If you love security cooperation so much, why don't you marry it?

My hot take in today's Latin America Advisor

While I *am* concentrating the bulk of my shorter form writing here, I am also contributing a few other focus-area specific places. One of those outlets is the Inter-American Dialogue’s daily Latin America Advisor.

The Dialogue welcomed a new President and CEO in 2022, DASD Dr. Rebecca Bill Chavez, marking what I think is a new chapter of strategic leadership and enjoyed the opportunity to contribute today. Dr. Chavez’s career leadership in academia (she was a tenured professor at the United States Naval Academy) and government (DASD, Western Hemisphere 2013-2016) makes her a natural fit. Her expertise in defense institution building is essential in today’s world.

Security cooperation is my idea of a good time, and I am glad to see political and institutional capital devoted to it (my love and interest in TRADOC is pretty well documented, to say the least). Given my own background in US-Cuba relations with an emphasis on security cooperation and drug interdiction, my role on the Advisory Board of the U.S-Mexico Foundation and regular participation in their programs, and work as a guest lecturer for the Naval Postgraduate School’s Institute for Security Governance, I jumped at the chance to share a short (lol, oops) blurb with one of the most widely respected and read regionally-focused publications.

BLUF: Threats, including those to rule of law and human rights, don’t cease at the mere presence of borders, and we need to ensure this reality shapes our budgeting, priorities, and behaviors. The only efficient and effective way forward is one that centers long-term commitments and trust building with near-term action - like training together while sharing information as appropriate and reliable law enforcement.

You can read my thoughts (and some other colleague’s perspectives) on the urgent need for continuous security cooperation in the Americas here. I would love feedback, particularly as I work on strengthening my balance between brevity and specificity 🫠.