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Papers

Here is a sample of my writings from my more academic days, where I focused on geopolitical issues and network organization of modern terrorism.

  • In the Midst of the Swarm: Reconceptualizing the (Mislabeled) Global War on Terrorism (April 2005)
This is a conceptual paper which argues for a new theoretical framework for understanding the Global War on Terrorism (referred in this paper as World War IV). Borrowing from Thomas Barnett, this paper agrees that conflict and friction in the international system is caused by states that are relatively disconnected from the global economy.

While this explains the general cause of conflict in the international system, it is not specific enough to fully explain World War IV, as Western Europe – which is globally connected – is one of the main “fronts” for recruiting, organizing and carrying out attacks for Jihadi-Salafist groups.

This paper purposes a new framework for understanding World War IV by intersecting Barnett’s theory of connectedness and Huntington’s “Clash of Civilization”, but with an emphasis on a social level of analysis – emphasizing social groups, rather than just states. The aim is to emphasize culturally distinct and “disconnected” social groups rather than distinct “civilization blocks” or “disconnected” states as the source of Islamist terrorism.

This framework can help explain Jihadi-Salafists as part of a wider social movement and explains why the Muslim immigrant communities in Europe and in other “connected” states are potential “fronts” in this war.

This paper was published in the Spring 2005 edition of San Francisco State University’s International Relations Journal.

  • United States Assumptions in Iraq (Spring 2004)
This paper identifies the key assumptions of the U.S. Government regarding Iraq, evidence to prove these assumptions and how it effects the Middle East within the context of the Thomas Barnett’s Global Transaction Strategy. Most interestingly, this paper brings to light a 1991 Harvey Starr study on Democratic Spatial Diffusion supporting the notion of a “Democratic Domino Effect”.

The assumptions proclaims that a free Iraq will galvanize democratic reform throughout the Middle East, not only bringing liberal democracy but a democratic zone of peace in the Middle East. Thus, U.S. intervention aiding in the creation of a liberal democratic Iraq is key in bringing not only liberalism to the region, but in essence exporting a new regime of strategic security to the Middle East.

This paper was published in the Spring 2004 edition of San Francisco State University’s International Relations Journal.