Gregory D. Johnsen

Non-Resident Fellow, AGSIW; Associate Director, Institute for Future Conflict, U.S. Air Force Academy

Gregory D. Johnsen is a non-resident fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He is currently the associate director of the Institute for Future Conflict at the U.S. Air Force Academy. 

Johnsen has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan, a Fulbright Fellow in Yemen, and a Fulbright-Hays Fellow in Egypt. In 2013-14 he was selected as BuzzFeed’s inaugural Michael Hastings National Security Reporting Fellow where he won a Dirksen Award from the National Press Foundation and, in collaboration with Radiolab, a Peabody Award. He has a PhD from Princeton University and master’s degrees from Princeton and the University of Arizona. Johnsen is the author of The Last Refuge: Yemen, Al-Qaeda, and America’s War in Arabia (W.W. Norton), which has been translated into multiple languages. From 2016-18 he served on the Yemen Panel of Experts for the United Nations Security Council. In 2019, he served as the lead writer for the United States Institute of Peace’s Syria Study Group. His writing on Yemen and terrorism has appeared in, among others, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Foreign Policy.

The Houthi Challenge to Maritime Security

On March 12, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the Houthi challenge to maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Is the End in Sight for the Yemen Conflict?

On October 26, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the prospects for the end of the conflict in Yemen.

Can a New U.N. Envoy Produce Peace in Yemen?

On July 15, AGSIW hosted a discussion on the top issues and challenges facing the incoming United Nations special envoy for Yemen.

With Renewed Efforts To End the War, What are the Prospects for Peace in Yemen?

On Wednesday April 28, AGSIW hosted a discussion on efforts to end the conflict in Yemen.

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No Good Options: The U.S. Dilemma in Yemen

While not yet successful, the Biden administration’s “deter and degrade” approach may prove to be an adaptable approach that can be modified into a winning strategy.

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What Comes After the Missiles in Yemen?

The United States appears overly confident that military strikes will put the Houthi threat back in the box.

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A Lack of Options in Yemen

The United States has not developed adequate responses for dealing with hybrid groups like the Houthis.

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The Houthi War on Israel

If the Houthis are attacking Israel, their local rivals will be less inclined to attack them.

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The Viability of a Partitioned Yemen: Challenges to a Houthi State

For all the Houthis’ success during the war, it is unclear if they can transition into an effective government.

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The Seeds of Yemen’s Future Wars

Regardless of how or when the current conflict in Yemen ends, child soldiers are not simply going to disappear.

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The Growing Battle for South Yemen

Now that the war against the Houthis appears to be nearing an end, the head of the Southern Transitional Council is making his move to push for Southern independence.

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Yemen’s Day After Problem

If the international community wants to ensure that Yemen’s war actually ends when the peace deal is signed, it needs to rebuild the country’s economy.