Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 2015 | Page 8

Global Security and Intelligence Studies - Volume 1, Number 1 - Fall 2015
Editorial Welcome
Global Security and Intelligence Studies aims to publish high-quality and original
research on contemporary security and intelligence issues. The journal is committed
to methodological pluralism, and seeks to help bridge the gap between scholars and
practitioners engaged in security and intelligence issues by publishing rigorous original
research, book reviews, and occasional think pieces that are relevant to both communities.
We will, on occasion, also seek to publish special issues on timely intelligence and security
topics, and welcome proposals that fit with the scope and aims of the journal. The journal
actively encourages both former and current intelligence and security practitioners to
participate in important scholarly and policy debates, and invites them to contribute their
research to the journal. We believe, moreover, that the open-access format of the journal is
instrumental in our efforts to achieve these goals, as it significantly broadens the readership
base of the journal, and allows those who do not have official institutional affiliations to stay
informed about, and contribute to these debates. As a result, we hope that the journal will
become a vibrant forum for informed, reasoned, and relevant debate on the most important
intelligence and security issues of our time.
We believe that the articles that appear in this inaugural issue firmly achieve all of
the goals set out above. In The Future of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Lt. Col. Mike Fowler
engages the current debate about the future adoption of such systems by modern military
organizations. Contrary to much of the conventional wisdom on this topic, Lt. Col. Fowler
argues that the adoption of UAV’s may not be as universal as many scholars and analysts
predict. In Business as Usual: The Egyptian-U.S. Intelligence Relationship, Michele Black
and Osamah Alhenaki focus their attention on the intelligence relationship between the
United States and Egypt, and assess the impact of the Arab Spring, and subsequent events
in Egypt on the nature of this relationship. In doing so, they trace the historical relationship
between the US intelligence community, and its Egyptian counterparts, to offer valuable
insights into the potential evolution of this relationship. James Hess and Curt Friedel’s study,
entitled Applying a Critical Thinking Framework to Improve Intelligence Analysis, assesses
the effectiveness of the application of a new analytical framework in improving intelligence
analysis. The study uses insights derived from historical case studies and observations from
West Point cadets who were taught the use of this analytical framework. Finally, David
Kriebel’s article on Anthropological theory and Intelligence offers a wide-ranging discussion
of anthropological theories and their utility for intelligence analysis.
Starting a new journal is a long and intensive process. The editorial team would like
to thank Paul Rich and Daniel Gutierrez-Sandoval of the Policy Studies Organization (PSO)
for their support and assistance during the process, and to extend its gratitude to our peer
reviewers and to the editorial board for its support and input.
On behalf of the editorial team,
Yoav Gortzak
American Public University System
Patricia J. Campbell
American Public University System
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