East Asia

Iran-Trump-Israel-potential-strikes

Iran’s “Balkanization” Is Unlikely But Still Can’t Be Ruled Out

Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, all of which have been Iran’s “frenemies” since 1979 and whose military-strategic interests are increasingly converging, are expected to exploit any large-scale instability that could follow another potential round of US strikes if Trump changes his mind. The Wall Street Journal recently published a […]

US-Trump-Golden-Dome

The Golden Dome Illusion: How Trump’s Missile Shield Could Become The Most Expensive Fantasy In U.S. Military History

When Donald Trump announced plans for a new nationwide missile defense system—the so-called “Golden Dome”—he framed it as a bold leap into the future. Costing, by his estimate, $175 billion and operational within three years, the project was presented as a technological breakthrough that would finally make the United States […]

Syria-sanctions-relief-US-EU

Syria’s New Elite Amid The Lifting Of Sanctions (II)

Part I Regional backers (Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey) moved quickly to lobby for sanctions relief, portraying the new Syrian authorities as pragmatic partners. Washington, however, adopted a more transactional approach. Rather than offering relief as a reward for regime change, the United States sought to make Damascus “earn” normalization. […]

Russia-China-SCO

The Russian Policy Towards China Within The Framework Of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

Since its foundation in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has evolved into a major multilateral platform bringing together China, Russia, and several Central and South Asian countries. It is commonly framed as a cooperative forum focused on regional security, counterterrorism, and economic development. However, beneath its surface of unity, […]

US-Trump-Venezuela-attack

US’ Raidership And Trump’s Plans

Venezuela is a good prize for Washington, but this may be just the first step. After the unprecedented US operation against Venezuela and its president, new facts have become known. Some of them were published in the US media, and some were told by the US president at a press […]