By Kenji Watanabe
Covers the politics of the Indo-Pacific, from Washington DC back to Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
Hegseth Defends Iran War as 'Gift to the World' Amid Global Oil and Food Crisis
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the Iran war as a 'gift to the world,' despite a $60 billion cost and global supply shocks. Asian
US Special Forces Soldier Charged for Insider Betting on Maduro Abduction
Master Sergeant Gannon Ken Van Dyke was arrested for betting over $400,000 on the timing of the US operation to kidnap Venezuelan President
US Navy's Drone Swarm Strategy: A High-Stakes Bet Against China in the Indo-Pacific
The US Navy aims to field thousands of unmanned surface vessels in the Indo-Pacific by 2030, part of a strategy to counter China. Analysts d
Why Trump Must Finish the Job Against Iran's Regime
Trump's pause in hostilities against Iran leaves the regime intact, risking future aggression. The Strait of Hormuz blockade is a strategic
Middle East Conflict: A War No One Can Win as Iran and US-Israel Stalemate Deepens
The US-Israel-Iran conflict is no longer moving toward a decisive conclusion. Iran's strategy of endurance and entanglement has created a st
US Military's Costly Dilemma: Million-Dollar Missiles vs. Iran's Cheap Drones
The US military is expending missiles worth over $1 million to intercept Iranian drones costing as little as $20,000. This unsustainable cos
Geographic Leverage: How the Strait of Hormuz Reshapes Global Power Dynamics
Iran's ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz has shifted the balance in its standoff with the US, highlighting the power of geographic le
Trump's Iran Campaign: A Pyrrhic Victory in the Making?
President Donald Trump has claimed victory in the Iran war, but the conflict's aftermath may leave the US in a weaker strategic position. Ir
Taiwan's KMT Offers US a Diplomatic Off-Ramp from Cross-Strait Conflict
Taiwan's Kuomintang opposition leader Cheng Li-wun met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, proposing cooperation over confrontation. Th
US Navy's Next-Gen Fighter Competition Tests Carrier Aviation's Future Against China
The US Navy will select a builder for its next-generation F/A-XX carrier-based fighter in August. The program is central to maintaining the
US and China Compete to Build Fusion Energy Supply Chains, Forcing European Choice
The strategic rivalry between the United States and China has expanded into the race for fusion energy, a potential source of limitless clea
US Counterterrorism Strategy in Flux Amid Rising Threats and Asian Security Concerns
A series of domestic attacks in March has highlighted US counterterrorism vulnerabilities. White House adviser Sebastian Gorka has repeatedl