Index

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

A

Afghanistan

Africa / Congo

Arab World - Arab Spring

Archeology

Armenia

Artificial Intelligence – Cybersecurity - Cryptocurrency

Asia and Cold War

Asia’s WWII

Australia

 

B

Brazil

Buddhism

 

C

Celts

China

China - Movie Industry

China - Taiwan - Hong Kong

China / US - South-East Asia

China - Oceanic Powers

China Xi Jinping

Chinese Hegemony

Climate Change

Cold War

Colonianism

 

D

Dalai Lama

 

E

East Asia

Economy, see World - World Economy

Egypt

Empires

Enlightenment

EU - Europe

Europe

Extremism

 

F

Fascism, see Second World War

First World War, see also WWI

 

G

 

Gaza

Globalization

Global Jihad

Greater Han-Han Zhou Dynasty

 

H

Haiti

Hamas

Hawaii

Hitler, see Second World War

Human Origins - Humanity

Houthis

 

I

 

Illiberal Democracy

India

International Relations

International Systems

Iran

Iranian-Palestinian

Iraq

Islam

Israel And Hamas

Israel In Gaza

Israel - Palestine - Jerusalem

 

J

 

Japan

 

K

Kurds

 

L

 

Latinoamerica, see also South America

 

 

M

 

Middle East

Moscow To China

Myanmar - Rohingya Crisis

 

N

Napoleon

NATO

North Korea

Nuclear Peril

 

O

Oman

 

P

 

Pacific War

Pakistan

Palestine: see Israel – Palestine – Jerusalem

Political Qigong

Psychology - Psychiatry

Putin

 

Q

 

Qatar

 

R

Russia - Central Asia

Russia - Putin

Russia - Tsar

 

S

 

Second World War, see also WWII

Slavery North America

South America

South Asia

Spy Agencies - Secret Intelligence Services

Syria Crisis – Lebanon, Yemen

 

T

Taiwan

Taiwan Conundrum

Thailand

Turkey

Turkey In Context

 

U

UAE

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United Nations, UN

United States

 

V

 

Venezuela

Venice

 

W

 

Warsaw Pact

World - World Economy - History - Politics

WWI, see also First World War

WWII, see also Second World War

 

Z

Zionism

 

A

 

Afghanistan

Africa / Congo

Arab World - Arab Spring

Archeology

Armenia

Artificial Intelligence

Asia and Cold War

Asia’s WWII

Australia

 

 

Afghanistan Still Threatens The Region And Beyond.

 

Why Pressure Is The Best Way.

 

The Forces That Could Threaten The Taliban’s Control.

 

What can be said about US involvement and the current situation in Afghanistan

 

What next with Afghanistan

 

Predicaments of Pakistan in Afghanistan

 

 

The SA Election for Worse and for Better.

 

A Sort Of 'Out Of Africa’.

 

The Youthful Continent.

 

Africa’s Ukraine Dilemma.

 

From Past To Next Fifty Years.

 

Deep-Rooted Factors. (Part 3)

 

Trade, Colonialism And Uneven Development. (Part 2)

 

The New Out Of Africa Theory. (Part 1)

 

Belgium’s Africa Museum Had a Racist Image. Can It Change That?

 

Head of UN, Ban Ki-moon, seeks to appoint investigator for fatal crash of Dag Hammarskjöld

 

Case Study:

The French Rwanda File:

 

South Africa and AFRICOM

 

The Hamitic theory of race and the role it played in the Rwandan Genocide:

 

Case Study P.1:

The Creation of Belgium

 

Case Study P.2:

The Start of Belgian Empirialism: When Texas was to be a Belgian Colony

 

History of the former Belgian Congo

P.1: Egypt in Central Africa

 

History of Central Africa

P.2: King Leopold's Media

 

our earlier comment about Blood Diamonds

 

 

The Red Sea.

 

Saudi Arabia Is On The Way To Becoming The Next Egypt.

 

Will Saudi Arabia Get The Bomb?

 

The Coming Arab Backlash.

 

The UAE And Its Talest Building In The World.

 

Why A Spate of Diplomatic Deals Won’t End Conflict.

 

Key To The Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

 

How To Deal With The Saudi Arabia Problems.

 

What Needs To Happen Next.

 

The Making Of The Middle East.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part 2.

 

The ‘Arab’ And The Syrian Question.

 

Enter: Arab Spring 2011

 

Archeology

 

Göbekli Tepe revisited part three

 

Göbekli Tepe revisited part two

 

The world’s earliest cities and what it means for today

 

Ancient Globalization

 

In the Beginning

 

Genes or Behavior?

 

The Archeology of Worldwide War and Peace

 

They Built the First Temples?

 

The Earliest States

Truth In History: Inventing Archeology

 

Case Study:

Archeology of the Middle East Today

 

Nationalism: Ancient Egypt, Judea, Armenia, Japan?

‘King Arthur’

 

Click to enter:

 

Fringe Archeology Update

 

'Archeological Fantasies' continue:

 

The Mother of all Theocratic States: Lemuria

 

September 2004, Cult Archeology: Civilization One Book (excerpt)

 

Neo Paganism

 

From Mircea Eliade to Carlos Castaneda

 

The Truth About Carlos Castaneda

 

The Myth of the Noble Savage

 

Reader Comment: The Myth of the Noble Savage

 

Celts and Druids Speaking

 

From N. Pennick to Celtic/Northern Literature

 

The Temple of a Nation, Stonehenge

 

And Who Owns Ancient Remains?

 

Neo-Shamanists and Pagans Today

 

Why We Never Found Atlantis

 

The Atlantis Syndrome P.1

 

The Atlantis Syndrome P.2

 

The Atlantis Syndrome P.3

 

Cuba's Gateway To Atlantis P.1

 

Cuba's Gateway To Atlantis P.2: Cocaine

 

Gateway to Atlantis P.3: Seven Cities, El Dorado

 

Gateway to Atlantis P.4: Urheimat der Arier

 

Cuba's Atlantis

 

Armenia

 

Why, and what happened

 

Major Case Study:

So what really happened in Armenia

 

(Updated version)

Case Study:

Armenian Genocide

 

 

Crypto in China and Beyond.

 

AI Large Language Models.

 

The New Empires Of The Internet.

 

Cryptocurrency And The Bankman-Fried Case.

 

Bydance And TikTok.

 

The Test.

 

The New Threat.

 

Generative Artificial Intelligence.

 

How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform The Military.

 

The Ramifications Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Part Two.

 

The Ramifications Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Part One.

 

There Is No Time To Waste.

 

Get Ready For Artificial Intelligence.

 

An Extensive Overview Of How Crypto-Currency Fraud Functions.

 

The Illusion Of China’s AI Prowess.

 

The Battle For Brains.

 

But There Is A Solution.

 

Blockchain Analysis.

 

Cryptocurrency-Based Crimes Part Four.

 

Cryptocurrency-Based Crimes Part Three.

 

Cryptocurrency-Based Crimes Part Two.

 

Cryptocurrency-Based Crimes.

 

Tackling The 2023 Problem Of Cybersecurity.

 

Weaponized Artificial Intelligence.

 

The logic of human nature and causal networks

 

Dismantling the myths of AI Part Two

 

Dismantling the myths of AI Part One 

 

The question about current medical efficiency and that of digital authoritarianism versus liberal democracies

 

 

Introduction

 

P.2 The Malay Theatre

 

P.3 The Vietnam Theatre

 

P.4 The Korean Theatre

 

P.5 Indonesia and China Burning

 

P.6 1945-1950

 

P.7 Vietnam War and World Decolonization.

Was the Cold War inevitable?

 

…investigae in the following part

 

Introduction: Gorbachev's Last Days

 

Was the Cold War Predetermined? Investigating the Beginning of the Cold War P.1.

 

Was the Cold War Predetermined? Investigating the Beginning of the Cold War P.2

 

Investigating the End of the Cold War P.1

 

Investigating the End of the Cold War P.2

Investigating the End of the Cold War P.3

 

 

Major Case Study:

From hot to Cold War: Asia's WWII

 

 

Genocide In Australia.

 

B

Brazil

Buddhism

 

 

Bolsonaro Redux.

 

Far-Right Movements In The Two Countries Are Deeply Interconnected.

 

The Current Situation.

 

Far-Right Rioters Invaded Brazil's Federal Representative Institutions.

 

Why the political climate in Brazil matters to the rest of the world

 

 

 

Discussion, Buddhism

 

A new understanding of Buddhist's past and at least one possible future

 

C

Celts

China

China - Movie Industry

China - Taiwan - Hong Kong

China / US - South-East Asia

China - Oceanic Powers

China Xi Jinping

Chinese Hegemony

Climate Change

Cold War

Colonianism

 

Celts

 

Major Case Study:

The less-known aspects of early Irish and Scottish Nationalism

 

Recherche sur ce qui ne va pas avec les Celtes

 

 

Foreign Policy for the World.

 

Will America and China Heed the Warnings.

 

The China Sea Syndrome.

 

Modi’s Tough Stance Could Invite, not Deter, Chinese.

 

When Israel Was in China.

 

The Cold War Between China, Europe, and the United States.

 

China's Quest to Innovate.

 

Crypto in China and Beyond.

 

Lai Ching-te’s Precarious Balancing Act.

 

The World's Second Most Populous Country.

 

US-China Relations.

 

The Real Motives For China’s Nuclear Expansion.

 

Importance Of The Middle Powers.

 

Overview Of Chinese Spy Activities.

 

A Problem With China's Economy.

 

China Today And Tomorrow.

 

Competition With China To Be Won.

 

Misconceptions About China.

 

China’s Economic Collision Course.

 

Cold War China Xi Jinping And The United States.

 

President Xi's Thought.

 

From Moscow To China.

 

But It Can Still Prevent Chinese Hegemony.

 

Chinese Spy Operations.

 

But Where Is This Going?

 

Will Xi’s Military Modernization Pay Off?

 

Beijing Seeks To Extend The Hegemony Of Mandarin.

 

More Likely To React To External Threats.

 

The Real Toll Of Beijing’s Belt And Road.

 

Why America And China Will Be Enduring Rivals.

 

Berlin’s Delicate Balance With Beijing.

 

The End Of China’s Economic Miracle.

 

A Form Of Preparation For War.

 

The Global South.

 

Living On The Edge.

 

Blinded By The Fight.

 

How Institutional Balancing Promotes Stability In Asia.

 

U.S.-Chinese Rivalry.

 

China’s Affinity With Russia Is Over.

 

The Virtue Of Low Expectations.

 

China Is Ready For A World Of Disorder.

 

What Does The West Know About Xi’s China?

 

Why China Is Rewriting The Law Of The Sea.

 

The Technology Trap.

 

The U.S.-Chinese Economic Relationship.

 

Lifelines And Chokepoints.

 

The Consequences Of China’s Peace Deal.

 

The Consequences Of China's Demographic Decline.

 

How To Spy On China.

 

The Bad Advice Plaguing President Xi.

 

The Question Of Chinese Military Support For Russia.

 

Russia And China Behind The Scenes.

 

The New Age Of Great-Power Competition.

 

Spy Ballons TikTok And Chinse Intelligence.

 

Xi Jinping Preparing China For War.

 

China Will Lead The Next Technological Revolution.

 

Sweeping Belt And Road Initiative.

 

Solidify Global Divisions For The Coming Decades.

 

China Is Practicing How to Sever Taiwan’s Internet.

 

Possibility That Chinese Spy Balloon’s Path Over The US Was Accidental.

 

Why Are Meteorologists Tracking The Location Of The Chinese Balloon?

 

China’s Indo-Pacific Folly.

 

On The Leaks Of A War With China Plus A Recension In Europe.

 

What The Cities Of The Future Will Look Like.

 

The Looming Taiwan Crisis.

 

Detention Camps.

 

The Story of Why The Chinese Can Travel Again.

 

What Made Taiwan Understand How Perilous This Situation Is.

 

Can China Take Taiwan?

 

Why It Is Of Importance.

 

The Skirmish In Arunachal Pradesh Reflects Beijing’s Confidence, And New Delhi’s Diminished Deterrence.

 

The Meaning Of China’s Dangerous Decline.

 

Why Saudis Don’t Want To Pivot To China.

 

The Nowhere Road With An Answer To It.

 

It Took Just Seven Words That NBA-China’s Viewership Approaching Pre-Banned Levels.

 

How China Manipulates The Media.

 

We Address Why There Is No Inevitability In China's Decline To India's Rise.

 

China's Economy.

 

Will Xi Learn From History?

 

What Is Achievable In East Asia?

 

China The Global Power And Russia The Junior Partner.

 

Why XI Might Prefer Détente. 

 

What To Expect From Xi's Third Term.

 

What To Expect From The Xi-Biden Meeting.

 

China’s Past And Xi’s Future.

 

Reactions To China's Spy Operations. Part 5

 

The Circumstances That Allow Chinese Spy Operations To Thrive. Part 4

 

The Way To The White House. Part 3

 

The Chinese Police Service Stations. Part 2

 

Chinese Spies Part One. Part 1

 

How To Build A Better Order.

 

We Analyze The Reasons Why.

 

Can A War Over Taiwan Still Be Avoided?

 

The Revelations Of Document Number Nine.

 

Large And In Charge

 

The World According To Xi. 

 

China's COVID-19 Politics To The Test.

 

China's Growth In Peril.

 

China's Global Security Initiative.  

 

The Forbidden History

 

The Future War Between China And The US.

 

Xi Jinping And  Present-Day China.

 

Point Of No Return.

 

The United States Does Not Need To Beat China.

 

Whereby The Truth About Taiwan Is.

 

China Needs To Reach An Understanding And Russia Does Not.

 

Nancy Pelosi’s Visit To Taiwan.

 

What Is Happening Here?

 

Xi Unleased.

 

Whose China Sea Is It?

 

Facing A Window Of Vulnerability Over Taiwan.

 

China Could Invade Taiwan.

 

China’s Motivations.

 

Geopolitical Consequences Of Taiwan War.

 

Why Should Taiwan Be Seen As A Part Of China?

 

What the situation looks like going forward

 

China's pursuit of greatness part two and conclusion

 

China's pursuit of greatness

 

China the Pandemic and Sovereignty

 

 

The Actual History Behind The Seven Years In Tibet With Brad Pitt.

 

How The Movie Industry Became Chineses Diplomacy Part Four.

 

How The Movie Industry Became Chineses Diplomacy Part Three.

 

How The Movie Industry Became Chineses Diplomacy Part Two.

 

How The Movie Industry Became Chineses Diplomacy.

 

 

The Interconnected Fates Of The World’s Democracies.

 

The Taiwan Conundrum.

 

Taiwan Today.

 

Once More The Question Of Taiwan.

 

The Trouble With The South China Sea.

 

Taiwan Is An Important Partner.

 

Xi Jinping's Hawkish Forces He Can’t Control.

 

How To Avoid Catastrophe.

 

Don’t Panic About Taiwan.

 

The Looming Taiwan Crisis.

 

What Made Taiwan Understand How Perilous This Situation Is.

 

Can China Take Taiwan?

 

Major Case Study:

The lead up to present-day China and the making of the ChinaTaiwan crisis

 

After Hong Kong deterrence vs Taiwan?

 

Taiwan going forward

 

What the real future of Hong Kong might look like

 

Mapping the new reality of Hong Kong

 

How China will handle its future development

 

Understanding modern China

 

From Vancouver to Auckland and Hong Kong understanding the new Chinese nationalism

 

Will China now crush the protests in Hong Kong?

 

What does it all mean

 

Increased friction in the South China Sea and why

 

Outlook for the world China, US, Europe, N.Korea,Venezuela, and the way forward with Iran

 

Today’s legacy of the Tiananmen crisis

 

Unveiling China’s big science

 

Is China planning to take Taiwan by force?

 

Thus has China’s new Silk Belt and Road failed? Updated 15 Feb. 2019

 

China’s ticking time-bomb. Updated 4 Jan. 2019

 

China’s New Nationalism

 

China has “no historic rights” in South China Sea: Continue

 

From Chinese Yuan adjustment to the fall of world markets; the lesson to learn

 

.. the Huns to their Mongol related origin in what is now China Continue ...

 

 

The Philippines In The South China Sea.

 

How concerned should we be when Chinese growth runs out?

 

The importance of South and East Asia

 

Which way will the West turn? Left or right?

 

Understanding the 100 years of the current regime in China Part Two

 

Understanding the 100 years of the current regime in China

 

China’s multifaceted great power projection

 

The rivalry between America and China in South-East Asia

 

Where will the China/US competition lead the world? 

 

Major Case Study: 

Investigating the India-China standoff Part Three

 

Major Case Study: 

Investigating the India-China standoff Part Two

 

Major Case Study:

Investigating the India-China standoff Part One

 

South-East Asia between China and the US

 

Major Case Study:

Developmental forces in East and West as drivers of psychological change

 

Major Case Study:

The re-invention of Chinese History, Nation, Language, and Territory Part Three

 

Major Case Study:

The re-invention of Chinese History, Nation, Language, and Territory

 

Major Case Study:

The secrets of China’s new maps unveiled

 

Will a coming conflict make the military disasters of Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq pale in comparison?

 

China’s new claim about the border with Bhutan

 

China’s larger geostrategic game

 

The fall out from the current crises

 

Are the U.S. and China headed for a Cold War?

 

The 21st Century Arms Race

 

From bloody nose attack to nonmilitary options? Plus update 18 January.

 

Will the Standoff Lead to a Second India-China War? With Update 29 Aug. 2017

 

South China Sea: Risks of a clash caused by China’s paramilitary ships that could bring U.S. forces to bear in defense of U.S. allies

 

Uighur terrorist attack in China, a shoot-out between the Koreas along their disputed maritime border and, to top it off, a coup in Thailand

 

..China considers its territorial waters

 

..We must go to war with Japan…History as a political weapon:

 

China Today

 

The Why of Khmer Rouge Terror

 

 

The East Asian World Order

 

The concept of Han Chinese

 

China's New Nationalism

 

The Early Chinese Empires

 

The true voyages of Zheng He

 

There now might be increased diplomatic pressure on Beijing to reduce its presence in the South China Sea

 

Globalization and Empire:

Introduction

 

P.1 Indian Ocean's Business as Usual

 

P.2 Indian Ocean From Business to Power Broker

 

Oceanic Powers, US/China: Conclusion

 

Case Study

Chinese Religion: Daoism:

Historical Overview of Daoism

 

Origin of Daoism

 

Daoist secrets of ritualized alchemy to internal Neidan meditative alchemy

 

Tantric ‘internal’ alchemy P.1

 

Tantric practice in China P.2

 

The Politics of Qigong:

The Taiping Rebellion, Boxer Uprising, and Falung Gong

 

From Red Turban to Ming Tax Collecting

 

The Island of Seven Cities:

Research Report:

China Beyond Zheng Hi

 

From Persia to China

 

Research Report P.4:

China's Reinvented Historic Legacy

 

Case Study:

When China Woke Up to the World

 

Chinese and other Empires of the World

 

What Next with China? P.1.

 

What Next with China P.2.

 

 

China Xi Jinping And The United States.

 

 

But It Can Still Prevent Chinese Hegemony.

 

 

Their Failure To Act Fast Enough On Climate Change Violates Their Human Rights.

 

Preparing For A Future Of Extreme Weather.

 

Measure The Harm Of Climate Change.

 

The search for Nextpolis

 

Apocalypse Never:

 

Why Planet earth is shutting down

 

A history of the end of the world 

 

From climate change denialism to the Brazilian rainforest fires and solutions going forward

 

Here is a blueprint as to how to approach the problems:

 

The Weather as influenced by El Nino going forward

 

The world going forward:

 

 

Putin and the Cold War Part Two

 

Putin and the Cold War Part One

 

 

The economy of Colonialism: 

Major Case Study: 

Part one, Part two, Part three

 

The economics of colonialism part three

 

The economics of colonialism part two

 

The counterfactual view that explains colonialism

 

D

Dalai Lama

 

 

The Next Dalai Lama.

 

The future Dalai Lama

 

E

East Asia

Economy, see World - World Economy

Egypt

Empires

Enlightenment

EU - Europe

Europe

Extremism

 

 

The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, Part One Of Two.

 

What Is Achievable In East Asia?

 

 

Countdown Egypt: Why Egypt's Mursi will either resign or be sacked on 3 July

 

What next with Egypt and Syria to Jordan

 

Consequences for the balance of power between the Brotherhood and the military

 

Protesters Storm Muslim Brotherhood Offices

 

Empires

 

Ghosts Of Empires Past.

 

This Is Particularly True For Empires.

 

The transformation of the Russian Empire part two

 

The transformation of the Russian Empire part one

 

The Holy Roman Empire, the Reformation, and the birth of the Netherlands

 

Beginnings and endings of Empires

 

The concept of Han Chinese

 

The East Asian World Order

 

 

Enlightenment

 

Whose Enlightenment?

 

EU - Europe

 

When Europe Fell Apart.

 

The Promise And Peril Of EU Expansion.

 

The Truth About European Colonialism In The New World.

 

How The EU Will Learn To Wield Its Power.

 

Europe’s Geoeconomic Revolution.

 

Coudenhove-Kalergi And The Pan-Europa Movement.

 

Berlin’s Delicate Balance With Beijing.

 

Time To Expand The UN Security Council.

 

Europe’s Real Test Is Yet To Come.

 

Poland 1941.

 

Europe And Russia’s Aggression In Ukraine.

 

On The Leaks Of A War With China Plus A Recension In Europe.

 

The German Connection.

 

How The War In Ukraine Will Remake The Continent.

 

The Gripping Story Of How A Plot Would Take Over Germany.

 

Germany’s Unlearned Lessons.

 

Germany Just Averted Its Own Jan. 6, And Maybe The Fourth Reich.

 

Inflation And Economic Uncertainty.

 

Why This Could Last For Years.

 

Greece expected to strike a deal with the EU

 

The fate of Europe in 2013

 

Will the European Crises soon be over?

 

The Start of Europe’s fragmentation

 

Why the European crisis has been solved  (for a while).

