Op-ed

Hadi Elis For decades, debate has persisted over whether the United States is prepared—or even willing—to pursue regime change in Iran. Yet beneath the surface of military rhetoric and diplomatic posturing lies a more subtle reality: Washington has increasingly favored a long-term strategy of systemic weakening rather than …

Dr. John Calabrese Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has just concluded a two-day visit (April 9–10) to North Korea, in his first trip to Pyongyang in more than six years. The visit emphasized strengthening high-level exchanges and expanding practical cooperation. With U.S. President Donald Trump set to arrive …

Lama Al-Rakad In a world that is supposed to be governed by clear international rules, the nuclear file in the Middle East stands as one of the clearest examples of distorted standards. While one actor is effectively allowed to possess the highest level of deterrent capability without meaningful …

By Dennis Ross In international politics, we often confuse capability with inevitability. The assumption that military superiority guarantees strategic success has shaped countless decisions—and just as often, it has led to miscalculation. As Will and Ariel Durant once observed in The Lessons of History, nature and history do …

Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh Diplomacy, in the Middle East, rarely arrives as a gesture of peace. More often, it emerges as an extension of war by other means—language replacing artillery, but not intent. The recent U.S.-brokered meeting in Washington on April 14, 2026—bringing together representatives of Lebanon and Israel …

Lama Al-Rakad History is not a passive record of events; it is a testing ground for human will under pressure. Across centuries and continents, one principle has endured: injustice, no matter how technologically advanced or internationally shielded, carries within it the seeds of its own collapse. The line …

Julian Borger Shah Meer Baloch Andrew Roth The US and Iran have been in indirect talks aimed at extending the two-week ceasefire beyond its expiry on 22 April, as Pakistan’s army chief arrived in Tehran to continue mediation efforts. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, denied on …

Lawrence J. Haas Iran’s economy is already crippled, but still resilient. The US economy is less threatened, but its political system is less tolerant of short-term economic pain. With its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz now in place, Washington faces the twin challenge of maintaining it in …

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), visited China from April 7–12, 2026. Following a meeting with the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, both leaders indicated their wish to see a peaceful situation over the Taiwan Strait. The KMT leader too remembered the common cultural …