Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Desmond Lachman Despite falling interest rates and rising tariffs, US bond yields, a weakening dollar, and soaring gold signal foreign investors’ unease with Trump’s budget, risking inflation and financial instability. As Congress attempts to get President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act to his desk by July 4, …
July, 2025
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2 July
Lee Jae-myung Could Help Restart Trump-Kim Jong-un’s Relationship
Dayon Lee South Korea’s new president, Lee Jae-myung, has prioritized de-escalation with North Korea, creating a diplomatic window for renewed Trump-Kim talks amid global instability and stalled US efforts elsewhere. During his inaugural ball on January 20, 2025, President Trump was on a video call with US troops …
June, 2025
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25 June
Sizing Up World Religions
Christians remained the world’s biggest religious group. However, Christians (of all denominations) did not keep pace with global population growth from 2010 to 2020. 2 The number of Christians rose by 122 million — reaching 2.3 billion. Yet, as a share of the world’s population, Christians fell by …
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25 June
From Plato to Populism: The Crisis of Democracy as a Moral Idea
Nourinne Akhtar The idea of democracy has been more than a political system over centuries; from Plato’s Republic to the rise of twenty-first-century populism, it has been a moral aspiration, a promise of collective self-rule based on justice, equality, and human dignity. And today, that moral core seems …
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25 June
Strategic Trust and the Limits of Personal Politics in Southeast Asian International Relations
Pham Quang In the international relations structures in Southeast Asia, “strategic trust” acts as a glue between countries that are diverse in terms of institutions, histories, and national interests. Strategic trust can be understood as the extent to which one country believes that another country will not harm …
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25 June
Israel and the Unattainable Dream of Regional Dominance
Brian Hudson Despite Israel’s considerable military power in the Middle East, it can never achieve regional hegemony—a position that requires unquestionable dominance over all competitors and acceptance of its authority by neighboring countries. Since its establishment in 1948, Israel, relying on its military superiority and broad Western support, …
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25 June
Britain Between Two Worlds: Imperial Legacy and Post-Brexit Possibilities
Throughout modern history, Great Britain has consistently stood as the most influential political and economic power in the world. The country led the Industrial Revolution, established global trade routes, and was the ruler of a vast colonial empire; thus, Britain not only significantly changed the nature of the …
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25 June
How Will China Leverage the Iran Crisis?
Yen Mo U.S. President Donald Trump’s direct military intervention in the Israel-Iran conflict has complicated the Middle East situation, posing significant risks to both U.S. interests and his personal political future. Meanwhile, Tehran has little room for concessions, as excessive compromise could lead to loss of control over …
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25 June
“Most important” NATO summit ever
Martin Banks As world leaders gather for a crunch NATO summit, new polling says that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults see a benefit to NATO membership. The Pew Research poll comes on the eve of what many see as the most important NATO summit in many years. This will be …