 

Europe’s Crises Worsening

 

The financial crisis Europe faces it has not wanted to admit even exists (with graphs)

 

Eurozone’s Debt crisis no longer just about Greece. Continue…

 

 

Introduction

 

Critical Investigation:

 

Research Report: Conflict and Ethnicity

 

Research Report: Ethnoclass in Eastern Europe

 

Religion and Modern Politics P.1: Bakunin's Christianity

 

Religion and Modern Politics P.2: From 'New Right' to Habermas Today

 

P.1: The New World of  'Sociology'

 

P.2: Signor Mazzini I Presume?

 

P.3: Social Democrats, A Political Religion

 

Updated:

P.4: The 1914 Clash of Civilisations

 

True History of the European Community, P.1: Its WWI Origin

 

True History of the European Community, P.2: Which Europe?

 

P.1 Globalization and Economics: A Search for the Holy Grail?

 

Cold War and Modern Historiography

 

Including major case study "From Belgium to Kososovo and back"

 

Towards a New Sociology of Religious Nationalism P.1

 

Towards a New Sociology of Religious Nationalism P.2, Part 3-a, Part 3-b:

 

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Religion P.1

 

The Future of Democracies Around the World

 

 

How To Understand Extreme Right-Wing Parties.

 

F

Fascism, see Second World War

First World War, see also WWI

 

 

 

 

Revisiting the First World War Part Three

 

Revisiting the First World War Part Two

 

Revisiting the First World War

 

Major Case Study:

A new investigation about the First World War

 

Major Case Study:

Revisiting the Origins of the First World War

 

Major Case Study:

Beyond the Treaty of Versailles

Treaty of Sèvres on 10 August 2020 new complex patterns and alliances were formed (many of them in the Middle East)

 

an interesting section about “The Flemish Lion”

 

The tribulations and consequences of the Treaty of Versailles                       

 

Why World War I was pivotal to the creation of the modern Middle East

 

World War I became known as the war to end all wars

 

A complete timeline of what happened

 

Shantung the Versailles Treaty and the Manchurian episode

 

A Somewhat Hidden History of the Balfour Declaration

 

How the First World War started P.9

 

How the First World War started P.8

 

How the First World War started P.7

 

How the First World War started P.6

 

Leading up to the First World War P.5

 

Leading up the First World War P.4

 

The almost First World War P.3

 

The almost First World War P.2

 

The almost First World War P.1

 

The conspiracy theory that gave rise to Hitler:

 

P.1 Reparations and the famous Article 231

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.8:

British rule, Arab Spring-revolt, and the Syria crisis today

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.7:

The unresolved sectarian issue in Lebanon today

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.6:

The importance of oil, the ‘Arab question’, and the British

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.4

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.3

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.2

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.1

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.6:

The Paris Peace Conference deliberations

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.5:

The Syrian question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.4:

The ‘Arab’ and the ‘Jewish’ question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.3:

The Menace of Jihad and How to Deal with It

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.2:

The Arab question and the ‘shocking document’ that shaped the Middle East

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.1:

The ‘Arab revolt’, Britain, and the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East

 

The second First World War

 

The Real Russian Origins of the First World War

 

A new investigation why the First World War broke out

 

G

 

Gaza

Globalization

Global Jihad

Greater Han-Han Zhou Dynasty

 

 

Southern Gaza City of Rafah.

 

Why it is Crucial that it Not Be.

 

Gantz’s Gaza Plan.

 

Gaza After Gaza.

 

Witness To Palestine.

 

The Way Going Forward In Gaza.

 

The Food Weapon.

 

Palestinian Option.

 

How Israel Fights.

 

Israel And Hamas.

 

America’s Hypocrisy On Gaza.

 

The Path To A Regional Order.

 

 

Requiem for Hyperglobalization.

 

Deglobalization.

 

Is this the end of Globalization?

 

The 'out of Eden' peopling of the earth

 

For example:

 

Historical Overview

 

Historical Truth in the Age of Globalization, P.1

 

The Myth of 1492 - Historical Truth in the Age of Globalization, P.2

 

The Myth of The Industrial Revolution - Historical Truth in the Age of Globalization, P.3

 

What the East Thought the West - Historical Truth in the Age of Globalization, P.4

 

P.1, Mutual Contact

 

P.2, Violent Occupations

 

P.3, Broken Treaties and the Sex Trade

 

P.4, Disease and Changing Worlds

 

P.5, Controlling Landscapes

 

P.6, Administering People

 

P.7, WWII of Indigenous Populations

 

P.8, Enter the 21st Century

 

History of Globalization: In and out of India P.1: The First Trade-Wars

 

History of Globalization: In and out of India P.2: The First Multinational Companies.

 

"Globalization Flat or Round?"

 

What do Naomi Klein's "No War" have in common with with two other recent books: "The Fire This Time: U.S. War Crimes in the Gulf" or "The Iraq War : A Military History"?

 

others are in complete denial of what is happening to them or soon will happen

 

Postscript: Where did all the Money Go?

 

 

Why this complicates the reaction to the Paris attacks:

 

Paris and the end times of ISIS:

 

why Islamic history

 

The Future of the Islamic State:

 

The Salafist Resurgence

 

Jemaah Islamiah and Global Jihad

 

Case Study:

Beyond Terror and Martyrdom: The Future of the Middle East

 

Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, and Salafi Jihadism: Interview with Eric Vandenbroeck

 

Radical Islam and Global Jihad Today

 

Report:

Beyond Terror and Martyrdom: The Future of the Middle East

 

The Islam Code P.1.

 

The Islam Code P.2.

 

Conclusion:

The Islam Code P.3.

 

An Exact Overview of the Growth of Modern Radical Islam P.1

An Exact Overview of the Growth of Modern Radical Islam P.2

 

An Exact Overview of the Growth of Modern Radical Islam P.3

 

Pictural Overview of the Middle East Today

 

Global Jihad P.1

 

Global Jihad P.2

 

Global Jihad P.3

 

Global Jihad P.4

 

Global Jihad P.5

 

Global Jihad P.6

 

Global Jihad P.7

 

Conclusion and Implications:

Global Jihad P.7

 

The apocalypse within:

 

Updated

Case Analysis:

SA in Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Chechnya

 

Future World Jihad P.1

 

Future World Jihad P.2

 

Future World Jihad P.3: The Nazi Connection

 

Future World Jihad P.4:  Jerusalem’s Armageddon

 

Future World Jihad P.5: What Now?

 

Evidence

 

Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, plus more

 

Global Jihad

Case Study:

Central Asia P.1

 

Central Asia P.2

 

Central Asia P.3

 

Major Researchproject: Future World Jihad P.5 

 

The Quest for World Jihad: Introduction

 

The Quest for World Jihad P.1.

 

The Quest for World Jihad P.2.

 

we described the significance of the Ottoman Empire in the context of today's world jihad

 

let alone an inevitable, consequence of World War 1. The Quest for World Jihad P.3

 

six part investigation of British encounters with Islamic warfare

 

The Quest for World Jihad P.4

 

Bin-Laden’s Bookshelf p.1 and 2

 

2006 30 Jan. al-Qaeda nr.2 on bin-Laden's Truce''

 

Updated

The Background Story of 7/7/2005 in the UK:

 

Today's War on Terrorism

 

A New 'Jihad' Wave?

 

Pakistan

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.1: Egypt and the Sudan

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.2: Somalia and Lebanon

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.3: Wahhabi's and Shi'ites

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.4: Iraq

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.5: Afghanistan

 

The Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad P.6: Strategic Lessons

 

From Hitler to the "Arab Reich"P.1

 

From Hitler to the "Arab Reich" P.2

 

From Hitler to the "Arab Reich" P.3

 

From Hitler to the "Arab Reich" P.4

 

A Convergence of Militant Islam and the New Right?

fringe groups not yet mentioned

 

 

The concept of Han Chinese

 

The East Asian World Order

 

H

Haiti

Hamas

Hawaii

Hitler, see Second World War

Human Origins - Humanity

Houthis

 

 

 

Who Will Lead Haiti?

 

 

How to Deal with Hamas.

 

Consequences of the Israel/Hamas War Part Two.

 

Consequences of the Israel/Hamas War.

 

The Day After.

 

Israel And Hamas

 

 

From Pearl Harbour On.

 

The True Story Of Hawaii.

 

2020 9 July: 

Rediscovering Hawaii's place in the pacific

 

Rediscovering Hawaii's place in the pacific

 

 

 

And Then It Got Cold.

 

The Mystery Of Inequality.

 

The Myth of Human Origins

 

When humanity almost got wiped out

 

 

The Measure Of Their Effectiveness Will Be In How The Houthis Respond.

 

I

 

Illiberal Democracy

India

International Relations

International Systems

Iran

Iranian-Palestinian

Iraq

Islam

Israel And Hamas

Israel In Gaza

Israel - Palestine - Jerusalem

 

 

The Rising Threat Of Illiberal Democracy.

 

 

How Indian Voters Constrained Modi.

 

Bharatiya Janata Party Suffer a Setback.

 

Modi’s Tough Stance Could Invite, not Deter, Chinese.

 

Modi’s Middling Economy.

 

The British 'Company’ And The Conquest Of India.

 

The Fate Of Over 1.4 Billion People Hangs In The Balance.

 

Modi's New Messenger.

 

The Teacher To The World.

 

The Story How Hardeep Singh Nijjar Was Killed In Canada, September 2023.

 

India’s Massive Military Restructuring.

 

Will India Surpass China To Become The Next Superpower?

 

India As It Is.

 

India Won’t Side With Washington Against Beijing.

 

India’s Great-Power Opportunity.

 

Kashmir Today.

 

The Urgent Issues That Preoccupy Much Of The Developing World.

 

Why It Is Of Importance.

 

The Skirmish In Arunachal Pradesh Reflects Beijing’s Confidence, And New Delhi’s Diminished Deterrence.

 

A Critical Look At Narendra Modi's India Today.

 

India’s Ruling Party Is Losing Control.

 

Why I Killed Gandhi.

 

A New Look At The History Of Partition.

 

Major Case Study:

A movie, a new book, and what India stands for today

 

Ladakh fighting

 

Major Case Study:

The Hindu right in context

 

Could India and China Go to War?

 

Kashmiri militants

 

What is really happening in India?

 

The empire within an empire that changed the future fate of India

 

The impeachment of the first governor-general of Bengal

 

Jammu and Kashmir

 

What happened with Kashmir and why it matters

 

“I think it is probably a god-gifted ability”

 

A concern is that it might leed to more violence in Sri Lanka

 

The 10th anniversary of an assault that raised fears of war with Pakistan and why in the end it was about Kashmir

 

Revisiting India’s Harappan civilization .. where the Indo-European languages came from, enter:

 

..."Indian Mujahadeen" like recent attacks in Ahmedabad and Jaipur

 

Why Orissa

 

Introduction

 

What is happening in India today?

 

What happened with Kashmir and why it matters.

 

Update

India's tech sector following explosions

 

began on Wednesday, 26 November

 

repercussions in reference to Kashmir

 

including that the Indian air and missile forces were placed on war footing

 

Kashmir is a victim of the disputed division of British India during the transfer of colonial power in 1947.

 

Partition of British India's Geostrategic Cause.

 

Through Burma and Back

 

India: The Clash Within: The World's Largest Democracy?

 

Deciding to go for facts rather than fiction today:

 

The Eurasian Industrial Revolution.

 

Bose movie, published in: Return of the Swastika, 2007 P.1

 

From Japan to Burma, P.2

 

From Nagaland to Burma, P.1

 

From Nagaland to Burma, P.2

 

sometimes also encountered in our research report about Europe

 

Politics in S.Asia P.1

 

Politics in S.Asia P.2 post-1966 Indira Gandhi

 

Politics in S.Asia P.3 Competitive Populism

 

…in Madras Henry Olcott stated

 

Political Religious Violence in Asia P.1

 

Political Religious Violence in Asia P.2

 

Political Religious Violence in Asia P.3

 

Fascism and Communism

 

 

Matthew Specter And Jonathan Kirshner’s New Books.

 

International Systems

 

…the rise and fall of a principle of hierarchical sovereignty. See:

 

…vassalage system employed in Europe some fifteen hundred years later. See:

 

S.America that led up to the League of Nations Conference at Montevideo. See:

 

…most likely resulting in failure. See:

 

…boundaries between political units will increase. See:

 

The state is not the only form of political unit to have existed…See:

 

… former Yugoslavia … See:

 

… crisis in Yugoslavia -- the question we next answered is why. See:

 

… a nascent American imperial that represents the status quo. See:

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.1: Introduction

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.2: China and Tibet

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.3: Islamic Empires

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.4: Christians and Pagans in Europe

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.5: Protestant Reformation

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.6: From God To  Proto-Nationalism

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.7: Demand for increased boundaries

 

The Past and Future of the Nations

P.8: Federalism and its Consequences

 

…disintegration of Yugoslavia…

State Behaviour in the International System P.1

 

…legal tradition…

State Behaviour in the International System P.2

 

…during 2003 Iraq Standoff.

State Behaviour in the International System P.3

 

The Kyoto Protocol and Africa.

State Behaviour in the International System P.4

 

United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, and Sierra Leone.

State Behaviour in the International System P.5

 

Conclusion and Outlook:

State Behaviour in the International System P.6

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.1

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.2

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.3

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.4

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.5

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.6

 

From Belgium to Kosovo P.7

 

Introduction

 

Conclusion

 

Iran

 

The Iran-Israel Relationship.

 

Escalation Could Set Israel And Iran On A Collision Course.

 

What Narges Mohammadi’s Nobel Means For Iran.

 

Iran’s New Patrons.

 

The Iran Gamble.

 

We Investigate A Sorbid History Under Pressure.

 

Israel’s Dangerous Shadow War With Iran.

 

An Even More Intransigent Regime.

 

Iran’s Question Of Legitimacy.

 

Iran’s Anti-Veil Protests Have Already Succeeded.

 

The enduring relationship between China and Iran

 

What next?

 

What to make of the Iran protests? 

 

Why Tehran Is Winning the War for Control of the Middle East

 

Iran - Gaza Offensive: Why the Iranian connection will complicate the situation

 

Iran threatens to block Strait of Hormuz oil route, yet why they will not

 

Military steps up plans for Iran attack?

 

Introduction

 

Modern Iran P.1

 

Modern Iran P.2

 

The Iran Papers P.1

 

The Iran Papers P.2

 

The Iran Papers P.3

 

The Iran Papers P.4

 

The Iran Papers P.5

 

Conclusion: The Iran Papers

 

…Iran…

 

Iran-Chinese relationship

 

Iran and its conspiracytheories

 

 

Whoever Succeeds Him Won’t Change Course.

 

Why Tehran’s Hard-Liners Choose To Escalate.

 

Why Iran And Israel May Not Be Finished.

 

The Cascading World.

 

Iran's Strategy.

 

A Detente Option For Iran.

 

The Iranian-Palestinian Marriage Of Convenience.

 

Iraq

 

What is to follow after Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi's resignation

 

Islam

 

 

The End of the Islamic Republic As We Know It Part Two.

 

The End of the Islamic Republic As We Know It Part One.

 

Early Islam and the decay of Rome part two

 

Major Case Study: 

Early Islam and the decay of Rome part one

 

 

The Day After.

 

Hamas’s Future.

 

Israel From A Singaporean Perspective.

 

The Rafah Operation.

 

Pressuring Allies Not To Retaliate Against Attacks Raises The Risk Of Spiraling Conflicts.

 

Hamas Part Two.

 

Qatar And The Hamas Leader.

 

These Are The Three Options.

 

Only Way Is To Defeat Hamas.

 

Israel And Hamas.

 

 

Stuck In Gaza.

 

Why Israel Will Remain In Gaza.

 

Israel - Palestine - Jerusalem

 

When Israel Was in China.

 

The Iran-Israel Relationship.

 

Palestine: a British Dilemma.

 

Regional Ties of Israel.

 

Where the Case Stands Now.

 

The Land that is Israel.

 

Consequences of the Israel/Hamas War Part Two.

 

Consequences of the Israel/Hamas War.

 

Can America’s Special Relationship With Israel Survive?

 

How it Could be Done.

 

When The Palestinian Flag Was Raised At Harvard.

 

But This Is Equally True For The United States.

 

Why International Law Is Failing.

 

Judicial Reforms As War Of Words Escalates.

 

The Coming Arab Backlash.

 

Jordanian Fighter Pilots.

 

Dilemmas Of The Gulf States.

 

So What Is It All About?

 

Relations With Israel And American Leadership.

 

Israel's Cyberabilities.

 

The New Capacity.

 

Witness To Palestine.

 

Where This War Will Go Next?

 

The Food Weapon.

 

Palestinian Option.

 

How Israel Fights.

 

Israel And Hamas.

 

America’s Hypocrisy On Gaza.

 

The Path To A Regional Order.

 

The Measure Of Their Effectiveness Will Be In How The Houthis Respond.

 

Gaza Makes A Nuclear Iran More Likely.

 

Regional Conflicts Resemble World War II.

 

Why Peace Remains Possible.

 

The Ongoing Houthi Attacks.

 

The Choice Cannot Be Clearer.

 

Gaza Historical Role.

 

But Far Greater Risks May Emerge If He Doesn’t.

 

Why Israel Will Remain In Gaza.

 

Researching Israel’s Goals And Strategy.

 

How Hamas Has United Israelis Behind The War.

 

The Iranian-Palestinian Marriage Of Convenience.

 

The Way Going Forward In Gaza.

 

The Future Of The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

 

Why Israel Won’t Change.

 

Protest The Netanyahu Government.

 

What Does It Mean To Defeat A Terrorist Group?

 

The Gaza Case.

 

It Is A Pattern That Is Already Playing Out Again.

 

Why Did Antony Blinken Attend A Meeting In Doha?

 

The No Blueprint Assault.

 

The Protests In Israel.

 

Duelling Speeches.

 

The End Of Israel’s Gaza Illusions.

 

What To Do About Gaza, And What Gazans Think.

 

Israel Enter Gaza Imminent.

 

Misinformation About The Israel-Hamas War Is Flooding Social Media.

 

Erdogan And The Hamas-Israel War.

 

Escalation Could Set Israel And Iran On A Collision Course.

 

The Israeli/Hamas Conundrum.

 

Return The Gaza Strip To Palestinians.

 

A Strategy Beyond Revenge.

 

Why Washington Should Restrain Israeli Military Action In Gaza.

 

Time To Step Back From The Brink.

 

Hamas Rise To Power.

 

How The Conflict In The Middle East Came About P.1.

 

Crises In The Middle East.

 

Gaza Redux Part One.

 

Hezbollah, Israel, And Tehran.

 

The Why And How Of The Surprise Attack On Israel.

 

Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.

 

What A Saudi-Israeli Deal Could Mean For The Palestinians.

 

Debating Israel’s One-State Reality.

 

Confronting A One-State Reality.

 

The US Is Indispensable To Israel’s Safety And Security.

 

Israel’s Dangerous Shadow War With Iran.

 

How To Prevent A Third Intifada.

 

The Holy Land and its contestants

 

Major Case Study:

A critical history of Palestine P.2

 

Major Case Study:

A critical history of Palestine P.1

 

The story of British Policymaking at the End of Empire and the Creation of Israel P.2

 

The story of British Policymaking at the End of Empire and the Creation of Israel P.1

 

Jerusalem Unveiled

 

Paris Peace Conference redux 15 Jan.2017

 

The Hajj, Muslim worshipers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca: What two million people are about to do here

 

The Palestinians' Real Enemies

 

The Gaza offensive: Egyptian-Israeli relations, other groups than Hamas, wider relevance or importance

 

A Brief History of the Jerusalem Problem

 

The Problems with Israel and Palestine P3: The Palestinian Challenge Beyond Israel

 

The Problems with Israel and Palestine P2: Geostrategy of the Palestinians

 

Israeli military incursion

P1: Geostrategy of Israel

 

J

 

Japan

 

Japan

 

To China and South Korea.

 

East Asia’s Coming Population Collapse.

 

Tokyo Aims To Counter Growing Chinese And North Korean Aggression.

 

The Consensus From Canberra To Tokyo.

 

The Japanese Attempt to Solve the Mongol Question

 

Major Case Study:

Asia after China

 

Japans dealing with China

 

Identity in Japan

 

Anglo-American ascendance

 

The U.S. financial siege of Japan:

 

The U.S. Oil Shortage that never was

 

…Turkish and Japanese foreign policies, and why: Continue...

 

Cold War Japan

 

demanded that Japan open its doors to foreign trade

 

The U.S. financial siege of Japan:

 

The U.S. Oil Shortage that never was

 

Making the New Japan:

 

The New Japan P.1:

 

The New Japan P.2:

 

Asia-Pacific Rim Hegemony:

An Assessment P.1.

 

Asia-Pacific Rim Hegemony: From Japanese to Chinese Containment?

An Assessment P.2.

 

K

 

Kurds

 

Kurds

 

What next with the Kurdish conundrum?

 

L

 

Latinoamerica, see also South America

 

 

Mexico On Edge?

 

Who Will Lead Haiti?

 

Bolsonaro Redux.

 

When The Past Does Not Go Away.

 

The Haitian Government Is Dependent On International Power.

 

Far-Right Movements In The Two Countries Are Deeply Interconnected.

 

The Current Situation.

 

Far-Right Rioters Invaded Brazil's Federal Representative Institutions.

 

A History Of Making Bad Situatiuations Worse.

 

Latin America 2022.

 

Democracy Or Authoritarian Populism?

 

M

 

Middle East

Moscow To China

Myanmar - Rohingya Crisis

 

Middle East

 

The Red Sea.

 

The Region’s Perilous Security Conditions.

 

The Making Of The Middle East.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part Seven.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part Six.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part Five.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part Four.

 

The Middle East Gamble.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part Two.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part One.

 

The Path To A Regional Order.

 

The Measure Of Their Effectiveness Will Be In How The Houthis Respond.

 

The Problems With The Middle East.

 

Part One:

 

How The Conflict In The Middle East Came About P.1.

