Intelligence

CSIS scholars explain and interpret developments in the intelligence community and provide recommendations for how it can work more securely and efficiently to protect the U.S. homeland.

Photo: Valeria Mongelli/Getty Images

Photo: Valeria Mongelli/Getty Images

Closing the Local Knowledge Gap in U.S. Competition with China

China is extending its influence at the hyper-local level, but the United States has yet to develop a comprehensive strategy to push back at the edge of strategic competition. The United States must leverage industry tools to provide the data-driven insights needed to compete.

Commentary by Emily Harding and Julia Dickson — April 15, 2026

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Fireside Chat with Andrew Shearer

December 4, 2023 • 11:00 – 11:45 am EST
Hosted by Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
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Emily Harding

Emily Harding

Vice President, Defense and Security Department; Director, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program

Nikita Shah

Senior Fellow, Intelligence, National Security, and Technology Program
Kate Koren

Kate Koren

Deputy Director, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business

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Closing the Local Knowledge Gap in U.S. Competition with China

China is extending its influence at the hyper-local level, but the United States has yet to develop a comprehensive strategy to push back at the edge of strategic competition. The United States must leverage industry tools to provide the data-driven insights needed to compete.

Commentary by Emily Harding and Julia Dickson — April 15, 2026

Iran’s Next Move: How to Counter Tehran’s Multidomain Punishment Campaign

Iran is executing a multidomain punishment campaign across energy, cyber, and maritime systems to coerce the United States and its partners. The challenge is not stopping attacks, but denying Tehran the economic disruption and strategic leverage they are designed to create.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — March 23, 2026

How to Lose a Navy in 10 Days

The naval strikes against Iran reveal how quickly modern fleets can be crippled. Today’s maritime campaigns aim not just to sink ships, but to blind sensors, disrupt command networks, and destroy ports—often within the opening days of war.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — March 12, 2026

How Would Iran Respond to a U.S. Attack?

If the United States strikes Iran, how will Tehran respond? History suggests a calibrated mix of cyberattacks, drones, maritime pressure, and limited missile strikes designed to signal resolve while avoiding a wider regional war.

Critical Questions by Benjamin Jensen — February 26, 2026

Why the Army Needs Deception Groups

To outsmart modern threats, the U.S. Army must bring back “ghost armies”—dedicated deception units that manipulate what the enemy sees and believes, creating the space and confusion needed to maneuver and win on today’s transparent battlefield.

Commentary by Benjamin Jensen — January 29, 2026

Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine

Despite claims of success in Ukraine, new CSIS data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains, with over 1.2 million casualties. Russia is also in decline as a major economic power with slow growth, weak productivity, and declining manufacturing.

Brief by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — January 27, 2026