News + Media

	Analysis + Opinion February 25, 2019 After terrorist attack in Kashmir, will India seek vengeance or de-escalation? Christopher ClaryThe Washington Post On February 14, a suicide bomber in Kashmir drove his explosives-filled vehicle into a bus carrying members of India’s paramilitaries, killing over 40 and injuring dozens more. An Islamist terrorist group, Jaish-e-Muhammad—based in Pakistan though nominally banned by the Pakistani government—reportedly took credit for the attack.
	In the News February 25, 2019 Trump heads to Hanoi for second summit with Kim Steve HermanVoice of America “All it takes is Kim pretending to disarm and Trump pretending to believe him,” says Vipin Narang. “So long as Kim doesn't embarrass Trump publicly by testing a nuclear weapon or a ballistic missile, domestically Trump can keep rinsing and repeating. The advantage for Trump is that Kim's continued expansion of his nuclear weapons program is largely silent, and, at best, shows up on page 10.”
	In the News February 25, 2019 Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan face off in renewed escalation Iain Marlow and Kamran Haider Bloomberg “The last time the Indian Air Force crossed the line of control intentionally and publicly to conduct air strikes was 1971,” said Vipin Narang, an associate professor of political science at MIT, referring to the Indo-Pakistan war over Bangladesh.
	Analysis + Opinion February 23, 2019 Winning the nuclear game against Putin’s Russia Tobin HarshawBloomberg It’s a question of who would strike whom first, and who would enter the fray. Interview with Vipin Narang on nuclear games and strategy, and the upcoming second meeting with President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un in Vietnam.
	In the News February 23, 2019 Trump's 'great chemistry' with Kim Jong Un put to test at summit AFP/nhChannel News Asia “I think Trump is calculating that he can run out the clock at least until the end of his first term with this strategy,” said Vipin Narang, “a lot may depend on what Hanoi yields. The risk is if Kim decides this unilateral testing moratorium - because it's not in writing - no longer works for him. Then there is no diplomatic exit ramp.”
	In the News February 22, 2019 Best/worst cases for Trump-Kim II Ben WatsonDefense One Previewing next week’s big event in Hanoi, MIT’s Vipin Narang tweeted “My reading of the last couple days’ news on the Hanoi summit is that we should expect, at best, modest progress on what are still exceedingly maximalist goals. The reverse approach—max progress on modest goals—would have been more realistic.”
	In the News February 21, 2019 It’s clearer than ever that the US’s North Korea policy is in total chaos Alex WardVox “We are nowhere,” says MIT nuclear expert Vipin Narang. “Which is probably exactly where the North Koreans want us to be.”
	In the News February 20, 2019 Civilians evacuated from last ISIS-held village in Syria Jeremy HobsonWBUR Here & Now A convoy of trucks carrying hundreds of civilians left the last enclave held by Islamic State militants in eastern Syria Wednesday. Jim Walsh discusses whether this signals the defeat of ISIS.
	In the News February 19, 2019 Tensions are rising between India and Pakistan. But Washington doesn’t seem that bothered. Emily TamkinThe Washington Post “The response — calling on Pakistan to crack down on military organizations, the Bolton call released by both sides, the joint statement calling to crack down on terrorism — that’s all good, but we’ve done that before,” Narang said. “It’s the standard response, but, to me, it’s boilerplate.”
	News Release February 19, 2019 Urban transportation resource center for Latin American and Caribbean cities Dan Pomeroy \| International Policy Lab The Resource Center, which will be run through a collaboration between World Resources Institute Mexico (WRI Mexico), Massachusetts Institute for Technology’s Civic Data Design Lab, and Columbia University’s Earth Institute, will support the development of open digital urban transport data for and with Latin American and Caribbean cities.