 

Crises In The Middle East.

 

Why A Spate of Diplomatic Deals Won’t End Conflict.

 

Key To The Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

 

How To Deal With The Saudi Arabia Problems.

 

What Needs To Happen Next.

 

The Making Of The Middle East.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part 2.

 

The ‘Arab’ And The Syrian Question.

 

Making of the Middle East's hidden history Part Two

 

Making of the Middle East's hidden history Part One

 

Why World War I was pivotal to the creation of the modern Middle East

 

Why Tehran Is Winning the War for Control of the Middle East

 

The Syrian civil war and the Middle East going forward

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.8: 

British rule, Arab Spring-revolt, and the Syria crisis today

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.7: 

The unresolved sectarian issue in Lebanon today

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.6: 

The importance of oil, the ‘Arab question’, and the British

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.6:

The Paris Peace Conference deliberations

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.5:

The Syrian question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.4:

The ‘Arab’ and the ‘Jewish’ question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.3:

The Menace of Jihad and How to Deal with It

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.2:

The Arab question and the ‘shocking document’ that shaped the Middle East

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.1:

The ‘Arab revolt’, Britain, and the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East

 

Does the Middle East Need New Borders?

 

The contradictory web that fuels conflicts in the Middle East

 

Forecast for Asia, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Former Soviet Union, Middle East/North Africa, South Asia, Latin America

 

Case Study:

Beyond Terror and Martyrdom: The Future of the Middle East

 

Pictural Overview of the Middle East

 

conflict in Yemen seems anything but over:

 

Jerusalem Unveiled

 

Paris Peace Conference redux 15 Jan. 2017

 

The Syrian civil war and the Middle East going forward

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.1

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.2

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.3

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.4

 

Geopolitical Implications

 

The Shi’ite-Suni Devide

 

Case Study:

Shi'ite Lebanon and Hezbollah

 

The Occupation and its Legacy, P.1

 

The Occupation and its Legacy, P.2

 

The Occupation and its Legacy, P.3

 

Unknown to most we checkep up who and what Hezbollah really is

Who/What Hezbollah really is: The Larger Picture

 

…the new conflict between the post-Christian West and Islam…Case Study

 

Research Report:

The Iran US Conflict

 

also in the case of China

 

Research Report:

The Iran US Conflict Today

 

Israel is the 'Zion' of prophecy, part of God's plan

 

We frequently pointed out

 

Case Study:

Pan-Arabist Media

 

The New Pan-Arabism P.2:

 

Research Report:

Saudi-Arabia and Terrorism:

World Jihad

 

 

From Moscow To China

 

Myanmar - Rohingya Crisis

 

The Situation in Myanmar Today.

 

The Future of Myanmar.

 

Major Case Study: Myanmar and the looming war for its borderlands Part Five

 

Major Case Study: Myanmar and the looming war for its borderlands Part Four

 

Major Case Study: 

Myanmar and the looming war for its borderlands Part Three

 

Major Case Study: Myanmar and the looming war for its borderlands Part Two

 

Major Case Study:

Myanmar and the looming war for its borderlands Part one

 

What Myanmar as a failed state may look like:

 

What next with Myanmar

 

The ongoing tragedy that faces the Muslim Rohingya communities of western Myanmar

 

Major Case Study:

The consequences of the Arakan Campaign

 

in reference to faulting Myanmar

 

...where she is planning to deny any wrongdoing by the armed forces and defend Myanmar against charges of ethnic cleansing or genocide

 

The politics of statelessness investigation

 

The Rakhine/Rohingya Conundrum

 

What next with Myanmar and its Chinese influence  Plus update 2 February

 

Myanmar update

 

Myanmar P.6:

Mawlamyine and beyond

 

Myanmar P.5:

Past the Golden Rock to Karen (Kayin) State

 

Myanmar P.4:

The Challenge of Unity in a Divided Country

 

Myanmar P.3:

Two kinds of Monks

 

Myanmar P.2:

To Myitkyina and Kachin State

 

Myanmar P.1:

Discovering the background from where today’s Myanmar evolved

 

China/US, 2013 projection for Myanmar/Burma

 

Myanmar's Shame:

 

the Panglong agreement

 

Aung San was assassinated just over five months later.

 

…crisis or political uncertainty, was the military. Continue…

 

….most Burmese watched and waited, untroubled by the small flurries of activity among Europeans. Continue... 

 

…inter-communal hatred versus the Karen and others. Continue…

 

…and thus contributing to the confusion. Continue…

 

…Asia weighed heavily on the minds of the British. Continue...

 

…as they had been doing for years. Continue…

 

…or minority tribal leaders to hold out for too much. Continue...

 

…of a favorable conjunction of the stars. Continue...

 

…Burma soon had all but become one of the first 'failed states’. Continue...

 

The return of Japan post WWII. Continue...

 

N

Napoleon

NATO

North Korea

Nuclear Peril

 

 

Enter Napoleon:

 

 

 

The End of NATO?

 

The West Needs A Strategy For After The Counteroffensive.

 

How To Keep The Country Safe Without NATO Membership.

 

Today's NATO Meeting In Vilnius.

 

The Next Few Years Will Be Crucial.

 

NATO’s East Deterring Russia.

 

Let Ukraine Join NATO Now.

 

Why NATO Must Admit Ukraine.

 

The Leaked Documents.

 

How To Protect Ukraine Without NATO Membership.

 

Explaining The NEW NATO Strategic Concept.

 

What the situation looks like going forward

 

 

The Coming North Korean Crisis.

 

What Putin And Kim Want From Each Other.

 

A Form Of Preparation For War.

 

The Korea Model.

 

Today's Situation In Korea.

 

Major Case Study:

The Korean War in context

 

The news from N.Korea

 

The USA “ready to fight tonight” claim

 

Will the U.S. accept a nuclear N.Korea or intervene P.1

 

....N. Korea … Continue

 

 

What Proliferation Means For Global Security.

 

The Return Of Nuclear Escalation.

 

Confronting The New Nuclear Peril.

 

O

Oman

 

 

Major Case Study: 

Charting the future of Oman

 

P

 

Pacific War

Pakistan

Palestine: see Israel – Palestine – Jerusalem

Political Qigong

Psychology - Psychiatry

Putin

 

 

The Pacific Space.

 

The five days that made Pearl Harbours as a key for the worldwide war.

 

Part Eight Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Seven Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Six Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Five Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Four Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Three Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part Two Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Part One Can a potential future Pacific War be avoided?

 

Pakistan

 

Imran Khan’s Long March.

 

The 10th anniversary of an assault that raised fears of war with Pakistan and why in the end it was about Kashmir

 

Predicaments of Pakistan in Afghanistan

 

For an overview of Pakistan enter here:

 

Introduction:

to support an Islamic State in Pakistan

 

…controlled by British political officers with the help of tribal chieftains...

Continue P.1

 

…Blood and chaos were everywhere."

Continue P.2

 

…some ways to think about territory, history, and ethnic belonging. Continue P.3

 

…key theories of nationalism.

Continue P.4

 

Who Made Pakistan? P.5: The Militarization of Pakistan

 

P.6 India's Backlash

 

…under civil/military rulers before turning Islamic during the last decade and a half. Continue P.7

 

With the case of Indonesia, India, and Pakistan…

 

 

 

Case Study:

The Politics of Qigong

 

Psychology - Psychiatry

 

Rationality and progress

 

The logic of human nature and causal networks

 

So what to do about bias?

 

The secrets behind the making of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Part Three

 

The secrets behind the making of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Part Two

 

The secrets behind the making of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Part One

 

So what is with Psychological Science?

 

Here are eight ways how we can form more accurate views of the world

 

The Secret of Positive Thinking, Self Help books and Happiness

 

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Psychology and Psychiatry

 

From New Thought to Self Improvement Books

 

 

Putin And The Right

 

Q

 

Qatar

 

 

Two longtime rivals battle by proxy and why this crisis will get worse

 

Case Study:

Qatar's master strategy or opportunism?

 

R

Russia – Central Asia

Russia - Putin

Russia - Tsar

 

Russia – Central Asia

 

Agreement Not Be a Formal Binding.

 

To Sow that Fear in Moscow.

 

Russia’s Quest for a Gateway to Iran and the Middle East.

 

To Run the World.

 

Putin Threatens the West with "Special Ammunition."

 

Russia’s Pro-Putin Elites.

 

Foreign Propagandists.

 

The Russian Volunteer Corps.

 

The Anti-Western Club.

 

The Five Futures Of Russia.

 

Too Many European Politicians Are Failing To Confront Russia.

 

Like In The First World War?

 

What Putin And Kim Want From Each Other.

 

What The West Still Gets Wrong About Russia’s Military.

 

What It Will Take To Break Putinism’s Grip.

 

The Wagner Paramilitary Group.

 

Russian Ethnonationalism Chauvinism.

 

The Dangers Of Russian Disorder.

 

Think Twice Before You Launch A Conflict.

 

The War Of Endurance.

 

Blinded By The Fight.

 

Crimes Without Punishment?

 

China’s Affinity With Russia Is Over.

 

The Treacherous Path To A Better Russia.

 

How Wars Don’t End Ukraine, Russia, and the Lessons of World War I.

 

Prepare For A Brutal War.

 

1984 In Russia Today.

 

Stalin’s Secret Force.

 

The Latest News.

 

The Question Of Chinese Military Support For Russia.

 

A Partial Victory Will Solve Little.

 

The Coming Russia Disintegration.

 

The Presence Of Kishida In Kyiv And Xi In Moscow.

 

Russia And China Behind The Scenes.

 

The Limits Of Economic Warfare.

 

How To Prepare For Peace Talks In Ukraine.

 

The Russia That Might Have Been.

 

Looting As A Potential War Crime.

 

How Long Can This Not-Quite-Total War Be Sustained?

 

Russia’s Anti-Jewish Dimension.

 

Europe And Russia’s Aggression In Ukraine.

 

The War Will Go On Into Next Year.

 

Russian Patriotic Death Cult.

 

Russia Is Losing The War.

 

Can Moscow Learn From Its Failures In Ukraine?

 

Export Control Cooperation From Allies.

 

They Can Do Business With.

 

2023 Is The Decisive Year.

 

Why The Sanctions In Russia Are Already Biting Hard.

 

How Putin Is About To Lose His War.

 

The War Will Likely Continue Until The End Of 2023.

 

To Prepare For Russia’s Collapse.

 

Russia's Target Of 300,000 Additional Troops.

 

The Russian Crisis.

 

To Know Stalin And What Followed.

 

To Recognize The Stakes.

 

We Have To Prepare For Russia’s Defeat But Also Its Return.

 

A Decentralized Entity Can Reform Itself From The Inside Out.

 

In 1954, Crimea Was Transferred From Russia To Ukraine.

 

A Re-Assessment.

 

Why Policymakers Around The World Should Take Note.

 

Revisiting the Ambassador-Lockhart Plot Part Four.

 

Revisiting The Ambassador-Lockhart Plot Part Three.

 

Revisiting The Ambassador-Lockhart Plot Part Two.

 

Revisiting The Ambassador-Lockhart Plot Part One.

 

What should not be taken off the table when talking with Putin

 

We show in seven maps how Ukraine came about

 

Major Case Study: 

Putin Has Long Tried to Balance Europe. Now He’s Working to Reset It

 

What the situation looks like going forward

 

Ukraine today

 

Why Putin believes Ukraine was given to Russia

 

Putin and the Cold War Part Two

 

Putin and the Cold War Part One

 

The transformation of the Russian Empire part two

 

The transformation of the Russian Empire part one

 

Why Putin claims that most of Ukraine “was given” to Russia

 

Gorbachev’s reforms

 

Imperial Russia and Qing China

 

Revealing Harbin’s interesting Russian history

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.7

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.6

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.5

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.4

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.3

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.2

 

Major Case Study:

Spys Invade Russia P.1

 

The Svalbard/Spitsbergen Saga

 

 

Major Case Study:

Was the Cold War inevitable?

 

A German and British plot to take the last Tsar  

 

Ukraine as a test case

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.6.

British spycraft in Bolshevist Russia

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.5.

What must develop into a civil war

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.4.

How North Russia evolved into its military phase

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.3.

The alleged protecting of supplies propaganda

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.2.

To mold irregular warfare into a method which honored the Imperial myth

 

Major Case Study:

When Spies invaded Russia P.1

 

Major Case Study:

Why is Ukraine so important to Russia

 

From Rasputin to little known aspects of Nicholas’s II abdication and the situation in Russia

 

British Imperial Agents invade Russia P.2: The British Banking scheme to control Russia’s economy and the Allied intervention

 

British Imperial Agents invade Russia P.1: here the lesser known aspects surrounding the events of 1918          

 

Captives of the Russian Civil War P.4: From White resurgence to the Anglo-Soviet Trade Agreement 

 

Captives of the Russian Civil War P.3: The rise and fall of Komuch’s People’s Army

 

Captives of the Russian Civil War P.2: The Counterrevolution and the Anatomy of Allied Intervention

 

Captives of the Russian Civil War P.1: Why and how the Czech Legion conquered the Siberian railway

 

Concerns Russia could use the alleged plot in Crimea to justify more military incursions into the Ukraine

 

…Russia vis a vis a US plane: We tell you why it happened

 

Russian Aristocrats, Putin, and European extreme right wing parties

 

The main question now is whether Russia will push back with what power it has left or find a way to compromise with this shifting worldview

 

Case Study:

The ‘decline of the West’ and a look behind Putin’s new Eurasianism

 

Intelligence scoop of what is happening with the Ukraine and the standoff between Russia the US and Europe:

 

Resurgence or is Russia Doomed? Continue:

 

Enter the Unfolding Crises in Europe and the Ukraine/Crimea:

 

The Qaddafi libel against Gorbachev and the last days of the Soviet Union

 

…Russia wants to increase its influence. …China might be concerned, plus… Continue:

 

Russian Eurasianism: A New Ideology of Empire?

 

Introduction

 

The Next European Battleground?

 

Russia’s Geostrategic Predicament and Power Today P1

 

Finding the West

 

following part

 

Introduction: Gorbachev’s Last Days

 

Case Study:

Russia’s Move Towards the Right

 

Global Jihad Case Study:

Central Asia P.1

 

Central Asia P.2

 

Central Asia P.3

 

Research Report:

Russia’s Geostrategic Roots Today

 

European policy that is about to change now …Comment

 

…more questions than answers.

Comment P.1

Comment P.2:

…transforming the face of Eurasia

 

Predicting the next half Year:

 

Russia’s New Map: The Third Rome

 

A History of Eurasianism

 

The New Map of Russia

 

Russia’s New Map P.2: A History of Panslavism

 

Russia’s New Map P.3

 

World Revolution: The Roots of Modern Russia

 

How the End of the Cold War Occurred

 

After the Cold War: America over the Brink

 

What Led To The Dissolution of The Soviet Union 1991

 

Central Asia: Why The Great Game Heats Up

 

Why The Great Game Heats Up P.2: Azerbaijan

 

 

Putin Threatens the West with "Special Ammunition."

 

Russia’s Pro-Putin Elites.

 

Putin And The Right.

 

Bolshevik Rule.

 

Too Many European Politicians Are Failing To Confront Russia.

 

What Does Putin Want?

 

What Putin And Kim Want From Each Other.

 

What It Will Take To Break Putinism’s Grip.

 

Why There Can Be No Negotiations With Putin.

 

The Beginning Of The End For Putin?

 

Crisis Abates, But Questions Remain.

 

Is Worse To Come From Putin?

 

How Putin Revived Stalinism.

 

Dictator Without Borders.

 

Putin’s Forever War.

 

Putin, The Suspect.

 

Putin Remains In Day-To-Day Government.

 

Sanctions Can Help End Putin’s Imperial Pretensions If The West Keeps Its Nerve.

 

The War Started Due To Putin's Policy Failure.

 

War in Ukraine Has Revealed About Putin’s Regime.

 

Indications Putin Decided To Give The Missile That Downed MH17.

 

They Can Do Business With.

 

2023 Is The Decisive Year.

 

How Putin Is About To Lose His War.

 

Calling Out Putin's Excuse.

 

Russia As State Sponsor Of Terrorism And More.

 

Putin And Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors.

 

The Ukrainian Saboteurs Behind Enemy Lines.

 

Divide And Conquer.

 

The Polish Incident That Is Changing It.

 

We Investigate The Nonproliferation Conundrum.

 

Why Putin Gladly Tells You Is No Khrushchev.

 

What Is Needed For The Russian Economy To Grow.

 

China The Global Power And Russia The Junior Partner.

 

Putin And Stalin.

 

Turkey And Russia: Friends For Now.

 

What To Do About Putin.

 

We Assess The Possibility Of Regime Collapse.

 

The Outcome Of Significant Wars Ultimately Comes Down To Attrition.

 

The Way Forward For Russia.

 

Putin Puts Faith In The Poor Man's Weapon.

 

The War Might Last Another Year And What That Means.

 

Our Source In The Kremlin Speaks Up.

 

What Happens To Russia’s Periphery.

 

Why Today It Becomes More Likely Putin Will Lose This War. 

 

A Fear Greater Than Putin.

 

The End Of Putin’s Bargain With The People.

 

Climbing The Escalation Ladder.

 

How To Build A Better Order.

 

Policy For A World In Crisis.

 

Putin's Private Army.

 

Why Is There Little Hope For A Quick Rebound.

 

Wait For The Tide To Turn.

 

They Will Be Front And Center In Domestic And Global Politics.

 

Naturally, There Can Be No Excuse, Only Ruthless Punishment.

 

Assessment Of How The Russia-Ukraine War Is Progressing.

 

Peter Took Russia Into The Future. Putin Pushing It Back To The Past.

 

Russians Are In For A Rude Awakening This Fall.

 

There Is A Risk Of Serious Harm.

 

China Needs To Reach An Understanding And Russia Does Not.

 

Bad Timing Of Global Agriculture And Food Supply Chains.

 

Russia’s Security Concerns And Allay Its Anxieties.

 

China’s Motivations.

 

Fantasy Is Not History.

 

When The Economic Recovery Comes.

 

Putin’s Entire Ukraine Invasion Hinges On The Coming Battle Of Kherson.

 

Convicted For The Usurpation Of Power.

 

This Will Put One Side At A Disadvantage.

 

Russias Fifth Service.

 

The Ukraine/Russia War.

 

Fighting Climate Change Through Trade.

 

Time For New Trade Agreements.

 

What Next With The World Energy Situation.

 

Whose Middle East?

 

What If The War In Ukraine Spins Out Of Control?

 

Can Austria Stay Neutral?

 

Explaining How Far NATO Can Go.

 

Western Fears Of Putin.

 

Why Libya Could Be Putin’s, Trump Card.

 

The Case For Diplomacy.

 

He Has None.

 

This Is Not A Victory.

 

The Key To Victory In Ukraine.

 

A Need To Build A Better World Order.

 

A Global Cold War.

 

Part Eight From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Seven From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Six From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Five From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Four From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Three From 1917 To 2022.

 

Part Two From 1917 To 2022.

 

From 1917 To 2022.

 

The Hidden History Of The Glastonbury Festival.

 

Can Putin Survive?

 

Why The Russian Army Is Facing A Long, Grim Fight In Ukraine.

 

Why Do Russian Sanctions Persist As A Tool Of Diplomacy?

 

Why Ukraine Reached A Pivotal Moment.

 

Why Kyiv Needs An Immediate Solution.

 

The Why Of The Road To War.

 

The Putin Challenge.

 

Putin’s Challenge To The West.

 

Why Putin’s Ukraine War Is An Inflection Point For The West.

 

Why It Is Too Soon For A Lasting Diplomatic Settlement.

 

What Candidate Status Would Mean.

 

Russia’s Early Failures Doesn’t Make It Less Dangerous.

 

Russian Army Would Have To Collapse.

 

The End Of Climate Policy.

 

Why Does China Neither Endorse Nor Condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s War?

 

What The G7 Foreign Ministers Will Do.

 

Belgian Lessons.

 

What Will The Consequences Of Mobilization Be?

 

The Kremlin’s Questionable Worldview.

 

Understanding The Kremlin’s Worldview.

 

Putin’s Revisionist Worldview Part One.

 

The Re-Invention Of History And National Identity.

 

Why The War In Ukraine Is Shifting.

 

Understanding Putin’s Revisionist Worldview Part Three.

 

Understanding Putin’s Revisionist Worldview Part Two.

 

Understanding Putin’s Worldview Part One.

 

The Wargame.

 

How Serious A Threat Is Putin.

 

The War About Food Supplies.

 

Infiltrating The Highest Level Of Government.

 

Meanwhile, Russians Are Fleeing Their Country In Doves.

 

Revealing Putin’s Inconsistencies While Striving For A New Empire.

 

Geostrategy Of Russia.

 

Putin’s Victory Speech.

 

The Murder Of General Wrangel An Equally Famous Ballerina.

 

The Atomic Option.

 

A “New” War, Twenty Years In The Making.

 

Exposure To Russian Intelligence Services.

 

Major Case Study: 

The Mongolia Factor.

 

Moscow’s Suez Moment.

 

What Putin Has In Mind Next.

 

Who Is The Tsar Of Russia.

 

 

Life For The Tsar.

 

S

 

Second World War, see also WWII

Slavery North America

South America

South Asia

Spy Agencies - Secret Intelligence Services

Syria Crisis – Lebanon, Yemen

 

 

The Special Operations Executive In France And Elsewhere.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part Six.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part Five.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part Four.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part Three.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part Two.

 

Hitler's Aristocrats Part One.

 

Major Case Study: 

The Pearl Harbour attack and its consequences Part Two

 

Major Case Study: 

The Pearl Harbour attack and its consequences Part One

 

The post-WWII new order part two

 

The post-WWII new order part one

 

The old order is crumbling, and a new order is rising

 

Axis states understood they settled the moral low ground.

 

The Second World War created the conditions for transforming Europe and the entire global geopolitical order.

 

Creating a new world order part one.

 

How the various countries justified WWII Part One.

