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, […]