Riley McCabe

Associate Fellow, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program
Riley McCabe

Riley McCabe is an associate fellow with the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research focuses on military operations, irregular warfare, and terrorism and political violence. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and elsewhere. He was previously an editor at the Irregular Warfare Initiative. Riley is a public service fellow pursuing an MA in international relations at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and holds a BA from Occidental College.

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Russian Blood and Treasure: The Ballooning Costs of Putin’s War

Russia has suffered approximately 1.4 million casualties and 450,000 fatalities in Ukraine for only marginal territorial gains, according to new CSIS data. In addition, Ukraine has conducted deep strikes into Russian territory, including with AI-enabled drones.

Brief by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — July 1, 2026

Wartime Footing: A Two-Front Strategy to Confront China and Russia

The United States and its allies face a growing threat from an axis led by China and Russia. This report outlines a two-war planning construct focused on Asia and Europe, and a wartime industrial base focused on low-cost unmanned systems and long-range precision strike.

Report by Seth G. Jones, Seamus P. Daniels, Riley McCabe, and Daniel Byman — June 8, 2026

The Terrorist Threat to the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest sporting event ever held and a magnet for terrorists of all stripes. A new CSIS brief examines who might attack, what targets are at greatest risk, and the countermeasures being deployed.

Brief by Daniel Byman and Riley McCabe — May 27, 2026

Global Terrorism Threat Assessment 2026

Terrorism is currently declining as a U.S. national security priority, and resources available for counterterrorism are decreasing accordingly. At the same time, uncertainty regarding the future of global terrorism is increasing, bringing greater risk of surprise.

Report by CSIS Scholars — May 26, 2026

Audio Briefs

San Diego Mosque Shooting Marks a Deadly First in the United States

An audio version of “⁠San Diego Mosque Shooting Marks a Deadly First in the United States⁠,” a new Commentary by CSIS’s Riley McCabe. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Riley McCabe — May 19, 2026

Audio Briefs

Russia-Ukraine War in 10 Charts

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has reshaped European security, global markets, and the balance of power. These 10 charts break down the battlefield, economic strain, military aid shifts, reconstruction costs, and what comes next.

Commentary by CSIS Scholars — February 24, 2026