 

Major Case Study: 

From the Manchurian Incident to Word War II Part Four

 

Major Case Study: 

From the Manchurian Incident to Word War II Part Three

 

Major Case Study: 

From the Manchurian Incident to Word War II Part Two

 

Major Case Study: From the Manchurian Incident to Word War II Part One

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Sixteen

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Fifteen

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Fourteen

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Thirteen

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Twelve

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Eleven

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Ten

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Nine

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Eight

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Seven

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Six

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Five

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Four

Trianon (1919 and 1920)

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Three

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part Two

 

Major Case Study:

Russia, Germany, and Poland Part One

 

How Britain hoped to avoid war with Germany in the 1930s

 

Major Case Study: 

The Vatican archives and World War II

 

When Britain gave Hitler the go-ahead

 

Hitler’s Bolshevism and the myth of the Jewish Conspiracy

 

 

Slavery North America

 

Major Case Study:

London, Madrid, and the creation of Washington, D.C.

 

South America

 

Case Study:

S.America P.1: Overview

Case Study:

S.AmericaP.2: Economic Musings

 

Case Study:

S.America P.3:

The Road to Independence

 

Case Study:

S.America P.4:

Che and Castro

 

Case Study:

S.America P.5:

From Chile to Brazil

 

…and distribution networks: Research Report

 

Hugo Chaves

 

Anonymous activists threaten to expose Mexican drug cartel secrets, here the context:

 

South Asia

 

A Nuclear Collision Course In South Asia.

 

Introduction

 

... traders that "turned sovereign". And Burke sought the impeachement of the companies Governor, Warren-Hastings...

 

History of Globalization: In and out of India P.1: The First Trade-Wars

 

History of Globalization: In and out of India P.2: The First Multinational Companies

 

So let us start with the most important one, language

 

a gendered/racial categorization of the Indian populace by the British gave rise to several stereotypes like the manly Sikh, the devious Maratha, and the loyal Gurkha

 

a reaction to the warfare 'with France in Europe', that 'The British Company' proceeded to involve itself more actively with 'local politics.' This becomes particularly apparent when one doesn't only consult British, but also French sources

 

Hindutva

The Secret Backround of the Kashmir Problem

 

…overview of Atlantis and Lemuria:

 

'World Hindu Council'

 

Bengal: Making a New Hinduism:

 

Politics or Culture?: The Making of Religion in India Today, P.1:

 

Politics or Culture?: The Making of Religion in India Today, P.2

 

Politics or Culture?: Hindu and Muslim Fundamentalism Today

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: The Anti Aryan Myth

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: Seek Mason, Will Travel

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: Are you a Sikh?

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: Polynesian Aryans

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: The Orion Myth

 

Reformed Aryans, in East and West: Aryan Christianity

 

our overview about India

 

Spy Agencies – Secret Intelligence Services

 

The Spy that Defeated the Nazis.

 

The Agents Who Risked All Behind Nazi Lines.

 

The Noor Inayat Khan Story.

 

The Spying Program.

 

How To Spy On China.

 

The Harrowing Story Of A Double Agent.

 

Possibility That Chinese Spy Balloon’s Path Over The US Was Accidental.

 

Why Are Meteorologists Tracking The Location Of The Chinese Balloon?

 

Codename Madeleine.

 

The Secretive PWE Political Warfare Executive.

 

The Inside World About Spy Agencies Revealed.

 

Meet the new world today’s spy agencies part three

 

Meet the new world today’s spy agencies part two

 

Important Case Study: 

Meet the new world today's spy agencies

 

Syria Crisis – Lebanon, Yemen

 

 

The Path To A Regional Order.

 

The Measure Of Their Effectiveness Will Be In How The Houthis Respond.

 

Regional Conflicts Resemble World War II.

 

The Ongoing Houthi Attacks.

 

U.S. Strikes Targets In Syria.

 

Yemen's Humanitarian Crisis.

 

Time To Move On.

 

What Needs To Happen Next.

 

The Making Of The Middle East.

 

The Making Of The Modern Middle East Part 2.

 

The ‘Arab’ And The Syrian Question.

 

Making of the Middle East's hidden history Part Two

 

Making of the Middle East's hidden history Part One

 

..conflict in Yemen seems anything but over

 

The Syrian civil war and the Middle East going forward

 

Did Aleppo's Grozny moment arrive? If there was ever any hope of salvaging the latest cease-fire in Syria, there isn't anymore

 

Investigating the never-ending Great War

 

As suggested by me earlier International rivalry and the battle for Syria

 

...Aleppo, question is for how long

 

…entered the Ramouseh Artillery Base… Who are the rebels and how will Assad and Russia respond

 

.. Syrian Civil War…The make or break battle currently underway, rebels appear to be losing

 

FM denounces "cynical game" of Syrian regime and rebuked Moscow

 

How close is ISIS to defeat, and will Turkey invade Syria?

 

Does the Middle East Need New Borders?

 

Fighting in Syria seen problematic for Damascus while exit strategy for Assad under discussion

 

Obama’s Syria and What the Confrontation Will Look Like:

 

The Sunni-Shia struggle

 

The Arab World in Transition 2013

 

Why the War in Syria will not end with the removal of the al Assad regime

 

Why Assad Won’t Use Chemical Weapons, yet why we should still be worried

 

The contradictory web that fuels conflicts in the Middle East

 

Upcoming turmoil in Asia?

 

Lebanon and what next with Syria: Charting the course of future events

 

Background forms the rebel Free Syrian Army supply lines in Lebanon

 

T

Taiwan

Taiwan Conundrum

Thailand

Turkey

Turkey In Context

 

 

The Perils of the Taiwan Strait.

 

Major Case Study:

The lead up to present-day China and the making of the ChinaTaiwan crisis

 

After Hong Kong deterrence vs Taiwan?

 

Taiwan going forward

 

Is China planning to take Taiwan by force?

 

 

Taiwan Conundrum

 

Thailand

 

Thailand, China, And The US.

 

Uighur terrorist attack in China, a shoot-out between the Koreas along their disputed maritime border and, to top it off, a coup in Thailand

 

Thailand and the Political and Economic Volatility in Important Markets  

 

The insurgency in Thailand: Multiple Dilemmas

 

Turkey

 

Erdogan’s Tumultuous Leadership.

 

Turkey In Context.

 

Will Erdogan Stay in Power?

 

Erdogan’s Foot-Dragging On Sweden And Finland Is Causing Headaches For Western Leaders.

 

Turkey And Russia: Friends For Now.

 

Turkey in context today

 

Conclusion about what is really happening in Turkey

 

Turkey's government fears second coup

 

Turkey’s new Sultanate

 

Why Turkey shot down the Russian Jet

 

more than a year ago …Turkey and Armenia…

 

Turkish bid for EU membership ….  today:

 

Introduction

 

Evolving Turkey P.1

 

Evolving Turkey P.2

 

Evolving Turkey P.3

 

Evolving Turkey P.4

 

Evolving Turkey P.5

 

aligned itself

 

former Islamist

 

Conclusion and Bibliography

 

Case Study:

…Turkish and Japanese foreign policies, and why. Continue...

 

 

Erdogan’s Tumultuous Leadership.

 

Erdogan And Hamas.

 

Turkey In Context

 

U

UAE

Ukraine

United Kingdom

United Nations, UN

United States

 

UAE

 

The UAE And Its Talest Building In The World

 

 

Agreement Not Be a Formal Binding.

 

How to Create a Durable Peace in Europe.

 

Stop Fearing Victory.

 

American Aid Alone Won’t Save Ukraine.

 

The Way Forward In Ukraine.

 

Obstacles To Diplomacy In Ukraine.

 

What NATO Membership Will Require.

 

Winning The Battle But Losing The War.

 

Why The War Might Defy Expectations.

 

Preparing For American Abandonment.

 

The Quiet Transformation.

 

The Ukraine-Taiwan Tradeoff.

 

All This Could Encourage Further Adventurism.

 

Negotiations Over Territory.

 

The Missing Escalation In Ukraine.

 

Will The West Abandon Ukraine?

 

What Ukraine Needs Right Now Is Time.

 

Ukraine And Next.

 

Back In The Ukraine Trenches.

 

The War Of Endurance.

 

Postwar Ukraine.

 

End In Sight For The Ukraine War.

 

Ukraine And The American War Machine.

 

How Wars Don’t End Ukraine, Russia, and the Lessons of World War I.

 

How The West Can Secure Ukraine’s Future.

 

What Really Happened To The Kakhovka Dam?

 

Let Ukraine Join NATO Now.

 

Vexing The Ukraine War On The Ground.

 

How Ukraine Learned To Fight.

 

Beyond Ukraine’s Offensive.

 

A Loophole In The Law.

 

Ukrainian War Going Forward.

 

Ukraine Today.

 

Why NATO Must Admit Ukraine.

 

A Partial Victory Will Solve Little.

 

Waiting On Weapons.

 

Ukraine And U.S. National Security.

 

The Presence Of Kishida In Kyiv And Xi In Moscow.

 

A Plan For Getting To The Negotiating Table.

 

The Promise Of Military Adaptation.

 

How To Protect Ukraine Without NATO Membership.

 

Ukraine’s Determination.

 

How To Prepare For Peace Talks In Ukraine.

 

The Conversations When Ukraine Wins.

 

Fortifying Ukraine.

 

Make The Position Of The Russian Military Untenable.

 

Key To The Russia-Ukraine Conflict.

 

The Urgent Issues That Preoccupy Much Of The Developing World.

 

The War Will Go On Into Next Year.

 

An Even More Intransigent Regime.

 

Ukraine’s Coming Electricity Crisis.

 

What Ukraine Needs To Liberate Crimea.

 

Breakthrough In Ukraine.

 

Kennan On Ukraine.

 

Reading Like A Spynovel This is What Happened.

 

Why Some Wars Don’t End.

 

Russia As State Sponsor Of Terrorism And More.

 

Putin And Ukraine’s Nuclear Reactors.

 

The Ukrainian Saboteurs Behind Enemy Lines.

 

Divide And Conquer.

 

How The US Can Help.

 

The Situation Ukraine Is Facing This Winter.

 

We Analyse What The Result Of The Airstrikes Will Be.

 

Putin's Atomic Gamble.

 

Game-Changer For Current And Future Conflicts.

 

How Ukraine Can Take Back All Its Territory.

 

Ukraine As A Poison Pill For Putin.

 

Putin’s Eventual Replacement.  

 

Putin Threated Nuclear Response.

 

The UNGA Meeting.

 

The Nuclear Strike Aimed At Shock?

 

Mobilize, Retreat, Or Something In Between?

 

Why Support For Ukraine Will Withstand Russian Pressure.

 

Is Ukraine Going To Win This War?

 

Africa’s Ukraine Dilemma.

 

Xi Jinping's Strategic Predicament And The View From Washington.

 

From Ukraine to Taiwan.

 

Putin's Victory Speech.

 

 

 

How The World Lost Faith In The UN.

 

 

Palestine: a British Dilemma.

 

The Agents Who Risked All Behind Nazi Lines.

 

The Red Book.

 

Royalty And The Nazi's Part One.

 

The Secret History Of The Glastonbury Festival.

 

Sunak Hopes To Mend Fences With Europe.

 

The UK Today.

 

Why The House Of Windsor Will Ultimately Fall.

 

Can Sunak Save Britain?

 

The Limits Of Monarchy.

 

The UK Can Be Leading By Supporting.

 

The rise and fall of the Thomas Cook Group

 

Boris Johnson’s Majority Falls to One Seat, Heightening Chances of an Election

 

Boris is back…Today’s cabinet appointments sends a clear signal however

 

The next steps of Theresa May

 

"We're out", well sort of. The Implications and Germany's nightmare:

 

What will happen after Brexit:

 

United States

 

Their Words Should be Taken Seriously.

 

Will America and China Heed the Warnings.

 

But He Cannot Fire Them.

 

Where the Case Stands Now.

 

Can America’s Special Relationship With Israel Survive?

 

How One Man Seduced the U.S. Navy.

 

The End of NATO?

 

The Ongoing Investigation.

 

Washington’s Fears About Energy Markets.

 

Why U.S. Credibility And Resolve Is At Stake.

 

The Tiktok Ban Shows How Decisions End Up Rushed.

 

Why TikTok Needs To Get Out Of The Hands Of The Chinese Government.

 

Showing An Industrial Strategy.

 

Blinken-Xi Talks Also Highlight Continued Areas Of Disagreement.

 

The Patron’s Dilemma.

 

The Politicization Of The U.S. Military.

 

Japan Defense And China Springboard.

 

US New World War.

 

Explaining America’s Global Role.

 

The New American Way Of Trade How The USMCA Does What NAFTA Couldn’t.

 

Bracing For Trump 2.0.

 

The West Needs A Strategy For After The Counteroffensive.

 

Why America And China Will Be Enduring Rivals.

 

Can America Protect The Peaceful Transfer Of Power?

 

How To Boost Cooperation.

 

The Formula For Managing Migration.

 

The Overlooked Influences On Donald Trump.

 

Think Twice Before You Launch A Conflict.

 

The Global South.

 

Living On The Edge.

 

How Institutional Balancing Promotes Stability In Asia.

 

Ukraine And The American War Machine.

 

The Virtue Of Low Expectations.

 

The U.S.-Chinese Economic Relationship.

 

Spread Too Thin?

 

Ukraine And U.S. National Security.

 

A Plan For Getting To The Negotiating Table.

 

The New Age Of Great-Power Competition.

 

The Leaked Documents.

 

America Fill The Missile Gap.

 

The Promise Of Military Adaptation.

 

How Elites Misread Public Perceptions Of The War.

 

We Investigate A Sorbid History Under Pressure.

 

The US Is Indispensable To Israel’s Safety And Security.

 

China Is A Paper Tiger.

 

Technology Defines The Future Of Geopolitics.

 

Does Technology Win Wars?

 

Rattled By China, The U.S., And Its Allies Are Beefing Up Defenses In The Pacific.

 

How Biden White House Operated Under Cloak-And-Dagger Secrecy.

 

Far-Right Movements In The Two Countries Are Deeply Interconnected.

 

America Is Back.

 

U.S. To Boost Military Role In Philippines As Fear Of Taiwan Conflict Grows.

 

Export Control Cooperation From Allies.

 

What To Expect From Xi's Third Term.

 

What To Expect From The Xi-Biden Meeting.

 

Have Americans, As Is Claimed, Been Conned?

 

Is A Major War To Come?

 

The United States Does Not Need To Beat China.

 

A candid look at the why two atomic bombs

 

What the situation looks like going forward

 

Revisiting the Paranoid Style in American Politics

 

The election could be a highly fluid situation

 

The Cost of Chaos review

 

Major Case Study:

The secret background of the attack on Pearl Harbor part two

 

Major Case Study:

The secret background of the attack on Pearl Harbor part one

 

Major Case Study: 

The origins of Trumpology

 

Why Washington should push for a resolution to a disastrous war

 

The racist lie that is fueling the US terrorist attacks

 

Includes update 20 April 2019:  Why Robert Mueller is ending his report

 

How Israeli, Saudi, and Emirati officials influenced Trump to strike a bargain with Putin

 

What Robert Mueller Knows

 

The Trump/Russia investigation what can be said today

 

Woodrow Wilson, Versailles, and the making of Eastern Europe

 

American Ascendance P.1: Asia in the New Spatial Order

 

American Ascendance P.2: The China Blockade

 

American Ascendance P.3: The Japan Blockade

 

American Ascendance P.4: Opium War

 

The Anglo-Saxon Ascendancy: A Concise Overview P.1

 

The Anglo-Saxon Ascendancy: A Concise Overview P.2

 

over the course of the Mexican Revolution

 

...glaring misadventures in Iraq

 

America at a Crossroads P.1:

The Truth about the Cold War

 

America at a Crossroads P.2:

Superpower Politics

 

America at a Crossroads P.3:

Anti-Americanism

 

America at a Crossroads P.3:

The Last 'WWIII'

 

Possible Future Conflicts from a US Point of View

 

V

 

Venezuela

Venice

 

 

The worsening situation will make 2015 a crucial year for Venezuela:

 

 

The history of Venice beyond 2021

 

 

W

 

Warsaw Pact

World - World Economy - History - Politics

WWI, see also First World War

WWII, see also Second World War

 

Warsaw Pact

 

The abandonment of the Warsaw Pact part three

 

The abandonment of the Warsaw Pact part two

 

The abandonment of the Warsaw Pact

 

 

World - World Economy - History - Politics

 

Requiem for Hyperglobalization.

 

The Hidden Driver of Modern History.

 

Sixty-Eight Countries Will Hold Elections.

 

Deglobalization.

 

The Farmer Who Feel the Heat First.

 

Infrastructure Is Remaking Geopolitics.

 

The Rest Of The World.

 

Why It Will Not Surprise.

 

The Rising Threat Of Illiberal Democracy.

 

Their Failure To Act Fast Enough On Climate Change Violates Their Human Rights.

 

Why Academic Links Are Essential In A Fragmenting World.

 

The World Outside The Great Powers.

 

Why It’s So Hard To Forecast Authoritarian Aggression.

 

How To Reduce The Vulnerabilities That Free Markets Create.

 

There’s No Such Thing As A Great Power.

 

The State Of The World.

 

The World To Come.

 

Why The World Still Needs Trade.

 

Political Violence In Authoritarian Societies.

 

The Defence Of Global Order And Address Global Crises.

 

Make The Center Vital Again.

 

How To Survive A Great-Power Competition.

 

Managing A Multipolar World.

 

How The Fight For Resources Is Upending Geopolitics.

 

Tackling The Opportunity For Change.

 

Counter Autocracy.

 

2023 Anual Forecast.

 

The World Has Changed.

 

Those Who Cannot Remember The Past Are Condemned To Repeat It.

 

Understanding The World By Means Of A Geopolitical Approach.

 

This Highlights A Socio-Economic Challenge That The World Needs To Tackle Before It Gets Worse.

 

The Long-Term Trend Is Concerning.

 

What To Expect In 2023.

 

Remaining Robust Enough When Malign Actors Are Denied Access.

 

The World Faces A Zeitenwende.

 

Let Us Be The Last Generation To Do So.

 

The Profound Economic And Financial Shift.

 

The Direction Of The World Economy.

 

The Global Effects Going Forward.

 

What the situation looks like going forward

 

China's pursuit of greatness

 

Economics and real-time revolution

 

From East to West and back to East?

 

A few countries to look out for the next six months

 

How the end of an age is not the same as the end of history

 

Major Case Study:

The outlook of the world in 2020

 

What 2020 will bring P.2

 

What 2020 will bring P.1

 

From new economics to new politics

 

Major Case Study:

North and South Korea, China, Russia, the US, Iran, Mexico, India, Central and South America, Turkey, and so on

 

A look at other developments going forward in 2017

 

Forecast for Asia, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Former Soviet Union, Middle East/North Africa, South Asia, Latin America

 

Apocaliptic Politics During the 20st Century and Beyond

 

World Finance

Introduction

 

World Finance Today:

Worldwide History of Stock Markets and Economics

 

World Finance Today:

Worldwide History of Inshurance Risks

 

World Finance Today:

Worldwide History of the Housing Bubble

 

Following an assessment of current finance crash; the international situation, Europe, China/Japan and S.America, plus Korea…Continue...

 

The Genetics of Finance: Putting the Credit Crisis in Perspective

 

WWI, see also First World War

 

The tribulations and consequences of the Treaty of Versailles

 

Why World War I was pivotal to the creation of the modern Middle East

 

Shantung the Versailles Treaty and the Manchurian episode

 

A new investigation why the First World War broke out

 

The Real Russian Origins of the First World War

 

Major Case Study:

What led to the Frist World War P.1

 

Major Case Study:

What led to the Frist World War P.2

 

Major Case Study:

What led to the Frist World War P.3

 

What led to the First World War P.4

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.1:

The ‘Arab revolt’, Britain, and the Collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.2:

The Arab question and the ‘shocking document’ that shaped the Middle East

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.3:

The Menace of Jihad and How to Deal with It

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.4:

The ‘Arab’ and the ‘Jewish’ question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.5:

The Syrian question

 

From Versailles to the Making of the modern Middle East P.6:

The Paris Peace Conference deliberations

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.6:

The importance of oil, the ‘Arab question’, and the British

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.7:

The unresolved sectarian issue in Lebanon today

 

From Versailles to the Making of the Modern Middle East P.8:

British rule, Arab Spring-revolt, and the Syria crisis today

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.1

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.2

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.3

 

The true history of the Balfour Declaration and its implementations P.4

 

WWI's Religious Ideology

 

From Colonization to de-Colonization

 

…newly researched documents...took this a step further

 

From Shandong to Versailles: China's participation in the First World War

 

Why We were Entering a Century of Genocide

 

The second First World War

 

The conspiracy theory that gave rise to Hitler:

 

P.1 Reparations and the famous Article 231

 

Investigating the never-ending Great War

 

WWII, see also Second World War

 

 

From Hitler to Stalin P.1

 

From Hitler to Stalin P.2

 

From Hitler to Stalin P.3

 

From Hitler to Stalin P.4

 

From Hitler to Stalin P.5

 

The Nazi Documents P.1: The Russian Connection

 

The Secret War Between the Allies:

The Final Secret of WWII: The Murder of Hitler

 

The Secret Archive

 

Hess/Hitler overture to England

 

The Mistake of Peter Longerich

 

Alternative Histories of the 20 to 21 Century we start with the making of WWII today

 

…the Cold War: Continue:

 

Comment

 

Asia and Cold War

 

The Vatican’s War P.1

 

The Vatican’s War P.2

 

The Vatican’s War P.3

 

From Belgium to Kosovo Research

 

The Vatican’s War P.4 

 

The Vatican’s War P.5

 

The Nazi/Vatican Connection P.6

 

The Valkyrie Debate P.1

 

The Valkyrie Debate P.2

 

The Valkyrie Debate P.3

 

Protestant Nazi Hopes P.1

 

Protestant Nazi Hopes P.2

 

Protestant Nazi Hopes P.3

 

Protestant Nazi Hopes P.4

 

Protestant Nazi Hopes P.5: Conclusion

 

Z

 

Zionism

 

 

The way to Zionism Part Three

 

The way to Zionism Part Two

 

The way to Zionism

 

Esoterica going Mainstream

 

Esotericism, Freemasonry, and Conspiracy

 

main aspects of Western esoteric traditions have their foundations in antiquity

 

Case Study:

From Numerology to Magic and Esoteric Christianity

 

Hermetic Alchemy and Zosimus of Panopolis and Iamblichus P.1

 

Hermetic Alchemy and Zosimus of Panopolis and Iamblichus P.2

 

Hermetic Alchemy and Zosimus of Panopolis and Iamblichus P.3

 

New History of the Hermetica P.1: Hermes Times Three

 

New History of the Hermetica P.2: The Sabian Myth

 

New History of the Hermetica P.3: Middle East Disporea

 

The Rosicrucians

 

Freemasonry

 

The Occult Revival in America P.1

 

The Occult Revival in America P.2

 

Alleged New Age Religions

 

the Goetheanum

 

Harry Potter 6 and Gnosis: The Search for the Higher Self

 

founder of Scientology L.R. Hubbard to create a 'moonchild' by means of 'Magic'

 

first ever history of this idea rooted as it is, in Paracelsian Magic

 

Reincarnation: The Invention of a Modern Myth

 

New Age or Emerging Religions?

