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A Bab al-Mandab Saga: From Assab to Perim; All Has a Base, None Has a Plan. Part II

The geopolitical aspects of Bab-al-Mandab extends way beyond any narrow view, both historically and contemporarily. So, before the next “maritime security initiative” arrives, ask the 4 main questions the brochure never answers Ethiopia lost its sea, Yemen’s highlands never accepted a master, and this month a Zaydi movement took the strait’s Arabian shore. Every capital […]
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Serious Discussions About Leaving the NPT: International Security and Iran’s Nuclear Future

Iranian officials have confirmed top-level discussions about the country’s potential exit from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). What does this mean for the Middle East and for the world? Essence of the Matter Iran, as Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei noted at a briefing, continues, as before, to faithfully fulfill […]
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Sanctions Meet Reality: Washington Rediscovers the Value of Dealing with Moscow

For years, Washington insisted that economic relations with Russia should remain restricted until Moscow changed its policies towards Ukraine. On 9 October, the White House found a reason to make an exception. Following a conversation with President Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump announced that Russia would supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to American and […]
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Reclaiming States and Value: Recapture of Kidal and Creation of Gold Refineries Across Sahel

Instability in countries that later formed the Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) in security political and economic affairs resulted from perennial interference by the US and France. Military assistance from Russia is helping these countries to regain sovereignty and capture more value from their resources. Mali and Africa Corps reenter Kidal On October 6, 2026, […]
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From Buffer to Bridge: The Wakhan Corridor and the Return of Russia and China to Eurasia

As the United States reassesses its global commitments, the opening of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor creates a new trade artery between China, Central Asia and South Asia — giving Russia and China new openings to reshape the Eurasian order. The Changing Global Balance of Power On 4th October 2026, Afghanistan opened the Wakhan Corridor, which means […]
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Europe and China Trade Negotiations: Can Brussels Face Reality? Part 2

The European Union still lacks an adequate understanding of the China it is negotiating with and of the world in which it now has to compete. Geopolitics and the Illusions of Power: Europe’s Refusal to Adapt It is common for Europe to regard many of its economic problems as being China’s fault—this being a convenient […]
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Gap Between Ruling Elites and the People in the West Is Growing

This phenomenon has been described by political scientists long ago. A recognition of this fact by someone who was close to former president Joe Biden is quite impressive. White House Press Secretary from 2022 to 2025, Karine Jean-Pierre, published an article in The New York Times on October 2 in which she acknowledges that many […]
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Tehran’s Preparedness for Peace or Multi-Front Warfare

Amid ongoing military-political and economic pressure from the US and Israel, Iran is demonstrating full readiness for fierce resistance and a protracted multi-front war, while simultaneously keeping the door open for a diplomatic settlement on its own terms. US decision-makers have placed a multi-layered approach toward Tehran on their agenda, encompassing threatening rhetoric, economic pressure, […]
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France mutilates its children to stifle social protest

Caught between the methodical repression of its own youth and the shock of a global geopolitical shift that marginalizes it, Emmanuel Macron’s France sees the republican myth collapse under the combined effect of its internal cynicism and a historic strategic defeat abroad. In reality, May 1968 revealed the vulnerability of technocratic certainties in France. However, […]
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US “Project Meridian” — A Symptom of American Decline, Not a Solution

The creation of “Project Meridian” is not a path to US military superiority but an admission of its own weakness, rooted in a financialized system rather than a technology gap. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently announced the creation of the 120 day task force, “Project Meridian.” On the US Department of Defense’s website […]
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On the recall of the Republic of Korea’s ambassador from Ukraine

Park Ki-chang, South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, has returned to Seoul after being recalled in protest at Kyiv’s disclosure of information regarding the handover of North Korean prisoners of war to the South Korean side. Shortly before this, Song Yeon-gil, known for his reputation as a Russophile, was appointed as an adviser to the president. […]
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Armenia at a Crossroads: Geopolitical Risks and Illusions

Nikol Pashinyan’s policies are increasingly at odds with Armenia’s national interests. Instead of strengthening its security, the country is facing new and increasingly serious threats. The defeat in the Second Karabakh War has plunged Armenian society into a state of deep frustration. The prime minister’s populism and his willingness to make unilateral concessions to Azerbaijan […]
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No Permanent Allies: Pakistan and the Politics of National Interest

In a world of shifting alliances, Pakistan must balance strategic partnerships with national interests — and the key question is whether the Makkah Pact will become a tool of strategic autonomy or another form of dependence. In recent years, the world has seen an unprecedented shift in global alliances. According to the realist school of […]
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The U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq: How Washington Is Leaving Behind a Broken State and an Unstable Region

The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq concludes a 23-year military campaign, leaving behind a devastated state, increased Iranian influence, and the threat of an ISIS* resurgence—outcomes for which Washington bears full responsibility. On September 30, 2026, the last American soldier left Iraq. Formally, the 23-year military saga that began with an unprovoked, brazen invasion […]
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Zelensky’s Korean Blunder: Seoul Is Running Out of Patience

Volodymyr Zelensky probably did not expect two North Korean prisoners of war to create a diplomatic crisis with South Korea. That is nevertheless what happened. During his September address to the United Nations General Assembly, Zelensky disclosed that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces had been transferred to South Korea. Seoul […]
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Japan-US-Australia ‘Oriental Shield 26’ expands at the cost of regional stability

By Global Times Published: Aug 26, 2026 The so-called “Oriental Shield 26,” a Japan-US-Australia joint military exercise scheduled to take place from September 8 to 24, is being presented as a training initiative aimed at improving interoperability. In reality, however, it serves as a textbook case of how large-scale bloc-style military drills are being rebranded […]
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America Is Leaving Iraq, Not the Middle East

America’s last troops have left Iraq, but anyone looking for a US withdrawal from the Middle East is looking in the wrong place. The end of the Iraq model On September 30, the United States completed the withdrawal of its forces and equipment from Erbil Air Base, formally ending the mission of Operation Inherent Resolve […]
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The New Way of War

One of the main elements in India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar’s speech at the U.N General Assembly’s annual session was highlighting the weaponization of elements once considered to be the hallmarks of global cooperation. In today’s broken world, cooperation is considered to be a luxury. States are busy making relative gains at the […]
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NATO’s Rhetoric Heats up OVER Kaliningrad

Perhaps the most dangerous question facing Europe is no longer whether Russia and NATO could come into direct conflict, but where such a confrontation would begin—and how quickly it could spin out of control and draw everyone in. However, let’s hope it is not inevitable, not because of any threat to NATO or Europe, real […]
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From Seoul to Manila: How the Evolving GSOMIA Architecture Could Make the Western Pacific Less Secure

What makes the recent military-strategic developments orchestrated primarily by Japan, South Korea, Philippines and United States more dangerous than ever? And how can their impact on the Western Pacific be evaluated? The Western Pacific is quickly becoming as busy with security arrangements as it is with warships, missiles, and military exercises. Japan’s recent efforts to […]
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