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Riley McCabe is an associate fellow with the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research focuses on military operations, irregular warfare, and terrorism and political violence. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and elsewhere. He was previously an editor at the Irregular Warfare Initiative. Riley is a public service fellow pursuing an MA in international relations at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and holds a BA from Occidental College.
In the News 8 of 37 results
Why Russia’s War Effort Signals Strategic Decline
Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe cited in The Cipher Brief — February 24, 2026
Ukraine Battlefield Dead Could Reach 500,000 in Fifth Year, Estimates Suggest
Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe cited in The New York Times — February 24, 2026
Russian lives for Ukrainian lands
Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe cited in Reuters — February 23, 2026
Vladimir Putin Isn't Winning in Ukraine
Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe cited in The Wall Street Journal — February 3, 2026
Troop Casualties in Ukraine War Near 2 Million, Study Finds
Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe cited in The New York Times — January 27, 2026
The Difficulty of Coding Terrorism
Daniel Byman and Riley McCabe published in Lawfare — December 10, 2025
Donald Trump instrumentalise la violence d’extrême gauche pour justifier l’intervention de l’armée dans les grandes villes américaines
Riley McCabe cited in Le Monde — October 16, 2025
La deriva represiva de Trump inquieta en EEUU: "Está utilizando al Ejército para hacer cumplir sus políticas"
Riley McCabe cited in El Periódico — October 12, 2025
All Riley McCabe Content
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Russia-Ukraine War in 10 Charts
Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has reshaped European security, global markets, and the balance of power. These 10 charts break down the battlefield, economic strain, military aid shifts, reconstruction costs, and what comes next.
Commentary by CSIS Scholars — February 24, 2026
Are Russia and Ukraine Headed to 2 Million Casualties?
Despite claims of success in Ukraine, new CSIS data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains.
Event — January 30, 2026
Audio Briefs
“Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine”: Audio Brief with Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe
A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe on their brief, “Russian’s Grinding War in Ukraine.”
Podcast Episode by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — January 30, 2026
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Russia’s Grinding War in Ukraine
Despite claims of success in Ukraine, new CSIS data shows that Russia is paying an extraordinary price for minimal gains, with over 1.2 million casualties. Russia is also in decline as a major economic power with slow growth, weak productivity, and declining manufacturing.
Brief by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — January 27, 2026
Strengthening National Security Resilience in Japan
Japan has many strengths that give it tremendous potential for resilience. However, further investments are required to bolster relatively undeveloped elements of national security resilience that China or another foe may seek to exploit.
Report by Daniel Byman, Nicholas Szechenyi, and Riley McCabe — December 18, 2025
Audio Briefs
“Left-Wing Terrorism and Political Violence in the United States: What the Data Tells Us”: Audio Brief with Riley McCabe
A short, spoken-word summary from CSIS’s Riley McCabe on his brief with Dan Byman, "Left-Wing Terrorism and Political Violence in the United States: What the Data Tells Us."
Podcast Episode by Riley McCabe — September 30, 2025
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Ideological Trends in U.S. Terrorism
The Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program examines the state of terrorism in the U.S., finding left-wing violence has risen in the last decade but from very low levels and still well below historic levels of violence by right-wing and jihadist actors.
Analysis by Daniel Byman and Riley McCabe — September 26, 2025
Left-Wing Terrorism and Political Violence in the United States: What the Data Tells Us
The Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program examines the state of political violence, finding left-wing violence has risen in the last decade but from very low levels and still well below historic levels of violence by right-wing and jihadist actors.
Brief by Daniel Byman and Riley McCabe — September 25, 2025
The Wrong Way to Fight the Cartels: CSIS Experts in Foreign Affairs
Experts from the CSIS Americas Program and Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program argue in Foreign Affairs that President Trump’s approach to the cartels risks repeating the mistakes of the “War on Terror.”
Commentary by CSIS Scholars — September 15, 2025
Audio Briefs
Minnesota Attack Is the Latest in a Rising Wave of Political Violence
An audio version of “Minnesota Attack Is the Latest in a Rising Wave of Political Violence,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS’s Riley McCabe. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.
Podcast Episode by Riley McCabe — June 17, 2025
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