 

The 1920's Vinland Map - A Legend is Born

 

Alternative History books:

 

The Nazi Occult Myth

 

ABC News UFO's: The Day After

 

UFO's as Conspiracy Theory

 

From Esotericism to Pop Culture

 

From Esotericism to Pop Culture P.2

 

Update

From Aleister Crowley to Scientology

 

Case Study:

New Religious Movements –

Rudolf Steiner/Waldorf Schools P.1 of 2

 

We successfully questioned the term "Gnostic" and "Gnosticism"

 

Dan Brown's two recent books

 

Case Study:

New Religious Movements -

Spiritualism P.1

 

Case Study:

New Religious Movements:

Spiritualism P.2

 

Case Study New Religious Movements

Spiritualism P.3

 

Case Study New Religious Movements

Spiritualism P.4

 

Case Study New Religious Movements

Spiritualism P.5

 

Case Study New Religious Movements

Spiritualism P.6

 

P.1: The Making of Spiritism

 

P.2: Christian Spiritist Conversion

 

P.3: To England Now

 

P.4: Occult Orders

 

P.5: Taming the Wild Spirits

 

P.6: Revelation of the Revelation

 

P.7: Text Related Occult Conversions

 

P.8: An Occult Sociological Profile

 

P.9: Phenomena on Trial

 

P.10: Theosophical Fights

 

P.11: Nazis and The Occult

 

P.12: Cults of the Self

 

P.13: The Esoteric

 

P.14: The Never Ending Mystery?

 

P.15: Psychic Androginity

 

P.16: Cosmological Searches

 

Comment: The Forgotten Monarchy Discovered

 

From Robert Anton Wilson to the Da Vinci Code Prank: The Californian Illuminati

 

Introducing H.P. Blavatsky

 

H.P.Blavatsky and her 'Masters' of the Theosophical Society

 

Search For Astral Projection: The Investigation

 

The Hodgson Report

 

The Hodgson Report P.2

 

The Hodgson Report P.3

 

Finding the Theosophical Masters and Mahatmas

 

Blavatsky's Final Work

 

After Blavatsky P.1: Krishnamurti, the Fashioning of a Mahatma

 

After Blavatsky P.2: Fashioning the Future Race

 

Race and Literary Nationalism

 

Enter Scientology:

 

Investigating, UFOs Seeing is Believing?

 

The Secret of the Cabalah/ Qabbalah

 

New History of Jewish Kabbalism

 

Establishing the Christian Kabbalah, P.1: Rewriting Frances A. Yates

 

Establishing the Christian Kabbalah, P.3: F.M. van Helmont

 

Zosimos of Panopolis and the Book of Enoch

While somnambulist ventures like the Course in Miracles have been well researched

 

The Key of Solomon P.1: The Making of Witchcraft

 

The Key of Solomon P.2: Occult Science

 

The Key of Solomon

P.3: Magical Revival

 

Conspiracy Theories P.1

 

Conspiracy Theories P.2

 

Conspiracy Questions or Answers?

 

The Rise and Fall of the Silver Shirts

 

auf Deutsch

Towards "a Sociology of Conspiracy Theories" P.1

 

auf Deutsch

Towards "a Sociology of Conspiracy Theories" P.2

 

auf Deutsch

Towards "a Sociology of Conspiracy Theories" P.3

 

Neoplatonism, Philology and Nationalism

 

Geschichtliche Entwicklung des Ariermythos

 

The True Story Behind "The Aquarian Gospel" Movie:

 

Conspiracy Theories

 

DaVinci Code Matrix

 

From Invented Witchcraft To The Carlos Castaneda's legacy

 

The 'Werdegang' of Mary Wigman:

 

The 'Werdegang' of Mary Wigman P.2:

 

Inventing The Mormon Tradition

 

Major Case Study:

Paganism and Early Christianity in N. Europe P.2

 

The Positive Thinking Movement P.2

 

Case Study:

Ungern P.1: The Revolution

 

Self Help Books as Popular Culture: Introduction 

 

Self Help Books as Popular Culture P.1

 

Self Help Books as Popular Culture P.2

 

 

 

Eric Vandenbroeck world-news-research.com

 

Beethoven - Symphony No. 5

 

23 April: A China that looks like the creator of a peaceful order in the 2040s will be much harder to argue against in the West and the wider world than its current confrontational incarnation. It is unclear whether China can take that path. Still, over the past century, the least reliable way to predict what China will look like in 20 years has always been to extrapolate in a straight line from where it is now. The Once and Future China.

 

23 April: Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on the morning of April 23 because of the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings, in which more than 160 people were killed. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also cutting short her visit to the US and Peru. Reminiscent of the Oberoi Hotel Attack, but Worse.

 

23 April: Trump seems unlikely to stick to any parameters that might mitigate the conflicts among great powers that would inevitably crop up. Nor is it easy to imagine Putin and Xi as enlightened partners, embracing self-abnegation and settling differences in the name of the greater good. Great Power Competition Returned.

 

22 April: Only a major drive to rebuild the arsenal of democracy can deter China from taking Taiwan by force or other countries from similarly challenging the United States. As U.S. General Douglas MacArthur prophetically proclaimed in 1940: “The history of failure in war can almost be summed up in two words: Too late.” The Empty Arsenal of Democracy.

 

22 April: In a rush to export its goods amid incoming US tariffs, China said its economy had beaten its anticipated first-quarter growth rate. Chinese Economy Grows 5.4%, Surpassing Quarterly Forecasts.

 

22 April: A security architecture in the Ukraine War no longer dependent on Washington is within reach, but only if Europe finds the political will to act now. If it does, this may well be the defining moment that secures its future, sovereignty, and relevance on the global stage. Europe Must Take the Challenge: Secure its Future.

 

22 April: As soon as one succeeds in increasing its trade balance at the expense of the rest, others retaliate, and the total volume of international trade sinks continuously. The Trump Global Trading System.

 

21 April: Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died. He Sought to Overhaul the Institution.

 

21 April: Drones deliver supplies on Mount Everest. The Forever Change of Climbing.

 

21 April: Three former Presidents said that norms are being disregarded, and extraordinary measures are required. Trump’s violations of legal and democratic principles make him unfit for the presidency. Unusual Times for American Democracy.

 

20 April: Kim Kardashian will testify in person at an upcoming trial over a 2016 heist in Paris in which armed robbers tied her up and locked her in a bathroom while they stole millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry. The Heist in Paris.

 

 

20 April: Israeli officials have vowed to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and Netanyahu has insisted that any negotiation with Iran must lead to the complete dismantling of its nuclear program. Israel is Still Eyeing a Limited Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities.

Mozart Concerto no. 23 in A major k. 488 / Elisey Mysin / Makhachkala

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States has largely been expected to follow one of two foreign policy paths: preserve the country’s position as the leader of the liberal international order or withdraw and adjust to a post-American, multipolar world. The most likely trajectory was always a third: become a rogue superpower, neither internationalist nor isolationist but aggressive, powerful, and increasingly out for itself. The Age of American Unilateralism.

 

Xi arrived in Kuala Lumpur from Vietnam, where he pledged to resist “unilateral bullying”– a veiled reference to US President Donald Trump’s inconsistent stance on tariffs. To meet Malaysia’s King, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, at Istana Negara in the morning. President Xi’s Asia Tour.

 

Beijing insists it will stand firm in the face of Donald Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods. However, Chinese officials have acknowledged the potential for economic pain resulting from the unfolding trade war with the US. Hence, the Locals.

 

China will continue, under any future circumstance, to undermine the very cooperation among the rebels in Myanmar that is necessary to one day form a peaceful, stable, and federal democratic Myanmar. China has no genuine interest in peace or stability in Myanmar; it wants strategic dominance. And if Beijing can best grow its influence by playing Myanmar’s factions off one another, keeping them weak, fragmented, and dependent on China, then that is what it will do. China’s Double Game in Myanmar.

 

The recent change in U.S. leadership caught Europe unprepared. So will a sudden changing of the guard in the Kremlin unless the West more actively imagines what its relationship with Russia could be after Putin. A forever war that cycles between cold and hot is not inevitable. But if Western leaders postpone discussing a different vision, they risk abetting Putin’s efforts to make confrontation with the West a permanent legacy. Moscow, the West, and Coexistence Without Illusion.

China to convene UN meeting to blast ‘bullying’ US for weaponizing tariffs, sparking trade war. Meeting to Accuse the US of Bullying and “Casting a Shadow over the Global Efforts for Peace and Development” by Weaponizing Tariffs.

 

US mulls backing ground offensive against Yemen’s Houthis. Yemeni Factions, Alongside the UAE, are Looking to Utilize the US Air Campaign to Mount a Ground Offensive Against the Houthis.

 

Maryland Democrat meets with Abrego Garcia (whose full name is “Kilmar Abrego Garcia”), mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The President of El Salvador claimed in the White House that he could not return the man. The US District Court is Now Ordering an Expedited Recovery.

 

‘Sipping margaritas’ is the latest example in Bukele’s propaganda machine, which also includes ‘Margarita gate’. The Duplicity of the Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele.

 

 

The competition for AI leadership is likely to end up being mostly about adoption. It is the adoption of AI in the U.S. military, government, and private sector, and the ability of U.S. firms to export AI technologies to the rest of the world. AI Race Winning Means Deploying, Not Just Developing, the Best Technology.

 

 

Hopes for Iran nuclear talks tempered by threats and mixed messages. A Deal or a War.

 

The Chinese Communist Party is inordinately focused on perceptions of American power, and a critical input in that equation is its estimation of Washington’s ability to pull in the allies and partners that even Beijing openly admits are the United States’ greatest advantage. Underestimating China.

 

The Trump administration is embarking on an economic equivalent of the Vietnam War, a war of choice that will soon result in a quagmire, undermining faith at home and abroad in both the trustworthiness and the competence of the United States, and we all know how that turned out. Trade Wars are Easy to Lose.

 

When US President Donald Trump suggested that Canada stole the American auto industry, this seemed like a lie. Because they've always been Canadian jobs, Canada created them and sustained them. In Canada's Car Capital, Auto Workers Brace for the Worst.

Coercion will ultimately weaken the United States, not strengthen it. Without its allies and partners, U.S. leadership in Asia and around the world will erode. This will not make America great again - it will leave it weaker abroad and poorer at home. How Trump’s Coercion Could Backfire in Asia.

 

In continuing to engage in some form of export control diplomacy, doing the long, arduous, sometimes frustrating, but strategically rewarding work of persuading countries that it is in the collective interest of the United States and its allies to act together to maintain a technological lead over China. The Case for Export-Control Diplomacy.

 

Chinese President Xi On His Southeast Asia Tour.

 

Elephants form an ‘alert circle’ to protect the young during an earthquake. The Video shows the adult elephant herd forming a protective circle around a youngster.

 

Washington has been the world’s most powerful force for clean governance, pressuring and sanctioning corrupt elites elsewhere. But Trump has moved to suspend enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and backtrack on corporate transparency requirements. The United States, in other words, is not just abandoning its historical role as the world’s clean-governance policeman. The Economic Consequences of State Capture.

 

 

 

Just as in China, European platforms may continue to use the Internet as the technological foundation for their services. But they will begin to construct their alternative platforms on top, walled away from U.S. interference through Europe-only business models and strong encryption. The Brewing Transatlantic Tech War.

 

Trying to peel Russia away from China is both imprudent and wrong. It would be imprudent, above all, because it would hand Putin a dangerous amount of power. Moscow would become the pivot player in the competition between Beijing and Washington, with ties to both and space to maneuver to its advantage. China and Russia Will Not Be Split.

 

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a suspension of investment in the United States until Donald Trump's "brutal and unfounded" new tariffs against Europe and the rest of the world were clarified. He said President Trump’s decision was brutal and unfounded. Underneath as Echo's by Canada, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland and the European Parliament.

 

Five days after France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen was convicted of embezzling millions of euros from the European Parliament, President Donald Trump is suddenly decrying the verdict. Trump Rages at Far-Right Leader’s Guilty Verdict.

 

‘Larger-than-expected’ tariffs mean higher inflation, slower growth: US Fed chief Powell. Trump tariff tailspin worsens, moving stock markets into bear market. Decline Since the Onset of the Coronavirus Pandemic in March 2020.

 

On the outskirts of the Indonesian city of Semarang in Central Java, a new factory is cranking out solar cells and assembling solar panels with the help of robots while autonomous carts whizz around, ferrying parts and components. China’s Great Green March Across the Globe.

 

Over the past three months, the Trump administration has shown doubts about the United States’ commitments to its partners. However, the U.S. military establishment still has an interest in developing its capacity in concert with partner forces, which also have an interest in deepening security cooperation as Beijing becomes increasingly assertive. One Needs an Indian Ocean Strategy.

 

Tens of thousands of military reservists have already served hundreds of days each during the war, which has taken a heavy toll on their careers and families. Israel has, in fact, never faced so much ambivalence about military service on the part of its reservists - not even during its politically controversial 1982 war in Lebanon or during the second intifada. The Forever War in Gaza. Leaders on Both Sides, and in America, Have Little Incentive to End It.

 

Dow futures fall 1,300 points, S&P 500 set to enter bear market on Trump tariff market collapse. Markets Today.

 

Beautiful Barber's Adagio, Theme from Platoon, Andrzej Kucybała conductor

 

Taiwan Open to U.S. Tariff Talks Amid Market Volatility. Taiwan Says It Is Open to Negotiations With the U.S.

 

If Trump and Hegseth succeed in imposing their new bargain, the U.S. military will no longer excel at its main purpose: defending American citizens against serious threats from abroad. The Dangerous New Civil-Military Bargain Trump’s Demands for Loyalty Will Weaken the U.S. Armed Forces.

 

The dollar has not always been the world’s reserve currency or the currency of choice for international trade. In the nineteenth century, it was the pound sterling that enjoyed that status, and British financiers would have felt secure in its reign. There was nothing inevitable about the pound’s slide or the dollar’s emergence, just as there is nothing inevitable about the dollar’s potential demise today. Choices, not destiny, determine reserve currencies; if the dollar is finally dethroned, it will be a disaster of the Trump administration’s own making. The World’s Reserve Currency May Not Survive the Weaponization of U.S. Economic Power.

 

In a scientific breakthrough that could forever change how humans interact with our planet, Colossal Biosciences said it has brought back an extinct animal that last walked the Earth roughly 10,000 years ago: the dire wolf. Dire wolf revived after 10,000 years. Revived the Dire Wolves after Sequencing the Species' Genome..

 

The Signal discussion didn’t touch on how the Yemen bombings would affect Washington’s current diplomatic overture to Tehran. Hegseth and the President likely think it can’t hurt: Tehran will see Trump’s Washington as tougher for it and capable of coercing the Iranians into nuclear negotiations. The Vice President doesn’t believe Washington should go to war with Tehran over the nuclear issue, let alone Suez Canal traffic. If he isn’t willing to bomb an Iranian proxy for fear of a slippery slope, then he is surely unlikely to want to bomb its sponsor. Why Bombing the Houthis Won’t Work.

 

China has been the top foreign supplier of goods to the US, accounting for up to 16% of total imports in recent years, according to the USTR. It dominates the market in smartphones, computers, and toys, and it is likely to be hit by massive price hikes that take them out of reach of many Americans when the new tariffs come into force. US Slams 104% Tariffs on China..

 

All people born in British Mandatory Palestine between 1923 and 1948 (today's Israel) had "Palestine" stamped on their passports at the time. But when they were called Palestinians, the Arabs were offended. They complained: "We are not Palestinians, we are Arabs. The Palestinians are the Jews". Given the situation today, International institutions, including the EU and the United Nations, should demand that Israel uphold international law on minority rights. If Israel refuses to reverse its latest anti-Arab laws and continues turning a blind eye to Jewish Israeli extremism, these organizations should urge international, economic, and academic institutions connected to Israel to make their relationship with Israel contingent on the protection of Palestinian citizens. The Other War on Palestinians.

In the Budapest Memorandum, signed in December of that year by Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Kyiv agreed to give up Soviet nuclear weapons in its possession - including more than a thousand warheads capable of hitting the United States - in exchange for security assurances. With this outstanding security problem ostensibly solved, Ukraine (and the question of its NATO membership) abruptly decreased in significance to Washington. Why They Fight What’s at Stake in the Blame Game Over Ukraine.

 

China calls for the world to unite against Trump's 'trade tyranny'. Trump Tariffs Effect.

 

 

EU backs first countermeasures against US tariffs: It said it would start to collect duties from April 15, stressing that “these countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” meaning there is a European long end bonds slump..

 

 

The increasingly vicious trade war between Washington and Beijing took another turn Wednesday when China imposed an additional 50% tariff on imports from the U.S., hiking its levies on American imports to 84%. The tit-for-tat escalation came hours after President Donald Trump’s 104% tariffs on Chinese imports went into effect, including the 50% Trump added Monday. Why the USA is Losing Many Billions of Dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with.

 

The most effective U.S. strategy - the one that has most unsettled Beijing in recent years and can deter its adventurism in the future - is to build new, enduring, and robust capacities with these states. A sustained, bipartisan commitment to an upgraded alliance network, coupled with strategic cooperation in emerging fields, offers the best path forward to finding scale against the most formidable competitor the United States has ever encountered. Underestimating China.

 

As the US ambassador to Kyiv steps down, Donald Trump has pledged that US officials will look into evidence that Chinese mercenaries are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine. The Evidence.

 

A U.S. ballerina jailed for 12 years in Russia after donating $51 to a charity has been freed, according to her lawyer and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. She was arrested in Yekaterinburg in February last year after returning to Russia to visit her family. LA Ballerina Freed in US-Russia Prisoner Swap.

 

A gradual exit from the European theater, during which the United States slowly removes military assets so that European countries can replace them with their own, would be vastly preferable to an abrupt withdrawal. Rushed changes could leave vacuums of power conducive to fear and suspicion. Properly planned for, a rearmed Germany could be just the right size for Europe. The Zeitenwende is Real.

 

Iran and the United States have a bitterly adversarial history. There is a chasm of mistrust between the two countries that diplomacy will struggle to bridge. But an agreement remains possible. Iran needs a deal. Trump wants one. And the alternative to successful negotiations would be catastrophic. The Case for a “Trump to Tehran” Strategy.

 

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has broken his silence on the deepening trade war with the United States, saying there will be "no winners." He warned President Donald Trump that China is "not afraid" - and shortly after his statement, Beijing announced reciprocal tariffs of 125% on all U.S. imports. Called on the European Union to join hands to resist. America vs. China.

 

Many will have seen the pictures of a young woman (a researcher at Harvard Medical School) who, screaming in panic, was arrested on the orders of President Trump. We Tell You Who She Is.

 

Not only do the tariffs on China make all processed industrial materials exponentially more expensive, but they also delay the progress the US will be able to make. In a post from its official account, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the U.S. of "capricious and destructive behavior" and vowed not to bow to American pressure. Today's 'Tariff War'.

 

Trump, for now, is excluding tariffs on smartphones, prompting Americans to purchase them quickly before Trump changes his mind:

 

 

 

Live Footage of American Planes Bombing The Area Around Sanaa Airport (Yemen).

 

In Sudan, the paramilitaries have stepped up their attacks on el-Fasher, the only state capital in Darfur still outside their control, after the army recaptured the national capital Khartoum last month. Sudan Today.

 

The Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) undertakes the longest known butterfly migration, an annual, multigenerational journey between Europe and tropical Africa. In search of blooming flowers and host plants, these butterflies travel more than 9,000 miles round-trip, crossing deserts, seas, and mountains along the way..

 

On the observation deck of the Eiffel Tower in Paris is a tribute to the 1889 World Expo, the very event that led to its creation. Opening Today. The Expo 2025 will be held to achieve a society in which the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal,17 sustainable development goals set out at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development held at the United Nations Headquarters in September 2015, have been achieved. With five years remaining until 2030, the target year for achieving the SDGs, 2025 is an Extremely Important Year for Accelerating Efforts to Achieve Them.

 

They came to the US as kids for a better life. Now, they’re leaving for Europe as seniors and Crossing the Atlantic for a Better Life.

 

Most Latin American countries do not currently see Beijing as a threat to their economies, their democratic systems, or the security of their citizens, but as a source of investment, infrastructure, and export markets unencumbered by the historical baggage of U.S. interventionism. Why the Western Hemisphere is Turning Away from America and toward China.

 

The Trump administration continues to create headlines, but the real story may be elsewhere. Asia Is Getting Dangerously Unbalanced.

 

China, on Tuesday, April 1, sent its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to surround Taiwan for drills Beijing said were aimed at practicing a blockade of the self-ruled island. Taiwan dispatched its aircraft and ships, deployed land-based missile systems in response to the drills, and accused Beijing of being the world’s “biggest troublemaker.” China insists that democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control. Potential Flashpoint.

