Observe

Watch Floor

Clarity in a noisy world.

Reporting, analysis, and conversations designed to help you understand what matters most.

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From The Watch Floor

Recent episodes

Watch the newest conversations, then choose where you want to go next.

The operational picture

What deserves your attention.

On the board

Current work

Image: Modern War Institute

Modern War Institute

No Place to Hide: Warfare in the Age of Persistent Observation

What Ukraine is revealing about observation, concealment, adaptation, and the assumptions shaping the next war.

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Image: Small Wars Journal

Small Wars Journal

The Signals Before the Storm

What Al-Qaeda’s public behavior can tell us about organizational confidence, strategic warning, and meaningful change.

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U.S. Army Reserve photo

Homeland Security Today

Afghanistan’s Resistance Is No Longer Fighting Only the Taliban

Recent fighting suggests sustained resistance pressure is reshaping the Taliban’s military campaign and its use of allied jihadist organizations.

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Kenny Holston / CC BY 2.0

Homeland Security Today

Why the Return of Tarnak Farm Matters

The rebuilding of a historic Al-Qaeda institution offers one of the clearest indicators of the organization’s resurgence.

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Image: The Diplomat

The Diplomat

Inside the Taliban’s New Military Formation on the Durand Line

A closer look at the Taliban’s evolving military posture, regional pressure, and the networks shaping the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

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Image: Eye on Terror

Eye on Terror

ISIS and the Dream of Returning to Libya

An examination of the Islamic State’s effort to reposition leadership and revive its operations in Libya.

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Need to Know

Three ways to read the picture.

This is where I separate the event from the indicator and the headline from what it may mean next.

01 · The signal

What changed?

The behavior, movement, relationship, or capability that makes a development worth watching.

02 · The context

Why does it matter?

The history and connections that explain why the signal means more than the headline alone.

03 · The question

What comes next?

The assumptions to test, the gaps to watch, and the decisions that may follow.

Interviews & Appearances

Conversations from other watch floors.

In print

Interview · The European Conservative

Syria’s Al-Qaeda-Linked Regime Targets Kurds in Ethnic Cleansing

An analysis featuring Sarah Adams on the actors, networks, and warning signs surrounding violence against Kurdish communities in Syria.

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In Print · ClearanceJobs

Know Thy Enemy: Former CIA Members Seeking Justice for Benghazi

An interview with Sarah Adams and Dave Benton about the investigation behind Benghazi: Know Thy Enemy and the continuing search for accountability.

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Press & Booking

For interviews, briefings, and events.

Approved biographies, photographs, credentials, media, and booking information are available in one place.

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