Geostrategic Media Political Commentary, Analysis, Security, Defense
Tariffs, aid reduction, and diplomatic understaffing are eroding US influence, and critical mineral deals alone won’t revive it. Editor’s Note: The Red Cell series is published in collaboration with the Stimson Center. Drawing upon the legacy of the CIA’s Red Cell—established following the September 11 attacks to avoid …
November, 2025
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21 November
The Coming Storm in the Gulf: A Region Edges Toward Its Most Dangerous Test in Decades
Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh On November 15–16, 2025, senior intelligence chiefs, defense ministers, and military planners from several states convened quietly in an unnamed capital. Over two days, discussions focused on one scenario: a coordinated strike on Iran, paired with parallel operations targeting the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah …
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18 November
The Re-Americanization of the Middle East
Seth J. Frantzman The Trump administration is playing a key role in winding down conflicts throughout the Middle East. However, high-level engagement is also fraught with risks. The United States is playing an increasingly significant role in several countries in the region. In several cases, the White House …
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18 November
Nuclear Energy Now – South Korea Gets Approval for Nuclear-Powered Submarines
Emily Day Nuclear Energy Now tracks the latest nuclear energy developments across technology, diplomacy, industry trends, and geopolitics. China Advances Thorium Molten Salt Reactor Technology China has reached an important milestone in advanced reactor development with the world’s first successful conversion of thorium–uranium fuel in an operating molten salt reactor. The …
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18 November
France to Sell Ukraine 100 Rafale Fighter Jets
Maya Carlin The Rafale will undoubtedly elevate Ukraine’s defensive efforts against Russia. Ukraine’s defensive arsenal against Russia continues to grow. From main battle tanks and airframes to drones and infantry fighting vehicles, Kyiv has received billions of dollars’ worth of military aid and equipment from the United States …
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18 November
What to Expect from Mohammed bin Salman’s DC Visit
Abdulla Al Junaid US-Saudi ties need real momentum behind them, not just a series of business deals and continued discussion about Israeli normalization. As Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman touches down in Washington on November 18 for his first visit to the United States in seven years, …
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13 November
The Future of War Is Here—and It’s Not What We Expected
Sarah Paulson The modern battlefield no longer begins or ends with tanks and trenches. From the skies above Ukraine to the tunnels of Gaza, war has become a multidimensional contest—industrial, informational, psychological, and increasingly, algorithmic. The new face of conflict, as illuminated in the Center for Strategic and …
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13 November
A world rehearsing for crisis
Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh Iran’s quiet mobilisation, Russia’s warnings, and Europe’s subtle preparations hint at a global system bracing for trouble Tehran says it wants to move people out of its thirsty capital. Officially, it is about drought: too little rain, too many people, and too many dry reservoirs. …
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13 November
“The Greatest Affair of State”: Managing Risks of Nuclear Warfare
Prof. Louis René Beres “Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the basis of life and death, the way to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed.”– Sun-Tzu, The Art of War If “warfare is the greatest affair of state,” nuclear warfare is “greatest of …
