The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
This presentation seeks to problematize al-Qaeda's franchising strategy. Why did al-Qaeda choose to branch out and what accounts for its decision to enter some arenas and not others? Rather than viewing it as an inevitable expansion strategy, this presentation underscores franchising as just one of several ways transnational terrorist organizations can formally expand. It also analyzes models for formal expansion by examining their political aspects in addition to the operational ones.
Please join us! Coffee and tea provided. Everyone is welcome, but admittance will be on a first come–first served basis.