 

On 1 April, a massive inferno was seen in Putra Heights, Malaysia, with flames visible from Subang Jaya.

Even in a world without a stable structure, the Trump administration can still use American power, alliances, and economic statecraft to defuse tension, minimize conflict, and furnish a baseline of cooperation among countries big and small. American Power in the New Age of Nationalism.

 

PLA joint exercises code-named Strait Thunder-2025A continue around the island of Taiwan for a second day. Day 2 of Beijing Military Drills in Taiwan Strait Focuses on Blockade.

 

Maintaining a military presence is an investment the United States must make as the Middle East transitions, new leaders shore up popular support, and new security arrangements emerge. The Narrow Path to a New Middle East.

 

On 27 March 2025, Andrzej Duda President of Poland since 6 August 2015 (himself a Knight of the Order Malta) went on an official visit to the Grand Master of the Order of Malta to discuss a solution to the conflict in Ukraine. The Order of Malta?

A multi-story structure collapsed in Bangkok after a rare 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck midday Friday, sending the crane on top toppling to the ground and a massive plume of dust into the air. Thai emergency responders say two people have been found dead, and an unknown number of others are still under the rubble of a building that collapsed after a massive earthquake hit the capital. Bangkok Under State of Emergency | 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake.

 

Recently presented by Steven Colbert, Chuck Schumer's book (leader of the Democratic Party in the US) about Antisemitism gives an excellent historical overview of the issue. Antisemitism, an Overview.

 

Thailand’s capital grinds to a halt amid fear and chaos. After the Quake.

 

Freedom of navigation may be a national interest, but that’s only up to a point. The U.S. military is for hire, even if there has been no request for its services. How the Signal Chat Leak makes the NSA’s job harder now that everyone uses the same communications technologies, security vulnerabilities are amplified. What Signalgate Tells Us.

 

The quake, which hit around lunchtime on March 28, impacted wide swathes of the country, from the central plains around Mandalay to the hills of Shan, parts of which are not completely under the junta’s control. ASEAN Recognizes the Urgent Need for Humanitarian Assistance for Myanmar.

Ultimately, Europe has no way out of its strategic trilemma that does not involve painful tradeoffs. It is, therefore, no surprise that European leaders have thus far avoided making plans for the continent’s post-American defense. Europe’s Nuclear Trilemma.

 

Democracy in the United States faces a serious threat, but the case is not hopeless. Its defenders have a wide array of levers they can pull to oppose Trump and his allies’ attempts to consolidate power. How to Save a Democracy.

 

Israel has troops in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. It’s vowed to demilitarize huge swaths of all three – backed by an unquestioning ally in the White House. The war in Gaza, which Israel restarted earlier this month, looks increasingly like it will lead to occupation for months or even years to come:

 

If leaders fail to seize this moment, they will cede control to external techno-powers with little incentive to respect Europe’s needs or ideals. Once this window closes, catching up - or even keeping pace - will be nearly impossible. Europe Must Avoid Becoming a Digital Colony.

 

A subject we have previously referred to now seems to come close to a boiling point. the Chinese military announced large-scale drills in the waters around Taiwan, as it warned the self-ruled island against seeking independence. Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense said it had tracked 19 Chinese navy vessels in the waters surrounding the island. China’s Campaign Against Taiwan.

 

Many undocumented immigrants in the USA file tax returns with the I.R.S., giving the agency information about where they live, their families, their employers, and their earnings. I.R.S. to Help Find Immigrants Targeted for Deportation.

 

Major Case Study: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) may be helping to advance Houthi capabilities as part of an arrangement to protect PRC ships in the Red Sea. They reportedly advised the Houthis to avoid targeting PRC-affiliated shipping while continuing attacks on Western-linked vessels. The PRC has called for an end to Houthi attacks but has generally refrained from directly criticizing the Houthis. The PRC Denied Exporting Drones or Military Technologies to the Houthis.

Israel threatened to permanently seize parts of the Gaza Strip if Hamas does not release all remaining hostages, marking a major escalation in the conflict just days after airstrikes from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shattered a monthslong cease-fire with Hamas. Growing Public Dissent Could Hinder Israel’s Efforts.

 

Achieving a rapid expansion of defense industrial capability to sustain Ukraine in addition to regenerating military forces would see the cost grow even higher. So far, European states have been reluctant to commit resources. Europe’s War in Ukraine.

 

The Islands Caught in Global Crosshairs. Geopolitical Flash Points, from Nauru to Greenland.

 

Jordanians are used to warnings, usually overblown and often originating from outside the kingdom, that the country is on the brink. However, the widespread panic and concerted opposition within Jordan suggest that the looming crisis is sui generis in its severity. Jordan’s Looming Crisis.

 

The United States is now operating largely by Beijing’s standards, with a new economic model characterized by protectionism, constraints on foreign investment, subsidies, and industrial policy - essentially nationalist state capitalism. In the war over who gets to define the rules of the road, the battle is over, at least for now. China Has Already Remade the International System.

 

As far-right populist leaders proudly purport to represent the people, European moderates must point out that there is nothing patriotic about their support for Europe’s security and prosperity. Only by exposing these inconsistencies - and highlighting the steep costs. Italy’s Meloni and the False Promise of Moderation.

The increase in the number of wildfires worldwide is due to climate change. Today, in South Korea, a Historic Buddhist temple burned:

 

Without the support of the United States, it will struggle to remain coordinated, focused, and disciplined in helping Kyiv. Almost as soon as the war commenced, it seemed as if Russia was destined to be at least partially defeated, with any settlement disappointing the Russians. Putin’s Theories of Victory.

 

Beijing stands ready to present itself as a dependable partner. The “profound changes” Xi sees in Europe and the United States may not yet have allowed Beijing to reimagine its relationships with the West, but the story across the rest of the globe may prove quite different. China Sees Opportunity in Trump’s Upheaval.

 

The key to achieving a peace settlement is for Ukraine to enter negotiations from a position of strength, Russia from a position of weakness, and the United States in a position of influence over both parties. The Perils of “Russia First”: Appeasing Moscow Didn’t Work in the Past.

 

Japanese troops are not likely to be able to deploy in large numbers abroad, and the Japanese government will not eagerly turn to military force over diplomacy. Both Tokyo and Washington must adjust their expectations for what Japan - and other partners facing similar demographic declines - can reasonably achieve, especially in the long term, when the consequences of an aging and shrinking population will be even more severe. The Japanese Military Has a People Problem When Depopulation Becomes a National Security Risk.

 

Not counting the United States, NATO’s other 31 members comprise a population of more than 600 million people as well as a collection of economic resources more than ten times those of Russia. These countries, despite having had to rely on the United States for so long, are fully capable of ensuring their future security for themselves. NATO Without America: How Europe Can Run an Alliance Designed for U.S. Control.

 

It has been a whirlwind of a week thanks to Signalgate - the group chat heard around the world. The evolving scandal has already prompted major concern in Washington and beyond. Signalgate was the main topic in hearings held by both the House and Senate intelligence committees this week. The hearings became extremely contentious at times, but we still have many open questions about how it all happened and what the broader consequences will be. On paper, these hearings were meant to focus on the U.S. intelligence community’s annual threat assessment. Signal Group Chat Fiasco.

 

Where Washington, until recently, was considered the primary check on regionally expansionist regimes, it now appears to be encouraging those same regimes, and even imitating them. Whether this transition ultimately returns to a predictable balance of power or inaugurates a prolonged period of instability and war will depend on how effectively spheres of influence are contested, and how far countries such as China, India, Iran, Russia, and the United States are willing to go to secure them. The Return of Spheres of Influence.

Ukraine and the United States will be in a better position to negotiate peace and to deny Russia’s unacceptable demands for a settlement with Washington committed diplomatically and financially to Kyiv’s defense. But if that path becomes lost, everything will not be lost to Ukraine. After withstanding repeated Russian aggression that began in 2014, building an army that repelled Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and maintaining a strong defense in the three years since, it seems very unlikely that Ukrainians will unilaterally surrender now. And with Europe heeding the call to a united defense, they may not need to. The Key to Ukraine’s Survival.

 

Tehran is determined to prevent domestic divisions from weakening the country’s ability to withstand pressure. Limited social and political openings are a calculated strategy to diffuse public frustration before it escalates into mass unrest. If the past is prologue, this approach could allow the Islamic Republic to frame any conflict with the United States not as a struggle for regime survival but as a sovereign nation’s resistance against external coercion. Can Iran Save Itself?

 

Fear generates an impulse to fight back against U.S. adversaries on all possible fronts. But if a country gives in to the impulse to fight everywhere all at once it sows the seeds of its decline. The Fragile Axis of Upheaval.

 

While Hamas and its allies suffered severe setbacks in the current war that began on October 7, Their Ambition to Destroy Israel Has Not Disappeared.

 

Good statecraft requires setting realistic goals and dedicating the necessary resources to achieve them. Trump understands better than most the importance of exercising leverage to meet his objectives. Washington has historically been most effective when it has drummed up support from its friends. By working with others, the United States increases its leverage and becomes more powerful. How to Match Ends and Means in the Middle East.

 

Debates over the balance of the Chinese and U.S. navies should consider the dynamics of competitive production in long wars at sea. Historical analogies can influence sound defense policy decision-making only so much. But they can help identify potential errors - such as being caught in a long naval war against a larger adversary, and without an industrial capacity to truly compete. The Real Threat Posed by Beijing’s Fast-Growing Navy.

If Trump’s moves lead to a dramatic decline in surveilling Russia, it will not be the first time the U.S. intelligence community will have taken its eye off the ball. In the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, there was a similar shift in attention away from Russia, one that resulted in a significant loss of expertise in Russian affairs and an underestimation of risks on the part of Washington. This intelligence decline very likely contributed to the West’s misjudging of Putin during his early years in power, when he laid the foundations for renewed Russian autocracy and confrontation with Europe and the United States. Arsonist, Killer, Saboteur, Spy While Trump Courts Him, Putin Is Escalating Russia’s Hybrid War Against the West.

 

Trump may be more likely to draw the United States into a war than people think. The president appears most interested in ending conflicts in pursuit of his much-desired Nobel Peace Prize. But he talks loudly. And if the United States is attacked, Americans are willing to let him wield a big stick. Would Americans Go to War Against China?

 

The Houthis realize they are currently at a disadvantage but are counting on the United States losing interest throughout a protracted military campaign. In other words, America’s limitation is what the Houthis will count on to avoid a collapse similar to the Assad regime and Hezbollah. Is This Game Over for the Houthis?

 

Erdogan may aspire to be like Putin, but Turkey is not Russia. Unlike Russia, which thrives on resource wealth, Turkey’s economy is deeply dependent on foreign investment. Investors are already fleeing as the country grows more authoritarian, and a slide into full autocracy will hardly bring them back. The Turkish economy would remain mired in crisis. And even a strongman must deliver results to maintain his grip on power. Turkey Is Now a Dictatorship.

 

Since World War II, many countries have grown accustomed to and benefited greatly from the relative stability of the U.S.-led order and the respect for territorial sovereignty it enforces. It is difficult to pinpoint how far the system could unravel if current constraints on territorial conquest continue to erode. Conquest Is Back.

 

IDF will seize Gaza land permanently until Hamas releases hostages, Defense Minister Israel Katz says.

 

President Trump said on Wednesday that the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen would be “annihilated” by U.S. military strikes and warned Tehran to “immediately” stop supplying it with military equipment and general support and “let the Houthis fight it out themselves.” The Houthi Situation.

 

Bill Gates says he thinks it’s ‘insane’ that Elon Musk is allowed to ‘destabilize’ politics in other countries. The Musk-led New American Empire.

 

Instead of squandering more resources in the counterproductive pursuit of primacy, Washington should renew its commitment to strengthening economies and advancing human rights around the world. The national interest does not reside in outmaneuvering China in every domain, it resides in an internationalist vision that emphasizes cooperation over competition. Trump and the New Age of Nationalism.

 

The marriage of Putin’s isolated autocratic state with advanced nuclear capabilities and an Islamist regime intent on ensuring its own survival is a threat that would extend far beyond the Middle East. It may motivate like-minded states around the world to unite behind their discontent with the United States’ global leadership and join their ranks. Will Iran and Russia’s Growing Partnership Go Nuclear?

 

During the last five years, Israelis have endured the COVID-19 pandemic, five election cycles, an attempt to pass very aggressive judicial reforms, and a war that began with a horrific massacre and spread to several arenas simultaneously. According to all indications, the coming year will not be any calmer. Israel, Trump, and the Gaza Deal.

 

A reporter asked whether there was any guidance about seatbelt use.

“Fasten your seat belts,” she suggested. Good advice. It is going to get bumpy. The Trump White House Has No Idea What the Trump White House Just Did.

 

The one thing Trump understands is power - and if U.S. allies work together, they can confront him with plenty of their own. If they succeed in mobilizing their resources collectively, they may also be able to blunt some of Trump’s worst foreign policy impulses. That may in turn create the opportunity down the road to forge a new global order that matches Pax Americana’s record for peace and prosperity. But if they fail, a darker era of unchecked power politics awaits - one that is less prosperous and more dangerous for all. The Price of Trump’s Power Politics.

 

The US could start by identifying the alliances it should strengthen and the countries it should build new relationships with within Africa, Latin America, and the Indo-Pacific region. In Africa and Latin America, this could include countries that are rich in the natural resources used in battery or semiconductor production, such as Chile and Zimbabwe, or are in strategically important locations, such as Djibouti due to its access to the Red Sea. The Case For Reglobalization.

 

Pax Americana is gone. Born with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the U.S.-led international rules-based order died with the second inauguration of Donald J. Trump. Trump and Power.

 

Leaders in Washington better recognize that, although corporate interests and national interests will not always align, commercial capabilities may be essential to national security objectives. Because of this, the government must devise a framework that allows these interests to complement each other. The United States’ continued ability to defend its allies and partners may soon depend on how well it can harness U.S. tech companies’ growing power. The Private Sector on the Front Line Big Tech and the Risky Blurring of Commercial and Security Interests.

 

Misinformation is rife in Syria, and after five decades of despotic rule, Syrians have little trust in their institutions. Assad loyalists, Iran, and ISIS have tried to spoil reconciliation and reconstruction by staging attacks and spreading propaganda that portrays the new government as beholden to malign foreign interests. Other countries must not play into this perception. Instead, no-strings-attached humanitarian aid and symbolic concessions can help Syrians replace Assad with a better system. Syria’s Islamist Rulers Overhaul the Economy with Firings and Privatization of State Firms.

 

As a typical answer of a Belgian bureaucrat (Belgian bureaucrats in the form of for example 'Ambassadors' still exist today), the then Archbishop of Belgium was asked to "pls. say something" in regards to the more than twenty-five thousand Jews that were incarcerated around the corner from his palace, to be gassed in Auschwitz; he answered that this was not his business. When the Nazis invaded Belgium good friends with Adolf Hitler the Belgian King and Queen happily moved to Nazi Germany. Or, reported to us by Koenraad Elst when in Belgium there was a presentation about the Resistance press during World War Two, some visitors found it bizarre or funny to read a clarification on the cover of even an anti-Nazi Belgian paper: “Because we fight the Nazis, some people might think that we are pro-Jewish. Far from it!" But let's start with the beginning. Little Belgium Part One.

Leopold I wrote to Queen Victoria: “Belgium is purement et simplement ma creation;” ‘Belgium owes me its sole existence;’ “The people owe me all they are.” ‘Having great disunity,’ added, “they are without contradiction the most insufferable creatures that exist. Little Belgium Part Two.

President Donald Trump on Friday dramatically expanded his global trade war, confirming that he will impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China on Saturday and announcing plans for additional import taxes on European goods, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, steel, aluminum, copper, and oil and gas. The Trump Tariffs.

 

The United States’ continued ability to defend its allies and partners may soon depend on how well it can harness U.S. tech companies’ growing power. The Private Sector on the Front Line Big Tech and the Risky Blurring of Commercial and Security Interests.

 

President Donald Trump announced extraordinary new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, signing the long-promised economic policy at his Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday which could raise inflation. Businesses Lash Out at Trump’s Tariff Plan.

 

 

Trump’s presidential term is only four years. He is full of bluster, but his bark is often worse than his bite. The key for intelligence officials will be to avoid distraction and find a way to stay focused on the core missions. Trump’s Threat to U.S. Intelligence Disruption and Demands for Loyalty Would Undermine National Security.

 

South Korea’s impeached president arrived at a Seoul court for a hearing on Saturday to oppose a formal arrest over last month’s imposition of martial law. Yoon, who has been in detention since he was apprehended on Wednesday in a massive law enforcement operation at his residence, faces potential rebellion charges linked to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, which set off the country’s most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s. The South Korea Saga.

 

After meeting for more than six hours Israel’s cabinet approved a deal with Hamas whereby a Gaza ceasefire won’t begin until Hamas lists hostages to be released. Hamas has released the names of three Israeli hostages set to be released on Sunday. Hamas's Predicament and the History of the Middle East.

 

People gathered in Tel Aviv to watch footage of the release of Israeli hostages

 

After 254 people (including children), were abducted by Hamas from Israel to the Gaza Strip where they were held underground. Today 3 Israeli women in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners were let go and arrived back in Israel today. Day two of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. To Be Followed By the Release of More Hostages.

 

What Countries Outside Europe Think About Trump:

 

The stability of U.S. interests and values, the role of Congress, and the realities of today’s world will demand significant constancy. Although it is bent on reversing Biden’s approach, the incoming team may be surprised to learn how much the two administrations share. The Trump-Biden-Trump Foreign Policy American Strategy’s Strange Continuity.

 

Companies such as Terra Power and X-energy both need HALEU for their advanced reactors, which are expected to be operational by 2030 provided the fuel is available. Initially, the plan was to get the highly enriched fuel from Russia, but its war in Ukraine and the later U.S. ban has thrown the fuel question into uncertainty. America’s Awkward Energy Insecurity Problem With the (sort of) end of Russian uranium imports, a challenge looms: How To Fuel the Next Generation of Reactors?

 

The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in Ramallah said it was “alarmed” by a new wave of violence by Israeli settlers and security forces in the occupied West Bank that erupted following the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement. How The Situation Stands Today.

 

The wars’ endgames may be approaching in Ukraine and Gaza. Plausible settlements are available that could acceptably serve the belligerents’ core interests, at least better than continued fighting would. What remains to be seen is whether the politicians in charge want to grasp the nettles in peace. Can Trump Reach Real Settlements in Ukraine and Gaza?

 

President Trump's “America First” rejects the realist emphasis on the long run: it is a shortsighted, transactionalist, and narrowly selfish approach. Trump sees every interaction with other countries, friends and foes alike, as a zero-sum confrontation in which the objective is to extract the largest possible share of the perceived visible gains. Washington tried this approach before, in the interwar years. Its myopic demands for repayment of its war debts contributed to the financial fragility that led to the shattering global financial crisis of 1931. Don’t Mistake Bluster and Cynicism for Toughness and Wisdom.

The belief that Arab-Israeli normalization could proceed over the heads or at the expense of the Palestinians was at best misguided and at worst dangerous, as recent events demonstrate. It took nearly three years and the deadliest violence in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for the Biden administration to finally come to terms with this reality; the Trump administration would do well to learn the same lesson. The Fallacy of the Abraham Accords.

 

If there is a new Cold War, then the West may also be entering a new era of containment. But it is a far more complex situation than in the old days. Rather than to two mostly rational superpowers, the world is now hostage to three unpredictable and dangerous leaders: Putin, Trump, and Xi. Why Russia Seeks to Change, Not End, the Conflict in Ukraine.

 

Trump’s administration will come to an end, eventually, as will his “Make America Great Again” movement. Afterward, the American people will have to rebuild what he destroyed: a government able to administer the country in the interests of its people. Trump and the Perils of Ungoverning.

 

Syria is caught in a web of contradictory legal restrictions. It seems to inherit all U.S. sanctions placed on the Assad regime (first imposed with Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism in 1979 and later intensified after the civil war erupted in 2011). At the same time, it has been saddled with the confusion over whether the terrorist designation of HTS applies to the entire transitional government. While U.S. leaders herald the fall of the Assad regime, the Biden administration quietly affirmed this month that key Assad-era restrictions remain in place. It’s Now or Never for Engagement in Syria.

 

To achieve peace and stability, Syria needs the help of current and future partners that will not bend the country toward their own visions but instead help support Syria’s own. Don’t Let Geopolitics Ruin Syria’s Transition.

 

The legacies of Afghanistan and Syria serve as cautionary tales about the dangers of foreign interference and the exploitation of vulnerable nations. As the dust settles on over a decade of conflict, the enduring impact on the lives of millions will remain a stark reminder of the human cost of geopolitical ambition. How Geopolitics Reshaped Syria’s Trajectory.

 

Elon Musk’s Biographer calls him a ‘Sociopath’ after Auschwitz Photo-Op while Nazi Concentration Camp Memorial attacks Elon Musk: 'Mad Extremist'. Elon Musk’s Salute.

 

Trump might be able to succeed if he can portray himself as unpredictable and unrestrained without seeming unhinged. But if Trump comes off as hopelessly irrational, he is unlikely to get what he seeks. The Limits of Madman Theory.

 

On Saturday, Elon Musk surprised the crowd at a rally for Germany’s far-right party, as the country’s “best hope.” The world’s richest person is facing accusations of performing a “Sieg Heil” Nazi salute at an inauguration event earlier this week. AFD Televised Appearance.

 

South Korea’s democracy will face serious struggles, even if Yoon’s night of martial law is just a bad memory. But South Korea’s citizens are up to the task. If they stopped a military dictatorship overnight, just as they deposed an earlier generation of autocrats, they can right their ship in the years ahead. Can South Korea’s Democracy Survive?

