Security & Defense
The PLA, the US Indo-Pacific Command, the Quad, AUKUS and the emerging security architecture of the region.
Russia Fears Return of 'Wild 90s' as Ukraine War Veterans and Ex-Convicts Come Home
Russia's war in Ukraine is raising fears of a resurgence in organized crime as hundreds of thousands of soldiers and pardoned convicts retur
China's Submarine Missile Test: Routine Drill or Pacific Provocation?
On July 6, a Chinese navy submarine launched a nuclear-capable missile into the South Pacific near Tuvalu. Australia and other nations criti
Abolish the UN Security Council to Save the United Nations
The UN Security Council is paralyzed by the veto power of its five permanent members. A proposal to abolish it and create eight regional sec
China's Flawed Arms Sales Still Forge Strategic Dependencies Across Asia
China's weapons exports face reliability and support problems, but serve a larger strategic goal of creating dependencies. Pakistan and Myan
Nuclear Power Drives a New Space Race Across Asia and Beyond
NASA aims to launch the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft by 2028. China, Japan, and India are also developing space nuclear r
Iran and US Both Claim Victory as Mourning for Khamenei Overlaps with July 4th
Iran held a massive funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a US-Israeli strike, coinciding with America's 250th Independence Day. Bot
Power Prevails but Law Still Matters in the South China Sea
The 2016 South China Sea arbitration award rejected China's historic rights claim within the nine-dash line. Despite China's non-compliance,
Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries Threaten Economic Crisis
Ukraine has accelerated attacks on Russian oil refineries, claiming to have shut down over 42% of output. The strikes are causing fuel short
China's Truck-Mounted Drone Launcher Blurs Military and Civilian Lines
China's Beijing Institute of Technology has developed a truck-mounted electromagnetic drone launcher that can operate from roads, coastlines
Pentagon's AI Targeting Systems Lack Civilian Harm Pause
The Pentagon's Maven Smart System, used in thousands of strikes in Iran, lacks a civilian harm stop rule. After the Minab school tragedy, qu
NYT: Israel Sought to Kill Iran Negotiators to Sabotage US Peace Talks
US officials believed Israel intended to kill Iran's top negotiators to derail peace talks. Pakistani fighter jets escorted an Iranian deleg
Crimea Declares Emergency as Ukraine's Drone Campaign Pressures Russia's War Machine
Ukraine's relentless drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have forced President Vladimir Putin to admit fuel shortages. Crimea has