Germany sees left-wing extremism becoming more clandestine, sophisticated, and violent

J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / September 17, 2021. Left-wing extremism is on the rise in Germany, with one in four groups prone to violence to overthrow the democratic constitutional government, according to the latest official Report on the Protection of the Constitution. “There are no signs that left-wing extremists will end … Read more

As crises worsen in Ukraine and Taiwan, China seeks to divide NATO

J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / April 12, 2021 – With Russia preparing to attack Ukraine again and China becoming more aggressive about conquering Taiwan, Chinese Communist Party strategists are openly discussing how to divide the NATO alliance. Key takeaways China seeks to co-opt NATO through strategic cooperation. China seeks to divide … Read more

Trump’s soft rhetoric toward Russia masks assertiveness against Putin

by J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / February 22, 2020. President Trump has reversed his predecessor’s weakness toward Russia and developed an impressive track record against the Putin regime’s aggressive behavior. Putin’s ability to project power is small and his economy is small, but the Russian leader has presided over a massive … Read more

Russia poises to grab Ireland to cut NATO, intercept cables

by J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / February 20, 2020 The Putin regime has mapped out a plan to invade Ireland, a vital telecommunications and logistics hub linking North America and Europe. Agents of Russia’s GRU military intelligence have been observed for years across Ireland charting its rugged coastline, deep harbors, and … Read more

Moscow secretly funded US anti-fracking groups. Is it now attacking US energy companies?

by J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / March 24, 2019 Is Moscow funding climate-change activists to damage the American energy industry around the world? In an effort to slow down US natural gas production, the Russian government backed the anti-fracking movement in the United States. Moscow even funded US anti-fracking activists. Now, … Read more

Steps Venezuela’s interim government must take – quickly – to survive

J Michael Waller / Center for Security Policy / January 23, 2019 Venezuela’s interim government materialized without much apparent organization. Active observation and participation in various coups and revolutions shows what the Juan Guaidó government and its supporters must do immediately. Here are some quick thoughts, not in any particular order: Gain control of at … Read more

JMW in Riga: NATO countries should ‘exploit the vulnerabilities’ of Russia as non-military deterrence

Laying out an innovative strategy to counter and deter Kremlin subversion, the Center for Security Policy provided NATO countries with a new way to provide common defense against Moscow’s “hybrid threats.” Center Vice President J Michael Waller told the thousand or so participants at the Riga Conference that NATO should “map out and exploit the vulnerabilities” … Read more

Three good years with NATO’s Defence Strategic Communications journal

My three-year term as a founding editorial board member of NATO’s Defence Strategic Communications journal is over. Published by NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, Latvia, the journal is part of Latvia’s small but outsized contribution to the Atlantic alliance. Like the Centre itself, the journal began as a Latvian initiative. The Centre … Read more

What Trump should tell Putin in Helsinki

by J Michael Waller / Fox News / July 15, 2018 President Trump can have a successful summit Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland and outwit his critics if he takes a tough-love approach to his seeming bromance with the Russian leader. Putin’s hold on power is weaker than it seems. He takes … Read more

Putting the strategy back in strategic communications

Volume 3 of our Defence Strategic Communications scholarly journal is out, published by NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, Latvia. This is an excellent, truly international journal containing a surprising range of original perspectives. I’m happy to be a founding member of the editorial board. Subjects for Volume 3 range from the eclectic … Read more