My primary research interests percolate around four interrelated areas:

• 1. Geopolitical Competition in Global Military Affairs 
  • Chinese, Russian, and U.S. military influence in the Global South
  • Comparative military influence studies
  • Methodology in OSINT
• 2.  Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Especially in Africa 
  • The Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates in Africa
  • Relationship between “core” jihadi groups and their affiliates
  • Inter-jihadi branch interactions, including conflict and cooperation
  • Terrorist tactics and targeting
  • U.S. counterterrorism policy
• 3. African Military and Security Policy 
  • Defense policy
  • Counterterrorism and counterinsurgency policy
  • National security policy and conception
• 4. African International Relations and Foreign Policy  
  • Intra-African relations, especially around collective security
  • Extra-African relations, especially between African states and the United States, China, Russia, France and Iran.
  • African international organizations (African Union, ECOWAS, IGAD)