Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Abdul Haq In a historic decision that reflected worries about a more unstable world, leaders of NATO decided to increase defense spending commitments to 5% of GDP by 2035 at the June 2025 summit. In a time of ‘global competition,’ NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized that ‘Europe and …
July, 2025
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2 July
Kazakhstan’s Diplomatic Resilience: A Crucial Catalyst in the Iranian Nuclear Conundrum
Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh As tensions escalate across the Caspian region and the specter of nuclear confrontation looms ominously, Kazakhstan’s unwavering dedication to nonproliferation and its astute foreign policy position it as a potential arbiter in the Iranian crisis. By harnessing its diplomatic acumen and strategic location, Kazakhstan could …
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2 July
Israel Is Growing More Dependent on a Less Sympathetic United States
Leon Hadar The longtime pro-Israel bipartisan consensus in American politics is fading—precisely at the moment Israel needs it most. It has become a worn trope among anti-Semitic political commentators that the United States regularly sends its soldiers to “die for Israel.” Yet while Israel has relied on generous …
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2 July
What the Mar Elias Church Bombing Means for Syria’s Future
Seth J. Frantzman The June 22 attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus underscores the threat of extremism in Syria even after the fall of Assad. The new government must demonstrate control and protect minorities. An attack on a church on Sunday, June 22, killed 25 people …
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2 July
Is Israel Going Back to War Against Iran?
Brandon J. Weichert For Jerusalem, the existing ceasefire would leave Iran’s nuclear program in place, and could never be allowed to hold. “I suggest the toothless snake-head in Tehran understand and beware: Operation Rising Lion was just the trailer for new Israeli policy—after October 7th, immunity is over.” …
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2 July
How Trump’s Tax Cuts Could Start a Financial Crisis
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, …
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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 …
