Security & Diplomacy |
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A Conversation On Diplomacy, Public Service, and Its Future with Former Career Diplomat John Johnson
John Johnson is a former diplomat and career senior foreign service officer who served for over two decades in the US State Department. In our conversation, Mr. Johnson highlighted many constants and changes within the State Department and discussed many current and future challenges faced by the next generation of the United States Foreign Service. Interview by Nikita Nikishin & David Baker 1/26/2026 |
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Barriers to UAV Arms Control
The international community must act quickly to prevent the proliferation of UAV technology, systems, and components, or risk non-state actors incorporating the technology into their toolkit. However, the UAV problem may be too large or too late for effective arms control. Brief by Nikita Nikishin 1/24/2026 |
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Updating Space Law for the 21st Century
The current landscape of space weaponization requires new space treaties to keep pace with a rapidly commercializing and technologically evolving environment to ensure peace in outer space. Commentary by David Baker 10/29/2025 |
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The AUKUS Deal and Australia’s Unique Role in Strengthening Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific
Australia is well placed to fill a strategic void in the United States-led coalition against the PRC through the AUKUS deal. Commentary by David Baker 6/24/2025 |
Mission Statement
Analyzing the foreign policy tools of nations in peace and war
RESEARCH FOCUS: THE FUTURE OF U.S. SECURITY IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC AND IMPLICATIONS BEYOND
The Western Pacific is a region that is indispensable to U.S. as well as global interests. The area accounts for half of the world economy based on purchasing power parity and is projected to substantially increase throughout the 21st century. The presence of critical military supply chains, trade, security, and great power competition will continue to be critical for U.S. grand strategy in the long term.
Rainier Institute’s Department of Security and Diplomacy’s 2026-2027 focus will take these considerations into account. We will concentrate on analyzing U.S. security initiatives vis-à-vis the Western Pacific as well as on regional U.S. policies more broadly. We will additionally emphasize analyses of Chinese grand strategy as well as the military policies of U.S. regional allies. Understanding these developments will be central to achieving strategic deterrence as well as the prevention of large-scale hostilities.
We will dedicate secondary focus to great power competition in the Middle East, Europe, the South Caucasus, and Latin America. Gaining insight into the diplomatic and security affairs of these regions will aid in advancing U.S. national interests and will illustrate more paths to securing international stability.
The Western Pacific is a region that is indispensable to U.S. as well as global interests. The area accounts for half of the world economy based on purchasing power parity and is projected to substantially increase throughout the 21st century. The presence of critical military supply chains, trade, security, and great power competition will continue to be critical for U.S. grand strategy in the long term.
Rainier Institute’s Department of Security and Diplomacy’s 2026-2027 focus will take these considerations into account. We will concentrate on analyzing U.S. security initiatives vis-à-vis the Western Pacific as well as on regional U.S. policies more broadly. We will additionally emphasize analyses of Chinese grand strategy as well as the military policies of U.S. regional allies. Understanding these developments will be central to achieving strategic deterrence as well as the prevention of large-scale hostilities.
We will dedicate secondary focus to great power competition in the Middle East, Europe, the South Caucasus, and Latin America. Gaining insight into the diplomatic and security affairs of these regions will aid in advancing U.S. national interests and will illustrate more paths to securing international stability.