History
Vol. 2 No. 1 | Winter 2015
Government employment of private military firms is not a new phenomenon. During the Age of Sail, naval powers issued privateering licenses to shipowners, allowing and encouraging them to raid enemy commerce and attack foreign navies during times of war – a system that bears several similarities to modern military contracting. But private enterprise did not go to war in a legal vacuum. How do countries make the incentives for private security firms align with national policy in the 21st century?...
As a longer article, this piece will only be offered in PDF format for easier reading. Download the PDF to read more.
In October 2012, the Iranian rial earned the unwelcome distinction of the world’s least valued currency. It had lost more than 80% of its open market value in the previous two years, crashing from 9,800 to 37,000 rials (IRR) per U.S. dollar (USD). As the rial lost value, demand for more reliable hard currencies surged until it far exceeded the Central Bank of Iran’s (CBI) official supply. Many western analysts, taking their cue from U.S. officials, claimed this devaluation proved the efficacy of international sanctions. Did it really?...
As a longer article, this piece will only be offered in PDF format for easier reading. Download the PDF to read more.
Jessica Knight
Jessica Knight is a senior financial network analyst at Sayari Analytics in Arlington, VA. In former positions, she has provided clients in the military, government, and private industry with analytic support on key national security issues, to include terrorism, trans-regional piracy, and Iranian political economy. She holds an M.A. in International Policy Studies and a B.A. in History, both from Stanford University.