Force Against Mexican Drug Cartels in Dallas Morning News
Gladys McCormick, associate professor of history, says Mexico already has a significant police and military presence on its side of the border and efforts to confront the cartels militarily have not solved the problem. “It’s been tried and it has failed colossally,” McCormick says. “So the idea to sort of try it again to me sounds utterly irresponsible.”
See related: Conflict, Congress, Latin America & the Caribbean, Terrorism & Extremism, United States
Williams Piece on Putin’s Fear of Democracy Published in the Atlantic Council UkraineAlert Blog
"Putin has always known that NATO poses no credible security threat to Russia itself. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO’s force posture and the U.S. military presence in Europe have greatly declined, reducing any potential military threat to Russia. What really scares the Russian elite is the spread of democracy," argues Michael John Williams, associate professor of public administration and international affairs.
Griffiths Contributes to New Book on Self-Determination and Secession
Ryan Griffiths, associate professor of political science, has contributed to and co-edited “The Routledge Handbook of Self-Determination and Secession” (Routledge, 2023). It investigates debates surrounding issues of self-determination and secession as well as the legal, political and normative implications they give rise to.
See related: International Affairs, Law, National Security