For the third time in a row, members of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) did not meet face-to-face for the CIB Banquet, which marks the culmination of the semester. The virtual meeting, however, was filled with excitement about the organization’s pending return to face-to-face meetings in the fall of 2021. The Banquet takes place to …
Two Chanticleer Intelligence Brief senior analysts, Ana Maria Lankford and Derrick Storzieri, have published an article about the United States Intelligence Community’s dissemination of warning intelligence about COVID-19, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. The article, entitled: “Spies and the Virus: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Intelligence Communication in the United States” has been published in the peer-reviewed Frontiers in Communications. Headquartered in Switzerland, Frontiers is considered one of the most prestigious open-access journal publishers in the sciences and social sciences, and is the world’s fifth most-cited publisher. It is extremely rare for undergraduate students to publish peer-reviewed research.
The CIB is pleased to announce the publication of the eighth issue of The Intelligence Review, a compendium of useful analytical forecasts by CIB analysts, which relate to some of the most pressing questions in global security today. The volume is the product of a transatlantic collaboration between the CIB and the European Intelligence Academy (EIA), a network of intelligence studies scholars, specialists and students, who are dedicated to promoting international collaboration in intelligence scholarship and research.
WBTW NEWS 13, THE CBS-AFFILIATED television station in Florence, South Carolina, has featured the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) COVID-19 Intelligence Project in a news report. The report, by WBTW reporter Lauren Crawford, was aired on WBTW’s Evening News program on Thursday, April 9. It highlighted the CIB’s new project, which allows Intelligence and National Security Studies students at Coastal Carolina University to track and analyze the worldwide outbreak of the pandemic on a real-time basis.
The CIB has officially launched the CIB COVID-19 Intelligence Project, an open-source intelligence collective, whose goal is to provide descriptive and estimative analyses of the complex medical, social, economic and political effects of this global crisis. The results of our work are now being aired weekly on our CIB COVID-19 Intelligence Report podcast, which becomes available every Wednesday. The podcast is produced and presented by CIB faculty mentor Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis, and features reports and appearances by a host of CIB analyst and senior analysts.
NEARLY THE ENTIRE EXECUTIVE of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) attended the 2020 Citadel Intelligence Ethics Conference, which was held in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 11-12. This interdisciplinary conference featured a multitude of presentations on the various aspects of intelligence practiced in the Western liberal-democratic context. Two members of the CIB delegation to the conference, Shannon Brophy and Kaitlin Presnell (pictured right) were among the conference speakers. The two CIB executives presented their research, which was entitled “Should the United States Collect Intelligence on its Close Allies?”. The presentation encompassed an analysis of the bilateral intelligence relationship between the United States and the members of the Five-Eyes, Nine-Eyes, and Fourteen-Eyes intelligence alliances. It also examined recent reports that the United States may not be conducting human intelligence operations on the United Arab Emirates.
Close to 100 people gathered at the Coastal Carolina University’s Burroughs and Chapin Building on the morning of Thursday, December 5, for the seventh Chanticleer Intelligence Brief Symposium. The event featured information about the achievements of several CIB current and former analysis, presented by the analysts themselves before an engaged and curious audience that included current and former members of the Intelligence Community.
Last summer, Fabio Molano, a longtime CIB executive who has been serving as director of the organization since the fall of 2018, completed an internship with Mercom Corporation. Mercom is a technology firm specializing in providing mission-critical operations support to the United States government. We recently spoke with Fabio and asked him some questions about his experience at Mercom and the way his CIB experience at CCU helped him to respond to the challenges of that competitive internship.
In the summer of 2019, Joseph Cain, longtime CIB executive and head of the organization’s Latin America Desk, was accepted in the Cambridge Security Initiative’s International Security and Intelligence (ISI) program. This elite program takes place at the University of Cambridge in England and features the participation of top officials from the CIA, MI6, NSA, and other Western intelligence agencies. Last summer’s ISI featured talks by Chris Inglis, former deputy director of NSA, and Sir Richard Dearlove, former director of MI6.
During her CIB tenure, Tyra Bjorlo studied the role of women in militant Sunni Islamism. Soon after graduating from Coastal Carolina University (August 2019, summa cum laude) with a degree in Intelligence and National Security Studies, Tyra was awarded a prestigious internship to research al-Qaeda with the Critical Threats Project of the American Enterprise Institute …
Jack Lincoln, a graduate of the CIB’s Iran desk, was recognized for his research at the annual conference of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) in June. Lincoln, from Glen Head, New York, joined the CIB during his freshman year at Coastal Carolina University. His research, titled “What is the Current State of the …
The seventh episode of the CIB Intelligence Report, the television show that covers the latest developments in the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief, is now online. In this latest episode, the CIB’s Recruitment Officer, Tyra Bjorlo hosts Analysts Joseph Cain, Kaitlin Presnell, and Amber Fields.