 

According to the UN, 90 percent of Syrians now live below the poverty line and 75 percent need urgent humanitarian assistance. Seven million remain internally displaced, and more than five million have fled to Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. As a result, too many of the Syrians who should be rebuilding their country for the better are distracted by poverty and shut out of power. Syria’s Post-Authoritarian Trap. Why Islamist Rebels Are Unlikely to Become Democratic Rulers.

 

The impact of war on the economy almost announced the doom of Russia’s economy. The numbers on the surface may seem stable, but Moscow may undergo an economic collapse soon. Russia Vows Retaliation.

 

The foreign busybodies in the State Department, Foreign Office, and French Foreign Ministry, who are already pressing for the reconstruction of a unitary Syrian state, should reflect on the country’s history. The Problem with Syria Today.

 

Iran will soon attempt to pick up the pieces and reconstitute its proxies in the region. And with its conventional deterrent destroyed, Iran may also conclude that only a nuclear weapon can protect it from Israel and the United States. The Iran Opportunity.

 

China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, are unlikely to mellow overnight. The United States’ struggle against these countries may not last forever, but Washington must prepare for a contest that could last years. In this competition, domestic unity will be essential. Investing in jobs, infrastructure, housing, and education in neglected areas, and rekindling a spirit of civic duty, will be crucial not only to mend national fissures but also to fortify the United States against foreign threats. The Strange Triumph of a Broken America.

 

As the U.S. election was unfolding, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tested a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile and drew closer to Putin, internationalizing the conflict in Ukraine by providing Russia with North Korean troops. Why it Is Not Easy to Grasp the Significance of Events When You Are in the Middle of Them.

 

Elon Musk is trying to influence the German elections, plus his MAGA is now gaining traction abroad. Now MAGA is Also in Argentina and Japan.

 

Competition between the United States and Beijing will be a defining feature of the coming decades. But although China’s centralized governance may deliver rapid advancements in key areas, its gains are fragile. The real peril for the United States may lie not in the unmatchable rise of a new rival but in its unwillingness to acknowledge and build on its unmatched potential. Know Your Rival, Know Yourself Rightsizing the China Challenge.

 

A struggle is whether some of Washington’s most important allies, struggling with their domestic problems, can resist interference with their sovereignty by a man whose net worth roughly equals Russia’s entire 2025 budget. Especially when that man has Donald Trump’s ear. The Real Ambitions of Musk.

 

Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods to coerce action from Ottawa on border issues saddled Trudeau with fears of a profound recession ahead of an election year that will dawn with him in deep trouble. Canada is On the Brink.

 

Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign very deliberately echoed the one that Ronald Reagan ran in 1980. “Peace through strength” and “Are you better off today than you were four years ago. Today, the argument that Trump might pull off a similar feat will strike many as absurd. But historical wisdom consists partly of remembering how unlikely epochal events seemed, even just a few years before they happened. Success in foreign policy can remake a presidential reputation beyond recognition. To Compete with China, Trump Should Learn from Reagan.

 

Amid the catastrophe, scientists' warnings, which regularly remind us that humanity's dependence on fossil fuels is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme events, are being felt in the flesh. The Wild Fires in California.

 

Emulating their Asian counterparts, Western countries should learn to deal with Washington not as a superpower with an almost unlimited willingness to defend them but as an offshore balancer that will use its forces discriminatingly to advance American interests first. What Asia Can Teach the World About Adapting to Trump.

 

Not everyone in the West opposes China’s global development program. The Ford Foundation, one of the largest private charities in the world, has pumped roughly $10 million into supporting China’s strategy of funding foreign infrastructure projects to accumulate influence. A spokesperson for the charity explained that it hopes to help make China’s impact on the world “equitable” and “sustainable.” The Belt and Road Initiative Today.

 

Quantum computers will create extraordinary opportunities for many countries worldwide. They will also pose new risks, including potential abuse or misuse, and possible shocks to the world order. If these dangers can be managed, the potential of quantum computing to accelerate human progress and build a better future could be incredible. The Race to Lead the Quantum Future.

 

The U.S., European, and Arab Gulf States are engaging with the new administration to try to push the HTS in Syria towards an inclusive political transition and also to seek cooperation on counter-terrorism and limiting Iranian influence in the region. But they remain wary of how the rebels-turned-rulers will manage the country and have questions over how they will bring together disparate groups with varying views on the direction the new Syria should take. HTS In Syria Today.

 

 

Seoul said there was no indication of when a second arrest warrant for Yoon might be executed, but he said the week ahead could be decisive for the political crisis as Yoon’s first impeachment hearing is set to take place on Tuesday. The South Korea Saga.

Netanyahu met with Trump’s incoming US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff in Jerusalem. Witkoff met in Doha on Friday with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who briefed him on the ongoing negotiations, before he traveled to Israel to meet with Netanyahu. Fatah Vows Not to Let Hamas ‘Replicate Its Actions’ in West Bank, Slams Iran.

 

Greenland's destiny must be decided among people whose voices have been too long overlooked. As For Trump, They Said Greenland Is Not For Sale But He Is Free To Visit.

 

Trump or his successors, will find it increasingly difficult to ignore the growing political relevance of those countries once consigned to the margins. Trump’s bid to reassert American hegemony will run into a world that is far less pliant than he imagines it to be. Rise of the Nonaligned.

 

Trump has the opportunity to put forward a bold economic policy to energize and protect the American economy. The across-the-board tariffs he seems to prefer will not realize these objectives - and could well undo recent progress, leaving the United States in a worse position than before. Why America’s China Strategy is Incomplete.

 

One of the world’s greatest religious spectacles is underway and the numbers are staggering. The Kumbh Mela.

 

Biden made his bid for the presidency with pledges to mount a strong defense of human rights. Yet when he reached the United States’ highest office and took charge of the power it holds, Biden backed away from the fight for a more principled foreign policy and a more humane world. How Biden Failed on Human Rights.

 

Today 15 January the number of people killed in the LA wildfires has risen to 25. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has reinstated its highest level of warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura as gusty winds are expected. Firefighters are still battling four fires covering almost 40,000 acres. Thousands of gallons of the retardant have been used, leaving behind eye-catching images of pink neighborhoods.

 

Should President Trump refuse to rule out the use of military force to achieve and protect U.S. interests, that type of statement and determination would serve to further deter Beijing from taking any action that would prompt the U.S. to take military action to protect Taiwan. Trump's Greenland Bid Stirs Debate in China About What to Do With Taiwan.

 

As the US faces growing rivalry to shape the future of the global order, its intelligence agencies and military must capitalize on the country’s innovation and leadership in AI, focusing particularly on large language models, to provide faster and more relevant information to policymakers. They will only gain the speed, breadth, and depth of insight needed to navigate a more complex, competitive, and content-rich world. Spy vs. AI How Artificial Intelligence Will Remake Espionage.

 

This a subject we have been following for some time, see here, and here. As the most dramatic development, Yoon Suk Yeol now became South Korea’s first sitting president to be detained, surrendering himself for questioning Wednesday after a weeks-long standoff that resulted in a dramatic predawn raid on the official presidential residence. The Case of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

 

At yesterday’s press conference, Malaya admitted that Manila was running out of options and that China’s steady pressure in disputed waters was “pushing us to the wall.” According to a report by BenarNews, when asked whether the Philippines might file a new international legal case against China, to complement the case that it brought to an arbitral tribunal in The Hague in 2013, he refused to rule it out, saying that “all options are on the table.”

 

Negotiators reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that mediators said would take effect on Jan 19 and include a release of hostages held there during 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the Palestinian enclave and inflamed the Middle East. The End of Horror?

 

The United States will need workers capable of doing the work. The country’s embedded expertise and talent pipelines have atrophied thanks to decades of weak demand for skills, such as making and maintaining machine tools. The education system’s college-for-all model is overproducing underemployed knowledge workers. The Trump administration should shift funding away from traditional higher education and into apprenticeships and on-the-job training, working in partnership with community colleges and labor unions. How Trump Can Rebuild America the Conservative Case for Reindustrialization.

 

The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol should have been a wake-up call for the United States, as its counterpart was for Brazil. But Trump’s reelection showed that not to be the case. In his second term, surrounded by loyalists and with sweeping presidential immunity from prosecution, a more powerful Trump could face fewer obstacles in attempts to subvert U.S. democracy. Thus, one can only hope for the United States that, as Brazil has shown, democracies are not always defenseless when confronting internal threats. From Chile to Mexico.

 

At a time when Israeli policies have raised strong concerns among what he described as a relatively small part of the Democratic Party and a strong isolationist movement is forming among Republicans. A Hostage Deal Was Made.

Ein Bild, das Landschaft, Nacht, Himmel, Wasser enthält.

Automatisch generierte Beschreibung

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered his

own annual New Year address Tuesday and reiterated the Communist Party’s position on Taiwan. “No one can ever stop China’s reunification,” he said, alluding to Beijing’s longtime vow to bring the island under its control, by force if necessary. The Next World War?

 

Hu Yaobang sought to remake China in the world, he understood that the biggest challenges facing China come not from without but from within. The Man who Almost Changed China.

 

The relative quiet of the present nuclear crisis between Iran and the United States speaks more to the raging nature of wars elsewhere than to restraint on Tehran’s part or effective diplomacy on Washington’s. There is no guarantee that the crisis will remain quiescent for much longer. The fact that military force may be necessary to prevent an Iranian nuclear breakout should be seen as a bipartisan policy failure. A Last Chance for Iran America Should Give Diplomacy a Final Shot - While Preparing to Use Military Force.

 

There will be many questions about South Asia and the world: how the region adjusts to a second Trump administration in Washington, how it is affected by conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine, and how it navigates unrelenting great-power competition. But South Asia, faced with new governments, deepening instability, fraught borders, and economic struggles, will have its hands full closer to home. Below, we lay out Four Key Storylines to Watch in 2025.

Journalist recalls interviewing New Orleans attack suspect.

 

If the parameters of any peace deal are likely to remain obscured for months to come, Ukraine’s ex-Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says one thing is clear - Russia will not ask for peace. The Real Risks of Escalation in Ukraine.

Should the new Syrian authorities give Turkey access to military bases in the country - especially those between Damascus and the Golan Heights, a move Israel would regard as threatening because of the area’s proximity to Israeli forces and territory - a clash between Israel and Turkey would be a serious possibility. Why Washington Should Create the Conditions to Withdraw U.S. Troops.

 

The Islamic State has long relied on inspiring its supporters to conduct vehicle attacks, following an explicit admonition to do so by its former No. 2, Abu Mohammad al-Adnani, who once exhorted Islamic State supporters to conduct attacks against Westerners with any means at their disposal. “Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him,” Adnani urged more than a decade ago. These brute-force tactics remain highly successful and hard to detect in the planning stages. The Islamic State is a Franchise Now.

 

“We must possess Syria. If the thread from Lebanon to here is cut, bad events will happen,” warned former Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani in 2012. Fast forward 12 years, and the Islamic Republic no longer possesses Syria, a point made clear when images of Tehran’s ransacked embassy in Damascus surfaced online recently. Target Tehran.

 

The shadowy Iranian global intelligence service you probably never heard of. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

On an aside 1, an earlier recording at the Honolulu Festival by EV:

On an aside 2, an earlier recording of rural Majorca:

More than 170 people have died after a plane crashed as it was landing in South Korea on Sunday morning. The Jeju Air plane came off the runway before colliding with a wall at Muan International Airport in the southwest of the country.

 

Memorized today President Carter met the challenges of his time, some of his own making, with strength and foresight. In his century of life, he left a lasting legacy. It ought to include his contributions to U.S. national security. Carter's Actions as President.

 

North Korea’s relentless march toward ever more powerful weapons of mass destruction and the United States’ unreliability in (and likely after) the Trump era. The United States itself would never tolerate the nuclear vulnerability South Korea now experiences. Rather than insisting that its ally remain imperiled, Washington should drop its barriers to Seoul’s finding its way to security. The Bomb is the Best Way to Contain the Threat from the North.

Singapore marks 60 years of independence

Celebrations for SG60 will kick off on New Year’s Eve, with a countdown at Marina Bay, Sentosa, Singapore Sports Hub, and 17 heartland locations.

China-backed hackers breached US Treasury workstations. US Treasury Hacked by China.

 

Warsaw is turning to major arms deals with South Korea to establish supremacy in Continental Europe. The Road to the Russian Border.

 

The US will have to drive a hard bargain that will require a long-term commitment and a conviction that preventing Russia from winning on Moscow’s terms will be of real value to the United States. A positive outcome, moreover, will reverberate far beyond Europe: amid mounting geopolitical instability, achieving lasting peace in Ukraine will send a strong signal not only to the U.S. America Needs a Maximum Pressure Strategy in Ukraine.

 

Switzerland on 20 December 2024 published a long-awaited parliamentary report last year's collapse of Credit Suisse, an event that called into question the country's reputation (which now moves to Singapore) for financial stability and prompted far-reaching questions about what went wrong. The End of the Swiss Banking Era.

 

If Chinese leaders do a better job of implementing reforms than Trump does in the next four years, China will narrow the power gap with the United States. But if Trump does a better job than China in this aspect - and eschews damaging foreign conflicts and entanglements - the power gap between the two countries will get bigger. Why China Isn’t Scared of Trump.

 

After QAnon, Elon Musk on Friday voiced his support for Alternative for Germany, a far-right German political party with ties to neo-Nazis that has been classified as “confirmed extremist” by German domestic intelligence. The Attempted Overthrow of the German Government.

 

Elon Musk initially expressed his admiration for the AfD which led us to the research in our previous post. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) became the first far-right party to win a state election in Germany since the Nazi era. The party’s lead candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, was convicted earlier this year after breaking German laws against uttering Nazi slogans in public. On Friday, December 17 there was a car-ramming attack by an AfD admirer. Posts on the suspect's X account, verified by Reuters, suggested he supported the Alternative for Germany (AfD). The Extradition Request by Saudi Government.

People put flowers for those who died in the attack.

 

Syria’s long-term recovery will depend on reintegration into the global economy through trade agreements, regional partnerships, and diplomatic engagement. The country’s new leaders must recognize that a failure to meet the international community’s expectations of political reform and transparency risks prolonging the country’s exclusion, deepening its instability, and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. The Path to a Better Syria.

 

Swiss and Italian researchers studied the correlation between immigration and the far right's success in an unusual place: the mostly well-off border towns and villages of Ticino, Switzerland’s Italian-language canton. They focused on the period after 2000 when Switzerland and its EU neighbors first opened their borders to enable citizens to live and work freely in each other’s countries.The Far Right Reality.

 

It is not in the U.S. interest to cut off aid to Ukraine completely under almost any circumstance because that could enable a Russian takeover of the country. Given how much aid the United States has already provided to Ukraine, there is not much room for Washington to expand the flow of arms quantitatively, and further qualitative increases would entail unacceptable escalation risks. A Pathway to Peace in Ukraine.

 

The Tibetan Plateau has been warming more than three times faster than the global average, with Tibet’s permafrost thawing faster. Moreover, infrastructure activities, particularly mining in sensitive regions that cause disturbance and pollution, directly correlate with glacial retreat. The Climate Crisis in Tibet.

 

The world’s multilateral architecture is humanity's best mechanism for confronting existential transnational threats. Allowing it to rot, weaken, or otherwise unravel would leave all countries far too vulnerable in an increasingly volatile world. With Nationalists Ascendant, International Organizations Must Learn to Bend; So They Don’t Break.

China's increasing frequency of revenge against society attacks suggests that the party’s indifference to certain rights and its squelching of dissent may be having an unintended effect: the rise of violence that may appear apolitical on its face but constitutes a desperate rejection of the political status quo. And if the party fails to expand economic opportunities and reduce structural inequalities and injustices, it may eventually find itself faced with greater challenges than revenge against societal attacks. The Roots of “Revenge on Society” Attacks in China.

 

Omar Garcia Harfuch has spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Culiacán, Sinaloa to supervise security operations following armed attacks and the burning of establishments that frighten citizens. Federal forces were deployed throughout the state to protect the population during the Christmas holidays and the upcoming New Year. The War on Drugs in Mexico.

 

The loss of Syria has raised the stakes of the war in Ukraine. In Putin’s schema, Ukraine has become a tipping point in a global struggle between the Western elite and a new, Russian-led order: once Ukraine falls, Russia hopes to take Georgia and whatever other territory it desires, and to once again sell itself as a strong patron to countries around the world. In the meantime, however, Moscow’s promises will ring hollow. Putin Chose Ukraine over Syria.

 

 

Israeli air strikes pummelled Sanaa's international airport and other targets in Yemen on 26 December, with Huthi rebel media reporting six deaths.

 

All recognize that power will accrue to those who hold the keys to AI development and deployment. As countries and tech giants jockey for position, the geopolitical tempest that ensues may overshadow the transformative potential of the technology. The Real Stakes of the AI Race.

 

In an economy suffering from excess consumption, low savings, and a declining manufacturing share of GDP, economists should focus on the causes of these conditions and the policies that might reverse them. Economists Have Drawn the Wrong Lessons from the Failures of the 1930s.

 

South Korea's former prosecutor has been banned from leaving the country and is facing a string of investigations, including potential charges of leading an insurrection, a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty. Chaos in South Korea's Parliament.

 

Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.

 

The Trump White House is the danger of turning into a snake pit when different factions within Trump’s world compete for his attention. Many people during the first administration feared that whoever talked to Trump last before he made a decision, that’s what he would do. Trump Aligning with Musk on Immigration.

 

Spying equipment found on seized Russian tanker that cut Finland Cable.

 

Looking ahead, the question is where Israel’s military goes from here. For Israel, the solution appears to be a frightening one: It will continue this strategy simply because it understands it better than others. I’m unconvinced that Israeli forces can carry out attacks with endless repetition in warfare in this age. The Escalating Wars in the Middle East.

 

Not only is the United States safer when it is engaged, but it is also more fiscally responsible. It is expensive to deter a war, yet it is more expensive to fight one. Washington is facing a multitude of global threats, and so it is understandable that officials would second-guess the cost of helping Kyiv. But given the stakes, Americans must have clarity on the long-term costs, not just the upfront expenses. Supporting Ukraine is not only morally right but financially right. It Is a Prudent Investment in U.S. Interests.

 

Having previously described why the Middle East has broken down into a state of extreme combat a Post-Assad Syria Could Unleash a New Regional Order Turkey can calm Arab nations fearful of an Islamist takeover by inviting Syria’s neighbors and the Gulf states to Play a Central Role in the Political Transition.

 

Antony Blinken to arrive for a meeting Turkey, which backed the rebel group that led Assad’s ouster and now stands to carry outsize influence over Syria’s political transition, has largely agreed with Washington’s stance. But it has expressed reservations about Israel’s recent military attacks in Syria and concern about the Syrian Democratic Forces, a U.S.-backed group of Kurdish-led militant groups. What Next With Syria.

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said existing Syrian institutions must be preserved and reformed. “Never allow terrorism to take advantage of the transition period. And we have to coordinate our efforts and learn from the mistakes of the past," Fidan said according to Reuters news agency. The First Step in the Syria of Today.

 

The US urgently needs to reach a bipartisan consensus on the centrality of hard power to U.S. foreign policy. This fact must override both left-wing faith in hollow internationalism and right-wing flirtation with isolation and decline. The Price of American Retreat.

 

Although some countries may have understandable reservations about HTS, they should still want Syria’s transition to succeed, and they should not interfere and make it fail. The disintegration of Syria will be worse, for Syrians and the region. How to Hold Syria Together in the Wake of Assad’s Fall.

 

China’s retail sales growth in November missed analysts’ estimates, while property investment slows further. Imposing high tariffs and rewiring supply chains away from China is inherently disruptive. Even though Beijing is in a far weaker position than in the past, it can still retaliate. To manage the inevitable costs of a de-risking strategy, Washington should opt for relatively moderate tariffs and be prepared to quickly expand its own and its partners’ investment in the industries that will take the place of Chinese firms in global supply chains. China’s Slowdown Has Changed the Trade War.

For those not members of the MAGA crowd, it might sound ludicrous to propose that President Joe Biden extend a blanket pardon to Donald Trump, including for his actions on Jan. 6, 2021. There’s no evidence that this effort to rewrite history will wane. Presidential Pardons for Those Involved in the Attack.

 

US officials are worried that Turkey and its militias are set to invade northern Syria to fight US-backed Kurdish groups, which comes amid intelligence of the Turkish army and allied armed groups building up troops along the border.

 

 

While initially hopeful the HTS Jihadists now are showing themselves as cruel and oppressive. We are already seeing the wanton massacre of dissidents and Christians on the streets. The new US administration may seek to avoid embroiling its military and financial resources in yet another foreign civil war. HTS Today.

 

Ignoring Russia or assuming that it can be easily managed as the United States turns its attention to China would only allow the threat to grow. It would be far better for the United States and its allies to take the challenge from Russia seriously today than to let another conflict become a more costly proposition tomorrow. Putin’s Point of No Return.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country will retain its presence on Mount Hermon, part of a buffer zone in Syria, “until another arrangement is found that will ensure Israel’s security.” “I am here at the summit of Mount Hermon. … Its importance to Israel’s security has only grown stronger in recent years, especially in the last few weeks with the dramatic events unfolding below us in Syria,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. The Geopolitical Competition in the Middle East.

 

The US needs allies in its strategic competition with China, not policies that push them away. But if Trump pulls it off, he might just drive the most consequential rewrite of global trade in decades. The result would be a United States that is both more prosperous and more secure. How to Stop a Trade War.

 

Kim Ju Ae (pictured below), who is now in her early teens - has frequently appeared at the North Korean leader’s side at official events. It seems possible she will eventually inherit his power, perhaps remaining at the helm for years to come. For the moment, at least, North Korea and the Kim dynasty may be among the clearest beneficiaries of an increasingly fractured world. The Strange Success of North Korea.

 

Resistance groups in Myanmar try to take control of Yangon, Myanmar's biggest city and his former home. To date however the military retains the majority of major urban areas - home to crucial infrastructure and revenue. Revisiting Myanmar.

