Blog - Joel Essays

Europe Has a Cyber Strategy. It Doesn’t Have a Theory of Victory.

European cybersecurity strategy has never been busier. The European Union has produced the NIS2 Directive, the Cyber Resilience Act, an expanded ENISA, a cyber sanctions regime, and a diplomatic toolbox for responding to malicious cyber operations. Member states have published national cybersecurity strategies, stood up cyber commands, and pledged billions in investment. None of this …

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Cyber Deterrence: A Strategy That Fails When It Matters Most

Cyberwarfare, Irregular Warfare

Cyber deterrence has become a buzzword in national security, but in my opinion, it is a concept that still lacks teeth in most ways. The idea is simple: stop an adversary from launching cyber attacks through a combination of denial and punishment or better still, make it costly enough that they think twice before trying. …

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Reassessing the UN’s Approach to New World Challenges

Peacekeeping

Pax et Bellum VI Is the United Nations’ approach to state-building truly effective in today’s complex global landscape? This critical question leads us to explore the UN’s strategies in countries like East Timor and Kosovo, where the challenges of implementing Western models in diverse societies have been starkly evident Philip Cunliffe, in his work “Still …

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The UN’s Peacekeeping Challenge: Fit for Today’s Conflicts?

Peacekeeping

Pax et Bellum V Is the United Nations truly prepared for the complex landscape of 21st-century peacekeeping? This critical question takes us into the heart of contemporary conflicts, far removed from the era when the first UN peacekeepers were deployed. Today, we grapple with what ‘peace’ really means — is it merely the absence of …

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Beyond the Blue Helmets: Unraveling the Complex Realities of Peacekeeping

Peacekeeping

Pax et Bellum IV In this piece, I attempt to examine peacekeeping as we know it today, seeking to understand its role and impact in modern conflicts. This exploration takes us into the heart of international efforts to maintain peace in regions torn by war, where the reality is often more complex than the ideals …

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Pax et Bellum III- Clausewitz “On War” and His Continuous Relevance

Strategic Studies

In this piece, I argue the relevance of Clausewitz in modern times and address the potential contradiction in his “wondrous trinity” by answering three questions. Is Clausewitz still relevant in modern times?Clausewitz’s “On War” presents a unique approach to warfare as a theoretical entity that can be studied on its own. It examines War and …

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Pax et Bellum II- Redefining Warfare Strategy for Modern Times

Warfare Strategy

My rather immodest, or even arrogant endeavour with this piece is to redefine strategy from the perspective of changes that have occurred in modern times. To begin, I will quote the famous phrase by Mike Tyson: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” The story of Stuxnet and Iran illustrates this …

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Pax et Bellum I – On Cyber Warfare and the International Twin War Principles

Cyberwarfare

As the world gradually evolves into a global and digital village with almost everything related to mankind connected to the internet, from sophisticated military and healthcare equipment to simple bread toasters and fridges, the world has seen a rather worrying rise in the spate of cyber attacks. In a joint publication, the United States Department …

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