CIB cybersecurity analyst Alan Siceloff has been awarded an internship with Allen Corporation. The firm is best known for directly supporting the security products and services of McAfee, the world’s largest security technology company. Headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, Allen Corporation has been contributing since 2006 to the technical architecture, design and deployment of McAfee products …
Two CIB analysts are among six students from Coastal Carolina University who have been selected to present their research at the National Council for Undergraduate Research (NCUR) conference in April. The researchers are Tyra Bjorlo, a CIB Executive Officer who heads the organization’s Transnational Issues Section and the Africa Desk, and Clara Comiskey, a longtime CIB Analyst who won the CIB’s prestigious “Best Essay Award” last December.
Shannon Brophy, the CIB’s recruitment officer, will be spending the spring 2019 semester in the Sultanate of Oman as an intern with the United States Department of State. Shannon, a long-time member of the CIB, who currently heads the organization’s Middle East Desk, will join the US embassy in Oman’s capital, Muscat, as part of the US Department of State’s Student Internship Program. It is the first time that a Coastal Carolina University student has been awarded this highly competitive and prestigious US government internship.
Maddy Scholar, the CIB’s Chief Operations Officer, is the recipient of a $50,000 scholarship to study abroad for a year. Called the Rotary Global Grant, the scholarship is part of an annual nationwide competition organized by Rotary International and administered by Rotary’s District 7770.
During regular academic semesters, members and supporters of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief gather once a week to get to know each other, discuss current events and participate in fun activities, like the CIB weekly news trivia quiz. For the spring 2020 semester, the CIB Executive Team invites the organization’s membership and prospective membership to meet every Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:00pm in room CSCC 300 of the Coastal Science Center Complex. Continue reading
For the third time in a row, members of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) did not meet face-to-face for the CIB Banquet, which marks the culmination of the semester. The virtual meeting, however, was filled with excitement about the organization’s pending return to face-to-face meetings in the fall of 2021. The Banquet takes place to … Continue reading
The CIB will continue to respond to the public health requirements of the Coronavirus pandemic by holding its meetings online in the Spring 2020 semester. The decision was taken by the CIB’s Executive Team in early August of last year, in light of the threat that the pandemic poses to the health of students and faculty at Coastal Carolina University. For this reason, the CIB Executive Team invites the organization’s membership to meet every Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:00pm on the Zoom software platform. Continue reading
Two Chanticleer Intelligence Brief senior analysts, Ana Maria Lankford and Derrick Storzieri, have published an article about the United States Intelligence Community’s dissemination of warning intelligence about COVID-19, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic. The article, entitled: “Spies and the Virus: The COVID-19 Pandemic and Intelligence Communication in the United States” has been published in the peer-reviewed Frontiers in Communications. Headquartered in Switzerland, Frontiers is considered one of the most prestigious open-access journal publishers in the sciences and social sciences, and is the world’s fifth most-cited publisher. It is extremely rare for undergraduate students to publish peer-reviewed research. Continue reading
For the second time in a row, members of the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) did not meet for the CIB Banquet, which marks the culmination of the semester. The Banquet takes place to recognize the hard work of members, analysts, senior analysts and members, and to renew their pledge to make the organization even stronger in the coming year. This semester’s celebration marked the 10th CIB Banquet, in the tradition of the group’s first-ever banquet, which was held in May of 2016. But the coronavirus pandemic did not stop the CIB from doing its work, and the organization was still able to present this semester’s awards, albeit in a virtual fashion. Continue reading
The coronavirus pandemic has created economic and territorial challenges for Mexican drug cartels. These challenges are likely to hinder the growth of Mexican drug cartels and continue to raise tensions within the illicit drug markets, as the virus continues to affect cartel profits. The Mexican government has been fighting the war against the drug cartels for the past several decades. The emergence of the coronavirus is presenting new and unexpected complications in narcotics sales, causing economic impediments for the cartels. Continue reading
ON OCTOBER 19, 2020, the United States announced plans to remove Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, after a 27-year designation. The designation of Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism dates to 1993 when Sudan was accused of having hosted members of terrorist organizations, such as Hezbollah and al Qaeda, including its leader, Osama bin Laden. Sudan is one of four nations designated by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism, along with Iran, North Korea, and Syria. This severely impedes Sudan from having access to loans, foreign investment, and debt relief.[1] We predict with low to moderate confidence that Sudan’s removal from the state sponsors of terrorism list will help Sudan revive its economy and bolster its transition to democratic rule. Continue reading
THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the “October Revolution” in Iraq is very likely to devolve into street violence as sit-ins and demonstrations are set to resume. The source of this potential stems from three primary groups of actors: Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and their supporters, Sadrists, and the protesters. These demonstrations and violence are unlikely to overthrow the government. However, they may damage the public image of the Kadhimi government. Continue reading
The CIB is pleased to announce the publication of the eighth issue of The Intelligence Review, a compendium of useful analytical forecasts by CIB analysts, which relate to some of the most pressing questions in global security today. The volume is the product of a transatlantic collaboration between the CIB and the European Intelligence Academy (EIA), a network of intelligence studies scholars, specialists and students, who are dedicated to promoting international collaboration in intelligence scholarship and research. Continue reading
