Agile Warrior Quarterly

Emily Knowles and Abigail Watson

26 April 2018

Emily Knowles and Abigail Watson have contributed an article to Agile Warrior Quarterly, the British Army’s intellectual examination of current and emerging threat and opportunities for land capability. Drawing upon the examples of Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, the article examines the effectiveness of remote warfare. Whilst acknowledging that remote warfare can deliver short-term results, the authors conclude that this strategy really struggles to deliver when expectations move from destroying or degrading a terrorist threat towards setting the conditions for lasting stability.

Latest

Programme Officer, Strategic Peacebuilding (part-time)

Oxford Research Group is looking for a well organised project support officer with experience of charitable fundraising to work with its Strategic Peacebuilding team. The initial focus of this London-based role will be on supporting our work in Yemen, Israel and Palestine as well as fundraising from trusts, foundations and statutory bodies. Arabic language skills will be particularly advantageous for this role.
RWP Presents at Political Studies Association Event

On 4 July, Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen of the Remote Warfare Programme presented at a conference entitled “Continuity and Change in the Trump Presidency” at the British Library in London.
Gender and Peacekeeping: Progress and Challenges

UN peacekeeping has made considerable progress incorporating gender-sensitivity into its mandates and missions. Nonetheless, significant challenges remain.
Peace Processes: An Interview with Roger Mac Ginty

Professor Roger Mac Ginty discusses peace processes, the decline of liberal peacebuilding and the concept of "everyday peace".

Uneasy Alliances: Learning from France’s Libya Policy

Strongmen cannot provide stability in the long-term, the sooner we learn this the sooner we stop perpetuating instability and violence in the places we intervene.
Westminster Round-Up Podcast | June 2019

The Remote Warfare Programme's Liam Walpole and Megan Karlshoej-Pedersen discuss the latest developments in UK defence and security policy.
WarPod Ep #3 | A Very British Approach to Collusion?

In this episode, the Remote Warfare Programme are joined by Rory Cormac and Andrew Mumford of the University of Nottingham to discuss their new project on collusion.
Remote Warfare Programme Present at National Army Museum

On 15 June 2019, the Remote Warfare Programme’s Abigail Watson and Liam Walpole presented at a conference hosted by the National Army Museum.
Confronting Iran: The British Dimension

The posture of the British Armed Forces in and around the Persian Gulf mean that it would be very difficult for the United Kingdom, or its key ally Oman, to remain neutral in any military escalation of the conflict between Iran and the United States.
Remote Warfare Programme presents at BISA Conference

Abigail Watson, Senior Research Officer at the Remote Warfare Programme, recently presented at the British International Studies Association (BISA) Annual Conference.
Abigail Watson Published on Inkstick

On 10 June 2019, Abigail Watson, the Remote Warfare Programme's Senior Research Officer, had an article she had written published on Inkstick, a new website focusing on foreign policy.
Remote Warfare and the Practical Challenges for the Protection of Civilians Strategy

This briefing explores the strategic consequences of remote warfare for Protection of Civilians (POC) and outlines practical lessons the British armed forces can draw from contemporary theatres to improve its capacity for POC in partnered operations.
ORG Explains #10: The UK’s Joint Expeditionary Force

This primer describes the new UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), situating it in the context of other European rapid reaction forces and the UK and NATO’s expanded military presence in the Baltic Sea region.
Planning for Future Operations: Learning Lessons from Remote Warfare

Remote warfare looks set to be an enduring feature of contemporary campaigns. If it continues to be treated as a secondary task to major warfighting it is unlikely that British forces will ever excel at it.

The Role of Youth in Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities

Young people are frequently ‘othered’ in discussions about conflict. This is a dangerous practice as youths can play a very positive role aiding peacebuilding in societies recovering from conflict.
Making Bad Economies: The Poverty of Mexican Drug Cartels

Some stories say that local economies benefit from cartels in Mexico. But research suggests that the areas most plagued by drug-related violence have seriously suffered economically.
ORG's Vision

Oxford Research Group (ORG) is an independent organisation that has been influential for over 35 years in pioneering new, more strategic approaches to security and peacebuilding. Based in London since 2006, ORG continues to pursue cutting edge research and advocacy in the United Kingdom and abroad while managing innovative peacebuilding projects in several Middle Eastern countries.
Remote Warfare: Lessons Learned from Contemporary Theatres

This report is a first attempt to identify some of the factors that have helped or hindered the UK’s current approach to remote warfare.
Weavers of Peace: The Higaonon Tribe in the Philippines

The Higaonon, an indigenous tribe in Northern Mindanao in the southern Philippines, have preserved an ancient system of conflict resolution which has enabled them to be a truly peaceful community. However, there is a need to ensure that this knowledge is not lost in the future.
The Cyprus Problem: Why Solve a Comfortable Conflict?

Several diplomatic efforts have been made both domestically and internationally to enhance peaceful unity since the start of the Cyprus Problem. Despite the shortcomings of past efforts, it is still desirable not only to resolve the issue, but also to do so in a timely manner.
Why Does UN Humanitarian Intervention Remain Selective?

Over the past two decades, the United Nations Security Council has responded more strongly to some humanitarian crises than to others. This variation in Security Council action raises the important question of what factors motivate United Nations intervention.
The UK and UN Peace Operations: A Case for Greater Engagement

This report supports an enhanced role for Britain in UN peace operations and sets out a case for greater engagement.
The Politics of Coltan: An Interview with Michael Nest

In this interview, Dr. Michael Nest discusses the political, environmental, ethical and social issues surrounding the mining of columbite–tantalite (coltan).
The Expanding Role of Chinese Peacekeeping in Africa

China's increased involvement in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping in Africa reflects a broader trend of the country taking a more proactive approach to foreign policy.