Joe Boueiz Lebanon’s stability and the disarmament of Hezbollah will depend on the longevity and eventual resolution of the Gaza ceasefire. In his 2010 book, Beware of Small States: Lebanon, Battleground of the Middle East, David Hirst described Lebanon as the Middle East’s “battleground,” where regional and global …

Brandon J. Weichert The raid on Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s compound in Caracas—involving units from the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines—highlighted the US military’s extreme proficiency at inter-service operations. “Operation Absolute Resolve,” the codename for the United States’ snatching of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, was a …

Ahmed Charai The rhetoric of international law all too often serves to buttress lawless regimes that undermine US interests. The international system is confronting a profound moral and strategic crisis. For decades, the principle of state sovereignty—originally conceived to protect nations from external domination—has been systematically distorted into …

By Hosein Mortada Israel’s announcement recognizing “Somaliland” has sparked deep regional—and wider international—concern. This is not merely because the move involves a self-declared entity lacking international recognition, but because it directly touches one of the world’s most sensitive geopolitical theaters: the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. …

The idea of a “Global South” has returned to the forefront of strategic discourse, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. With the growing influence of BRICS, G77, ASEAN, the African Union, and CELAC, a multipolar world appears to be taking shape. Yet …

The latest report from the Transatlantic Intelligence Consortium (TIC) underscores a troubling reality: Afghanistan remains a hub of unregulated terrorism, despite repeated international claims of progress. While the Consortium is not a governmental body, its membership—retired intelligence officers, military professionals, and security analysts from around the world—lends weight …

In discussions about the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), naval spending, maritime chokepoints, and great-power competition usually dominate the headlines. Yet a quieter, transformative threat is emerging: cyberbiosecurity—the protection of digitally enabled biological systems and their associated data, from health facilities and laboratories to biomanufacturing and cold-chain logistics. This …

Across Africa, a new economic dilemma is taking shape. Squeezed between the allure of import substitution and the reality of entrenched dependency, many countries are pivoting away from traditional trade partners in the United States and Europe toward a patchwork of bilateral agreements with Russia, China, and other …

As 2026 begins, many in Asia and the broader Eastern world wish for a year of peace and prosperity. Yet, the events of 2025 suggest that hopes for stability may once again be tested. At the forefront of global attention is the U.S.–China rivalry, which will continue to …