THE CIB HAS RELAUNCHED its highly successful Weekly Intelligence Brief (WIB), a publication containing descriptive intelligence products, which is modeled on the President’s Daily Brief. The idea behind the WIB was first proposed in the spring of 2017 by CIB Americas Desk analyst Lindsey Hamilton. In September 2017, Lindsey became the first Editor-in-Chief of the WIB. On October 18, 2017, the CIB published the first issue of the WIB, with articles submitted by analysts in the CIB’s Africa, Asia, Americas and Cyber Desks. Now, in the fall 2020 semester, the WIB has entered the second period of its existence with a new Editor-in-Chief, CIB Senior Analyst Hannah Clegg. She is assisted by associate editors Morgan-McKay Hoppmann (Senior Analyst, CIB Asia Desk) and Jakcon Hauf (CIB Executive Director). Continue reading
The CIB will be responding to the public health requirements of the Coronavirus pandemic by holding its meetings online in the Fall 2020 semester. The decision was taken by the CIB’s Executive Team in early August, in light of the threat that the pandemic poses to the health of students and faculty at Coastal Carolina University. For this reason, the CIB Executive Team invites the organization’s membership to meet every Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:00pm on the Zoom software platform. The link and access information for meetings will be sent ahead of time via email. Continue reading
UNLIKE PAST SEMESTERS, MEMBERS OF the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) did not meet for the CIB Banquet, which marks the culmination of the spring 2020 semester. The Banquet takes places to recognize the hard work of members, analysts, senior analysts and members, and to renew their pledge to make the organization even stronger in the coming year. This would have been the ninth CIB Banquet, in the tradition of the group’s first-ever banquet, which was held in May of 2016. But the coronavirus pandemic did not stop the CIB from doing its work, and the organization was still able to present this semester’s awards, albeit in virtual fashion. Continue reading
In the latest development regarding the water rights debate between Egypt and Ethiopia centered around the Nile River and Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), Ethiopia has announced the signing of a new contract to construct another dam in its northern Tigray region. This development is occurring simultaneously with Egypt’s launching of an international campaign of sorts to gain support in opposition of the GERD completion. We therefore assess with high confidence that this will continue to add to the volatile relations between the two countries. Continue reading
The conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could interfere with the government’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. A report by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) warns that the latest violence in the eastern DRC could have serious consequences for the fight against coronavirus. It can be stated with high confidence that an increase in displaced population numbers, due to violence, will significantly increase the spread of COVID-19 in the DRC. Continue reading
With cases of COVID-19 in United States nearing 950,000, the country’s meat supply may experience a decline with major meat plants closing across the country. A Smithfield food plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one of the country’s largest pork-producing plants, closed indefinitely after nearly 785 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19. Smithfield is one of several meat-producing companies. Two other major companies, JBS USA and Tyson Foods Inc., have also suspended or cut back on production in recent weeks, due to the detection of COVID-19 cases in their food-processing facilities. We can state with high confidence that the closure of the meat plants will negatively impact the food supply in the United States for a prolonged period. Continue reading
In the changing climate of our planet, the loss of the Arctic ice cap has increased the accessibility to resources located inside the Arctic Theater. The result of this change is that the Russian government, among other nations, including Canada, Denmark, Norway, and the United States, has taken an interest in the economic and military opportunities on the top of the world. In a push to control the region, the Russian government has taken a more aggressive approach in military innovation and expansion into the region over the past 30 years. It can be stated with moderate confidence that the Russian government will continue to push military advancements and its expansion in the Arctic Theater in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading
WBTW NEWS 13, THE CBS-AFFILIATED television station in Florence, South Carolina, has featured the Chanticleer Intelligence Brief (CIB) COVID-19 Intelligence Project in a news report. The report, by WBTW reporter Lauren Crawford, was aired on WBTW’s Evening News program on Thursday, April 9. It highlighted the CIB’s new project, which allows Intelligence and National Security Studies students at Coastal Carolina University to track and analyze the worldwide outbreak of the pandemic on a real-time basis. Continue reading
THE SAUDI ARABIAN-LED COALITION of Arab states, which been fighting in support of the Yemeni government and against the Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels, has placed into effect a unilateral two-week ceasefire amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The unilateral ceasefire is expected to suspend hostilities on the alliance’s part, which will make it the first nationwide truce to take hold in Yemen during the five-year war. This announcement could potentially indicate that the war in Yemen may enter a long-standing intermission, and even help bring an end to the war. Continue reading
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic has created economic and territorial challenges for Mexican drug cartels. These challenges will likely hinder the growth of Mexican drug cartels and assist the Mexican government in its efforts to dismantle the illicit drug markets as the virus continues to spread in the Americas. Continue reading
WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN largely absent from the public eye, confusion has set in with cases of COVID-19 increasing every day. Recent federal intervention is proving to be more reactionary than proactive. Consequently, the majority of measures taken to stop the spread of COVID-19 has been taken by local governments, with Moscow setting the example. Given the continuing nature of this situation, we predict with moderate-to-high confidence a national state of emergency will be declared in the next two weeks. Continue reading
