By Kenji Watanabe
Covers the politics of the Indo-Pacific, from Washington DC back to Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
Trump's Push to Expand Abraham Accords Faces Insurmountable Hurdles
Donald Trump's push to expand the Abraham Accords faces widespread rejection from Middle Eastern leaders. The Gaza war and Iran tensions mak
Belgrade Doubles Down on Beijing as Budapest Reorients Toward Brussels
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's May 2026 state visit to Beijing solidified Belgrade's strategic alignment with China, signing over 20 a
Israeli Minister Says Cabinet Will Block Trump's Iran Peace Deal
Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stated the cabinet will not permit a US-Iran peace deal. New Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, violat
Trump's Abraham Accords Pitch Falls Flat in a Skeptical Middle East
Trump is pushing the Abraham Accords as a condition for any Iran deal, but regional trust is eroded. Saudi Arabia and others prioritize Pale
Pete Hegseth's Masculinity Crusade: A Desperate Search for Validation Through War
Pete Hegseth's eagerness for conflict with Iran reflects a deeper personal crisis. His military career, marked by failures in Afghanistan an
Iran Shoots Down US Reaper Drone After New American Strikes
Iran's military says it shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone after US forces launched self-defense strikes in southern Iran. The exchange
US Increasingly Violates Its Own Taiwan Relations Act, Analysts Say
The US is failing to meet the TRA's mandate to provide Taiwan a sufficient self-defense capability. China's military advantages in ships, ai
Drone Dominance Redefines Modern Warfare: The End of Traditional Armies
Drones have become the decisive weapon in modern warfare, with Ukraine using 60,000 FPV drones daily and inflicting 5-to-1 casualty ratios.
Iran's Drone Industry Survives US Strikes Through Dispersal and Redundancy
Iran's drone-making machine has survived US and Israeli strikes due to a design built for resilience. Intelligence assessments show Iran has
GOP Hawks Sound Alarm as Trump Weighs Deal to End Iran Conflict
President Donald Trump has indicated he is considering a deal to end the US war with Iran. Three hawkish GOP senators have voiced strong opp
Pakistan's Mediation Gamble: Can Islamabad Bridge the US-Iran Divide?
Pakistan has brokered a ceasefire between the US and Iran, but its role as mediator faces steep hurdles. Washington's maximalist demands and
Bangladesh's Paramilitary Force Cannot Be Fixed by a New Name
Bangladesh's interim government proposes renaming the Rapid Action Battalion to shed its toxic reputation. But the force's history of extraj