Op-ed

Rany Ballout Unifying and deradicalizing Syria’s armed forces will be the regime’s most formidable challenge. The United States has now lifted all sanctions on Syria, except on some individuals and entities associated with the former Assad regime. Additionally, the United States has revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation …

A new “Great Game” is unfolding in the Caucasus and Central Asia, echoing the nineteenth-century rivalry between empires, with a modern, multipolar twist. The term “Great Game” refers to the nineteenth-century strategic rivalry between the British and Russian Empires over influence in Central Asia, particularly in Afghanistan, Persia, …

John Calabrese The recent Israel-Iran crisis could catalyze an expanded role for the Gulf states in maintaining regional security. The June eruption of hostilities between Israel and Iran once again exposed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to the acute dangers of regional instability. Yet it also raises …

Washington must clarify what it actually wants from New Delhi in order to secure a mutually beneficial trade agreement. President Trump has imposed a 25 percent tariff on India, prompted by the failure to conclude a trade deal before the reciprocal tariff deadline of August 1. In a …

Rahul Pandey June 1, Operation Spider’s Web can be considered a watershed moment in the Russia–Ukraine war but cannot be understood as a watershed alone without comparing it with other recent events such as Israel’s Pager attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria in September 2024. The question …

Staikou Dimitra  “And what didn’t you do to bury me — but you forgot that I was a seed.” — Dinos Christianopoulos These haunting words by the Greek poet evoke the resilience of dissent. But in today’s geopolitical climate, they also echo the perilous cost of speech — …

Zamir Awan The Gaza Strip, once densely populated and impoverished, now stands as a tragic emblem of one of the 21st century’s gravest humanitarian crises. Since October 2023, when the latest Israeli military offensive began, the enclave has witnessed devastation on an unimaginable scale—indiscriminate bombings, widespread displacement, collapse …

Yi Wang In 2025, China and the European Union mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. According to public information, the EU-China Summit is scheduled to take place in Beijing in late July. Whether the summit can yield substantive outcomes is a matter of great …

Othon A. Leon & David Oliver* The Red Sea, particularly the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, has evolved as one of the world’s most hazardous maritime routes. Since late 2023, attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on commercial shipping have hampered global trade, forcing massive vessel rerouting around Africa, raising insurance …