Security & Defense
The PLA, the US Indo-Pacific Command, the Quad, AUKUS and the emerging security architecture of the region.
Pathways to De-escalation: How Washington and Tehran Could Avert Conflict in the Strait of Hormuz
A US-imposed deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been extended indefinitely, but the risk of escalation persists. Diplomati
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
US-Iran Stalemate in Hormuz Strains Alliances, Reshapes Asian Energy Security
A US naval blockade and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz have created a strategic stalemate with global consequences. The crisis is fr
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
Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire, Maintains Naval Blockade Amid Regional Tensions
US President Donald Trump has extended a temporary ceasefire in the conflict with Iran but affirmed the continuation of a US naval blockade.
Trump's Iran War: Three Strategic Goals, Three Failures, One Debacle
Trump's 2025-2026 war on Iran sought regime change, containment, and nuclear disarmament. Instead, the regime hardened, Iran blocked the Str
Analysis: US-Iran-Israel Conflict Likely to Settle into a Protracted Stalemate
A tenuous halt in major fighting between the US, Israel, and Iran is expected to solidify into a frozen conflict, not a lasting peace. The a
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
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Consolidate Power, Directing Policy from the Shadows
A public reversal by Iran's foreign negotiator reveals the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps now sets the agenda. With the civilian governm
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