REGIONS

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.” …

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, …

Pham Quang In the international relations structures in Southeast Asia, “strategic trust” acts as a glue between countries that are diverse in terms of institutions, histories, and national interests. Strategic trust can be understood as the extent to which one country believes that another country will not harm …

Martin Banks As world leaders gather for a crunch NATO summit, new polling says that nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults see a benefit to NATO membership. The Pew Research poll comes on the eve of what many see as the most important NATO summit in many years. This will be …

Military conflicts are rarely judged solely by battlefield outcomes. In modern warfare, the ability to control narratives plays an equally decisive role in shaping public perception and international discourse. The recent Indian missile strikes against Pakistan underscore this dynamic, revealing not only the vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s defense strategy …