Middle East

Eric Rudenshiold Central Asia’s “steppe children” are growing up and redefining world order in the twenty-first century. The era of global affairs focused exclusively on great powers is ending. Not with a single dramatic event, but through a steady, quiet redistribution of agency across the world. Nowhere is …

As the inception of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve has reached a critical milestone, it is time to take stock of where it has been and where it is going. Beginning in November 2020, US transportation fuel prices climbed rapidly, rising to levels not seen in almost a decade. …

Gad Yishayahu Ultimately, the war has shredded more than a few assumptions about Israeli strategic and military limitations. Exactly twenty-four months after the October 7 massacre that ignited the October 7 War, the first stage of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan has taken effect. Under the …

The presidents of Cameroon and Ivory Coast, aged 92 and 83, are trying to extend their long periods in power, highlighting a trend in Africa where older leaders govern younger populations. This situation has led to calls for change from the youth, known as “Gen Z.” Paul Biya, …

Dr. Abdullah Yusuf When Donald Trump announced a new “ceasefire deal” between Israel, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, the world reacted with a mixture of fatigue and fascination. Another handshake, another round of declarations about peace. Yet behind the headlines lies the deeper logic of international relations: …

Zahidul Miaji In a realist world, power is rarely exercised alone. It takes coordination, sustained support, and mutual loyalty to project strength. That is the foundation of any enduring alliance. Since the Cold War, Western powers have built a sophisticated web of strategic alliances, sometimes tested but still …

Minh Do and  Dieu Linh Nguyen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi, followed by handshakes between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Beijing, has sent shockwaves throughout the region. Both parties, facing a …

Fakhar Alam The protracted Ukraine crisis has, at one point, created severe challenges for the global security architecture; on the other hand, it has caused unprecedented damage to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime (NPR). Prominently, this crisis has reinforced the perception among non-nuclear-weapon states (NNWS) that possessing nuclear weapons …

Dr. Ju Hyung Kim The Indo-Pacific’s geostrategic landscape is changing faster than at any time since the Korean War. Although the U.S.–Japan and U.S.–ROK alliances have long been bound by bilateral defense pacts, Japan and South Korea lack a formal defense treaty, while the trilateral has its own …