Middle East

Frank Vogl and Stephan Richter It is by now widely understood just how disdainful the current U.S. leadership is of Europe. The White House’s new “National Security Strategy” (NSS) states that Europe’s economy is in decline and adds that it is “eclipsed by the real and more stark …

The failure of leading Western European governments to stand up against Trump’s outrages poses exceptional dangers. The failure of leading Western European governments to stand up against Trump’s outrages poses exceptional dangers. Unless checked, the world is heading into a period of increasing authoritarianism. This means more kleptocracy, …

Branko Milanovic Revisiting the illusions of the 1990s and how that era’s ideals led to today’s realities. It is a fundamental question. Did we go very wrong somewhere and thus ended up in today’s bad situation? To many young people, it might seem a strange question to ask. …

Calls by some Chinese social media users for a lightning, “Venezuela‑style” seizure of Taiwan’s leadership have gained traction online. Yet analysts, scholars, and security officials caution that such scenarios are vastly more complex—and far more dangerous—than online commentary suggests. Unlike Venezuela, Taiwan has spent decades preparing specifically for …

The battle for Venezuela’s oil is no longer a narrow tug‑of‑war among competing commercial interests. It has become a central theatre of strategic competition between Washington and Beijing — one that could reshape global energy markets and the geopolitical balance of the 21st century. At the heart of …

Daniah Orkoubi   From Adam Smith, the pioneer of the classical school, and his concept of the invisible hand that regulates markets, to Milton Friedman, the theorist of the neo-capitalist school, the state’s role has traditionally been limited to that of an economic regulator. Governments’ job was to …

For years, the United Arab Emirates was portrayed as the region’s master of “quiet diplomacy”—a state that preferred economic leverage, discreet mediation, and influence exercised behind closed doors. That image no longer holds. The open military confrontation with Saudi Arabia in Yemen marks a decisive rupture with the …

The quiet meeting in Islamabad between the air force chiefs of Pakistan and Bangladesh may prove to be anything but routine. Beneath the formal language of defence cooperation and aircraft sales lies a potentially significant realignment in South Asia’s military and political landscape. At the center of the …

Hiba Malik Across Asia, governments are pouring billions into artificial intelligence, viewing technological advancement as a path to strategic autonomy and economic resilience. Yet, with massive AI and chip investments, Asia is becoming less, not more, secure in the technology politics. Despite colossal investments by Asia, the most …