Sebastian Bae

Foreign Policy

05/09/2016

But Will It Scale in Kabul?

Follows the journey of three veteran organizations/businesses determined to give back to the countries they once deployed to as US warfighters.

War on the Rocks

01/22/2016

From the First Gulf War to Islamic State: How America Was Seduced by the "Easy War"

From Kosovo to Iraq, policymakers and military strategists have been ensnared by the myth of the easy war. We should learn not to fall into the same traps in the future.

The Bridge

04/15/2016

In the War with ISIS, Don't Forget About Sun Tzu

Dares to ask the question: "How would Sun Tzu deal with ISIS?"

Georgetown Security Studies Review

02/11/2015

The Institutional Failures of Modern Counterinsurgency

Despite the prominence of new forms of warfare, the military as an institution has failed to adapt organizationally.

Foreign Policy

04/15/2016

Veteran Suicide: Here is a Name to Put with the Numbers that Numb Us So

Sharing my personal struggle with suicide in a hope to shed light on the crisis of veteran suicide.

Foreign Policy

09/17/2015

We Romanticize Military Service - Until We See Some Combat and Bury Some Friends

Romanticizing military service is easy. Coming to terms with the gritty reality of service is another story.

The Diplomat

01/10/2017

The Foolishness of Strategic Decapitation in North Korea

Argues the short-sightedness of South Korea's decapitation squad by comparing it to the notorious Silmido Affair.

Georgetown Security Studies Review

07/01/2015

Unraveling the Organizational Collapse of the Tamil Tigers

For nearly three decades, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was one of the most notorious insurgencies in the world. In 2009, the Sri Lankan military stunned the world by dismantling the LTTE with a campaign of unrestricted counterinsurgency. Current counterinsurgency literature takes a state-centric approach, evaluating state strategies to explain the rise and fall of terrorist groups and insurgencies. Yet, a close examination of the Sri Lankan case reveals the defeat of the LTTE...

Ramen IR

07/27/2015

Should I Join the Military to Advance My Career?

Military service, whether officer or enlisted, is not for everyone, nor should it. But, for those considering military service to advance your careers in the security/intelligence/policy field, I offer you three pieces of advice.

Foreign Policy

02/10/2017

A Hiring Logjam and a Crisis of Youth and Diversity in the National Security Field

Examining the reasons behind the scarcity of young, diverse talent in the national security field.

Columnist, Foreign Policy Magazine