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Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Zenko covers the U.S. national security debate and offers insight on developments in international security and conflict prevention.

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Signing Off

by Micah Zenko August 31, 2017

Today is my last day at the Council on Foreign Relations after eight and one-half fun and fulfilling years. An archive of everything I authored or co-authored remains here. Subsequently, this is the final post of this blog after more than 400 posts. Read More

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Military Operations

Red Team at Aspen
Late last month, I was honored to be a speaker at the Aspen Ideas Festival about my book Red Team: How to Succeed By Thinking Like the Enemy. The Festival, which the Aspen Institute began in 2005, in…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko July 20, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Defense and Security

Questioning Obama’s Drone Deaths Data
Months after promising to release the number of civilians that have been killed in U.S. lethal counterterrorism operations outside of "areas of active hostilities," the Obama Administration today rel…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko July 1, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

How Not To Estimate and Communicate Risks
Estimating and translating the probability of an event for decision-makers is among the most difficult challenges in government and the private sector. The person making the estimate must be able to …

Blog Post by Micah Zenko June 29, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

Will Killing Mullah Mansour Work?
On Saturday, the Pentagon released a remarkable statement: “Today, the Department of Defense conducted an airstrike that targeted Taliban leader Mullah Mansur.” Soon after, a tweet from the Office of…

Blog Post by Micah Zenko May 23, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

United States

Are Drones More Precise Than Manned Aircraft?
This blog post was coauthored with my research associate, Amelia M. Wolf. In our latest piece at ForeignPolicy.com, we evaluate the Obama administration’s long-standing claim that drone strikes are …

Blog Post by Micah Zenko April 25, 2016 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action

Military Operations
How the Pentagon Announces Killing Terrorists Versus Civilians 
This blog post was coauthored with my research associate, Jennifer Wilson.  Last week, the U.S. military announced an accomplishment that has come to define progress in the war on terrorism—the de…
Blog Post by Micah Zenko and Jennifer Wilson April 24, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
Wars and Conflict
State Death, War Declarations, and Battle Deaths: A Conversation with Tanisha Fazal
Podcast
I was honored to talk to Tanisha Fazal, professor of political science and peace studies at the University of Notre Dame, about her extensive and impressive body of policy-relevant work. Fazal is…
Podcast April 10, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
United States
End to Euphrates Shield, but Not to U.S.-Turkey Tensions
Caroline O’Leary is an intern in the Center for Preventive Action at the Council on Foreign Relations. On Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced the end of Operation Euphrates…
Blog Post by Guest Blogger for Micah Zenko March 31, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
  • United States
    Obama’s Worst Foreign Policy Decision, Two Years Later
    You probably missed it, but Saturday was the second anniversary of President Barack Obama’s worst and most indefensible foreign policy decision. Late on the evening of March 25, 2015, the White House…
    Blog Post by Micah Zenko March 27, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action
  • Turkey
    Entrepreneurship, Erdogan, and Interrupting: A Conversation with Elmira Bayrasli
    Podcast
    The wonderful Elmira Bayrasli joined me again for discussion that ranged from the rise of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to women’s role in shaping foreign policy. Elmira is a fellow in New A…
    Podcast March 23, 2017 Politics, Power, and Preventive Action