 

As is generally known by now Assad and his family have fled to Russia, We will underneath describe how the Syrian dictator’s stunning fall will scramble the balance of power in the Middle East. The Day After Assad.

 

The Syrian Problem: More than a decade of civil war and sanctions have left the Syrian economy in tatters. An estimated 90% of people live below the poverty line, and more than half the country’s population faces acute food insecurity, according to United Nations humanitarian officials. – Syria’s gross domestic product is estimated to have fallen by more than 85% since the outbreak of civil war in 2011, according to an analysis by Capital Economics. And its already-small oil output now amounts to under 100,000 barrels per day -  “a rounding error for global oil production,” as the consultancy put it in a note Monday. – Inflation reached 115% in 2023, according to an estimate by the World Bank, which also forecast that the country’s economy would shrink by 1.5% this year. – That economic crisis presents a huge issue for the disparate group of Syrian rebel forces as they assume power. The most prominent of those rebel groups is Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate, which still faces sanctions from the United States, Europe, and the United Nations due to its terror designation. – There are already discussions in several countries, including the UK, about whether HTS should be removed from the terrorist list.

 

 

Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was hit with a murder charge late Monday, court records show. Suspect denied bail as he fights extradition to New York. Mangione faces a second-degree, not first-degree, murder charge.

Here we posted an article that presents an overview of the Luigi Mangione situation as it is.

Shock, Glee, and Unease as Syrians Celebrate the Unthinkable A day after the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The Situation As It Is Today.

 

An ephemeral set of understandings could reduce the temperature in the Middle East. That would, in turn, enable Washington and the world to turn their attention to more daunting challenges, especially China and Russia. And any deal that stanches some of the bloodshed and reduces some of the risks, if only temporarily. The Middle East’s Dangerous New Normal.

People in Damascus reported loud explosions throughout the early hours of Tuesday, a continuation of strikes that began over the weekend. And reported that the overnight bombing campaign was the most violent in Damascus in 15 years. Chaos Breaks Out.

 

Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei warned against suggestions that Iran itself would be weakened by events in Syria and Lebanon. “Iran is powerful and will grow more powerful,” he said, warning that “using commentaries or analyses to dishearten the people is an offense.” Iran Putting Up a Brave Face.

 

Many in Ankara were quick to declare victory after Assad fled the country. Having a friendly government in Damascus may open doors for Turkish President Erdogan. He wants refugees to return to Syria, and his allies in Turkey’s construction sector want to take part in rebuilding the country. This win in Syria has afforded him status, which Erdogan will hope to use to his advantage in relations with the West and with countries in the region. How Turkey Won the Syrian Civil War.

 

Neither Putin nor Zelensky will be easily coaxed to the table, and Trump might resent the imperative of having to maintain, and even expand, support for Ukraine as a means to force negotiations. But an endless war or capitulation to Putin would be far worse. Convince Kyiv to Trade Land for NATO Membership.

 

For now, placing any kind of limits on cooperation with India may seem at best premature and at worst counterproductive. But given India’s foreign policy characteristics, Washington must draw up a strategy for handling New Delhi, no matter how much it wants to obsess about Beijing. Otherwise, the US not only risks falling behind in Asia. It risks being sidelined altogether. India Will Carve Its Path.

 

If an impeachment motion is passed, it must then be approved by the country’s Constitutional Court. The court is supposed to deliver its verdict within 180 days of the parliamentary vote. Impeachment Now Likely.

 

After the Fall of Assad, the Middle East Braces for Unrest. Regional Stability Will Hinge on What Happens Next in Syria.

 

On Nov. 3, at least 11 shoppers were injured in a grenade attack on a flea market in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. One woman later died from her injuries. It was just the latest terrorist incident since a new government took office in mid-October. In Jammu, the predominantly Hindu part of the territory, terrorist attacks have killed at least 44 people this year, including 18 security personnel. The Ongoing Dilemma of Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Although today’s Iran is confident that it can fight to defend itself, it wants peace, and it is determined to build a better future. Iran can be an able and willing partner, so long as its partnerships are based on mutual respect and equal footing. Let us not miss this opportunity for a new beginning. How Iran Sees the Path to Peace.

 

Truong My Lan started as a market stall vendor. In 1986, she began buying properties after the Communist Party introduced market reforms. By the 1990s, her real estate portfolio had expanded to include many hotels and restaurants but there was a hook to it. The Biggest Bank Fraud in the World.

 

Americans must choose between integrity or corruption, accountability or complicity, impunity or the rule of law. These choices are stark, and making the right ones will require real political courage, leadership, and coalition-building. But ultimately, this is the only way to ensure the future of the United States and a world that is safer, more prosperous, and freer. Foreign Policy Consensus.

 

In the context of protests in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law is almost reminiscent of the country’s dark pre-democracy period. The Situation in South Korea Today.

 

Guns, Drugs, and Migration Have Destabilized the Region—and Fed Dysfunction in Washington Curbing the power of the region’s criminal groups and the governments with which they have aligned is the only real path to stopping the mass exodus. If authoritarian regimes in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela remain stubbornly entrenched, it would also require expanding the already depleted capacity of neighboring countries to absorb their migrants and refugees. Without these steps, the age of pan-American disorder is likely here to stay. The Price of Neglecting Latin America Guns, Drugs, and Migration.

Bizarre Development of the Manhunt.

 

Putin and Xi know that this will be Trump’s final term and that he could easily be followed by a president who would reverse any deal reached under the Republican president. Both Xi and Putin, in contrast, plan to stay in power well beyond 2029, when Trump’s term will end. Apart from the personal relationship between the two autocrats, their common mistrust of Washington and their hopes of becoming more powerful in an emerging multipolar order - at the United States’ expense - are likely to provide a strong enough foundation to keep the Sino-Russian partnership stable and growing. Can Trump Split China and Russia?

 

In the groundswell of fury and defiance that erupted among South Koreans after their president declared martial law, curtailing the country's hard-won freedoms, it was perhaps the iconic moment. As parliamentarians scrambled to get inside the National Assembly building to reverse the emergency measure, a woman in a leather coat confronted one of the soldiers who was trying to stop the lawmakers, grabbed his automatic rifle, and tried to tug it away while yelling “Aren't you ashamed?”

 

Notre Dame Restauration Completed With Dignitaries Currently in Paris.

 

South Korean Parliament Votes to Lift Martial Law After Yoon’s Declaration South Korea’s Ruling Party Leader Calls for President Yoon’s Removal Amid Martial Law Crisis. Defence Minister Arrested.

 

Rebels in Damascus claim victory; the president has stepped down and left the country. Assad Regime Falls in Syria.

 

Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election could not have come at a better time for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. From a low point in the aftermath of Hamas’ October 7 attack, Netanyahu's poll numbers have rebounded. He fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, who long threatened his coalition and whose attempted dismissal last year led to massive protests. He has installed allies as foreign and defense ministers, meaning his governing coalition has never been more stable. Israel’s Trump Delusion.

 

Germany’s political uncertainty illustrates demands for minimal state interventionism to stabilize the economy in the long term. Thus, it remains to be seen whether the theoretical currents of such economic liberalism in post-pandemic Germany will translate into a classical problem of secondary deflation or create a decentralized competitive order that paves the way for institutional integrity toward social reunification - Germany at a Crossroads.

 

The city was meant to be China’s answer to New York. But trade tensions and changing domestic priorities have taken a toll. How Shanghai’s Ambition to Be the ‘Future of Finance’ Fell Apart.

 

How America’s War on Chinese Tech Backfired. And Why Trump’s Plans Would Make Things Even Worse.

 

Allowing independent political activity and releasing political prisoners will foster significant goodwill among the Egyptian public and external partners such as the United States and Europe. Most importantly, however, these steps would help Egypt bolster its capacity to deal with the ongoing crisis in Gaza and with the challenges to come. Does America Still Need Egypt?

 

Killer whales were spotted swimming in downtown Vancouver:

For most of the past year, the fighting between Hizbollah and Israel was largely confined to exchanges of fire in a narrow strip of land on either side of the Blue Line, the UN-demarcated border between the two countries. But in recent months it has escalated into a full-blown war, with Israel carrying out a ferocious bombardment of targets across Lebanon before launching a ground invasion in October. The US-Brokered Ceasefire.

 

Biden’s legacy was being compared with that of one of the greatest American presidents, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, no one is making such comparisons, and many Democrats and progressives have denounced Biden’s conduct on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. How Biden Can Salvage Middle East Peace and His Legacy.

 

Countries across the global South should look to their people for the way forward, and international institutions must give those people - including members of civil society, movement leaders, and economists - a seat at the table. The people most affected by debt burdens must have a voice in shaping their way out of them. Shaking off the shackles of sovereign debt. How Creditors and Debtors Can End a Global Crisis.

 

No U.S. administration can overhaul Venezuela’s political system. However, by setting achievable goals that address immediate needs, promote economic recovery, and support fundamental freedoms, The United States Can Help the Venezuelan People.

 

Syrian rebels breach Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, in startling advance. 1 million people in Syria were left without water, and electricity due to airstrikes. Life Report.

 

Trump has assembled a team of China hawks. How will Beijing respond? On the one hand, there will still be traditional Wall Street titans and tech leaders who are seen as Beijing-friendly and don’t want to rock the boat with China. And then there is Elan Musk. Individuals will matter, Musk is a wild card and his interests conflict. The China Play.

Led by escaped convicts and formed along family lines, the heavily armed gangs defy Gazan authorities and operate freely along the border, a restricted Israeli military zone.

 

They stockpile the looted goods in open-air headquarters - seemingly overlooked by Israeli surveillance drones - and resell the supplies via middlemen to destitute Palestinians at prohibitive prices.

Some of our worst traits will enable us to exhibit some of our best: the human instinct toward self-interest, even at the expense of others, may prepare us for accepting AI’s transcendence of the self. War and Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.

 

Years after one of the worst spills in history, companies in search of discoveries are drilling even deeper into the seabed the industry is haunted by the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in BP’s Macondo prospect. Over 87 days, 134mn gallons of oil poured into the northern Gulf, killing up to 800,000 seabirds and almost wiping out the Rice’s whale Now the GranMorgu project development will involve the development of the Sapakara South and Krabdagu oil discoveries, off the coast of Suriname. The Making of a New Oil Spill.

 

Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration reported to rethink its uncritical support of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, clarifying and restricting how and when that government can use American weapons and munitions. And it must diplomatically reassure the region’s other actors that the United States will be a moderating influence rather than an aggravating one. Without these changes, the potential for escalation in the Middle East will only grow. Israel’s Latest Wars are Changing Tehran’s Strategic Calculations.

 

Prodded by Beijing China’s ambassador to the US has been rushing to connect with potential Trump administration officials after several years of struggling to get meetings with Republicans in Washington. China Rushes to Connect with Potential Trump Officials.

 

European colonialism, therefore, played a critical role in shaping the modern Middle East and the conditions that led to the founding of Israel. The legacy of colonialism, with its arbitrary borders, foreign intervention, and the imposition of external political models, has left a lasting imprint on the region, contributing to the ongoing conflicts and struggles for national identity and sovereignty. Israel and its Current Problems Part One.

The new US administration will surely face significant new challenges to U.S. nuclear deterrence. The United States and its allies simply do not have the luxury of waiting another three years for these challenges to be met. Deterring Nuclear Dictators like China, Russia, and North Korea.

 

The British Mandate in Palestine was marked by the tension between the commitments made to the Jewish people in the Balfour Declaration and the rights of the Arab population. The terms of the mandate, as established by the League of Nations, created a framework that was both ambitious and fraught with contradictions. The British Mandate in Palestine and Zionism.

 

Washington must work with Doha, Paris, Riyadh, and other partners to scale up financial, military, and institutional support to the Lebanese army to allow it to move to the south and take control of Lebanon’s borders. Lebanon’s Day After.

 

Last April, it appeared as though escalation between Israel and Iran could plunge the entire Middle East into conflict. Israel’s strikes on the Iranian consulate in Damascus prompted Iran to retaliate by launching a barrage of missiles and rockets into Israel, the first time that Iran had openly attacked the country. Israel and its Current Problems Part Two.

 

The US (in defense of Taiwan the only country possibly going at war with China) better exploit its asymmetric strengths and focus on revitalizing its credibility among its allies, exacerbating Beijing’s distinct vulnerabilities, and ultimately tipping the cost-benefit balance for China’s nuclear-backed coercion campaign. Once it appreciates the subtle role that China’s nuclear buildup plays in advancing Beijing’s geopolitical agenda, the United States can shift its policies to maintain the status quo. The True Aims of China’s Nuclear Buildup.

 

In October, China and India reached an agreement on patrolling a stretch of their long-disputed shared border. The deal brought an end, for the time being, to a four-year standoff in the high mountains of the Himalayas that had severely strained ties between the two countries. It also allowed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to meet in Russia and hold talks for the first time in five years. In 2020, a bloody confrontation in the Galwan Valley left dozens of soldiers dead and led to a deep freeze in bilateral relations between the two Asian giants. Himalayas Deal.

 

Beijing has already Prepared for Trump’s Return: China Is Readying for Known Challenges and Unknown Risks.

 

Chinese authorities attempt to keep a lid on the Zhuhai incident where 35 people died. The BBC reported that security guards began photographing the journalists and making calls after learning its news team was present. A video shows a man in civilian clothes interrupting the newscast, angrily demanding to see a press card, grabbing the BBC correspondent, and trying to block the camera lens.

 

Whatever happens after January 20, 2025, it will be critical for Ukraine to get further funds and weapons in the remaining weeks of this year. If Trump does try to talk to Putin, Ukraine will need to be in the strongest position possible on the battlefield. Ukrainians know that it won’t be easy to ensure Washington’s continued support. Tell Trump that a Russian Victory Could Hurt Him.

The defense pact signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un obligates both countries to provide immediate military support to one another if either is attacked. The document additionally urges both nations to engage actively in the pursuit of a “just and multipolar new world order” and to ramp up collaboration across several domains, encompassing peaceful nuclear energy, space exploration, food security, as well as trade and economic aspects. Keir Giles has penned a book on Russia titled ‘Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent.’

 

Chinese leaders were surprised to learn that the Roman Empire was still intact and functioning as a unified state at a time when China had split into three rival kingdoms. The prospect of establishing political and commercial contacts with Rome was, therefore, attractive. When the Romans Went to China.

 

Trump’s imminent return to the White House is making Europe nervous, and we can already see the effects. For one, Brussels is changing its spending policies to redirect tens of billions of euros to defense and security. Why America’s Mission Was to Spread Freedom or the End of its 'Ancien Régime'.

 

Even when the facts don't support the claims, enemies of Israel will use classic inversion and denial to turn the narrative - baselessly accusing Israel of genocide and using human shields. The very things Hamas and its counterparts do - they use civilians to shield operatives to keep Israel from striking and their very reason to exist is that they want to wage genocide against the Jews. Israel Mostly Stands Alone.

 

 

The profound effects of the British Empire’s actions in the Arab World during the First World War can be seen echoing through the history of the 20th century. Several instances like the debates surrounding the Sykes-Picot agreement have shaped the Middle East. But none was as important as the machinations of Sharif Hussein Ibn Ali 1853-1931. The Making of the Middle East.

 

After Trump's win, Putin said that a struggle for a new world order was underway. Putin said, ‘Former structure of the world is irrevocably disappearing ... a serious, irreconcilable struggle is unfolding’ to form a new one. An Opening for Russia to Shatter Western Unity.

 

- The Saudi Arabian desert turned into a winter landscape for the first time in its history:

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- A new Kristallnacht in Europe: Pogrom in Amsterdam against Israeli football fans that led to 62 arrests and seven Israelis missing. What Happened?

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- Coordination between Washington and Taipei would complicate Chinese plans for a blockade or invasion and may prompt Beijing to reexamine whether the costs of continuing on its current path outweigh the benefits. Even if China does not abandon its gray-zone playbook, such steps would, at the very least, better prepare Taiwan for a conflict that such coercion has made all the more likely. China’s Gray-Zone Offensives Against Taiwan.

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- Allies that feel exposed may make choices that damage their own security and that of the United States. Deploying U.S. troops for domestic law enforcement, border patrol, or deportations may fracture the bond between the American public and the military, as well as sow discord within the military itself. The National Security Imperative for a Trump Presidency.

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- Beijing is launching a stimulus largely to repair confidence. And if the U.S. is declaring a second trade war, it might undo those stabilization measures on the confidence side, certainly with foreign investors and possibly with Chinese households. So that would be a rather Big Problem for Beijing.

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- Were Hamas to be forced to leave Doha, it is unclear where they would base their political office. Key ally Iran would be an option, although the assassination of former leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July suggests they may be at risk from Israel if based there. What Next after Qatar Suspends Mediator Role.

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- Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah are unlikely to destroy it. Israel has been using the tactic against the group for decades. Rather than collapsing, Hezbollah has proved both resilient and adaptive. Attempts at leadership decapitation have produced more violence, organizational expansion, and increased Iranian influence. The Sordid History of a Flawed Tactic.

 

- How to Account for the Antisemitism in the Era of 'Gaza' and its Historical Context:

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- U.S. efforts to drive a wedge between China and North Korea could backfire, potentially strengthening their autocratic alliance. To secure meaningful cooperation from China, it would be more effective for Washington to keep its requests specific, realistic, and geared toward achieving shared interests. A more focused approach is likely to yield better results. How to Make Beijing a Partner in Restraining Pyongyang.

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- North Korean Defectors Boost Ukraine's Fight Against Kim Jong Un's Troop.

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- International actors need to find a political settlement that begins with a cease-fire to the bloody wars in Gaza and Lebanon. The next step should be to bring in the governments linked to the axis to negotiate a broader settlement that takes into account the true nature of the power dynamics in the region. Without such an inclusive approach, regional conflict in the Middle East is destined to persist, to the detriment of future generations. Israel is Underestimating Iran and its Allies.

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- During his campaign, Trump promised to bomb Mexico and to deport legal immigrants, called opposition politicians the “enemies from within,” and claimed that migrants were “poisoning the blood” of the country. Despite all this - or perhaps because of it - Trump won a popular majority. When the rest of the world looks at Trump, they will no longer see an aberrant exception to American exceptionalism; they will see what America stands for in the twenty-first century. Trump’s Reelection Will Redefine U.S. Power.

- Iran fired two of the largest barrages of ballistic missiles ever at Israel this year. Even the world’s best defenses don’t always stop them.

 

- A deadly axis of hostile anti-American and anti-Western powers is deepening military cooperation and is determined to challenge U.S. global primacy. Russia, China, and North Korea are nuclear powers, and Iran is an aspirant to the nuclear club. Isolated geopolitical flashpoints in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific could converge. Steadfast diplomacy, strong alliances, and firm deterrence will be needed to meet this growing threat. North Korean Troops Mark a New Escalation.

 

- Archaeologists exploring the interior of the Karazhartas Pyramid have made several intriguing discoveries. At the heart of the mausoleum lies a sarcophagus structure, surrounded by granite stones. Inside the sarcophagus, researchers unearthed the skull of a local ruler, providing a fascinating glimpse into the identity of the individual interred within.

This grand structure measures approximately 65 feet by 98 feet and rises to a height of about 5 feet at its apex.

- China-based hackers penetrated the networks of U.S. telecom providers and might have penetrated the system. The Worldwide Reach of Chinese Spies.

 

- On an Island that is not dissimilar to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, China (in Hainan) has built an ability to project power with multiple types of capabilities; air, missile, militia, ships, and submarines. The Need to Forestall a Chinese Attack?

 

- China seeks to radically reshape the international order in the long term while maintaining it in the short term. However, by stoking tensions with the West, Xi is weakening China’s economy and complicating its geopolitical ambitions. Moldova’s pro-Western president wins vote overshadowed by Russian meddling claims.

 

- Over the decades, Israel has tried, whether through military or political action, to shape Lebanon according to its interests. It’s repeatedly failed, with its actions sometimes helping to create new foes, as was the case with Hezbollah. Today, Israel’s willingness to try to influence internally. Lebanese politics seems to be no different: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to destroy the country unless it pushes Hezbollah. To Know the Context.

 

- Russia is preparing strikes on nuclear infrastructure facilities in the territory of Ukraine. Two devices that ignited in Europe, officials say, were part of a covert operation to put them on cargo or passenger aircraft. As the Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the aggressor country Russia uses Chinese satellites to photograph Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which may indicate preparations for strikes on them. How the War in Ukraine Could Go Nuclear.

 

- A suspected Russian arson attack on a DHL warehouse in Birmingham was a test run for future attacks on the US, Polish officials have said, after arresting some of the alleged criminals involved.

- More than 200 people have lost their lives after the flooding swept through streets, turning walkways into rivers and trapping people in their homes and on the roofs of cars.

 

- American political leaders: Undermining the legitimacy of the winner pays political dividends. American democracy may eventually recover, but its biggest tests still lie ahead - America’s undermining the winner's legitimacy pays political dividends. American democracy may eventually recover, but its biggest tests still lie ahead - America’s Era of Violent Populism.

 

- Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte as the next Secretary General of NATO, warned Pyongyang’s involvement in the Ukraine war could mark the start of a “far darker” phase of the conflict.

 

- With growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, there are concerns over the broader impact of this alignment on East Asian security dynamics. U.S. officials echoed Zelenskyy's concerns, noting the gravity of North Korea's involvement and its potential to undermine stability in multiple regions. First-Ever Ukraine Clash with North Korean Troops Sparks Fears of Escalating Global Conflict.

 

- Ideas do not belong to specific places. They 'belong' wherever they happen to take root. Culturalist ideas developed in the human sciences have a resonance well beyond Europe or North America. Indeed they provide many of the intellectual resources for the construction of the Asia/West dichotomy on which the cultural politics of in this case Confucian/Asian democracy rests. There is also a case regarding the cluster of concepts that underpin 'Asian values' and 'Asian identity' as assembled very largely on the edifice of ' Asia ' studied by Western scholars. Singapore and Asia.

 

- Trump has won the chance to determine U.S. national security policy and will wield the impressive power embodied in the men and women now waiting to work for him. The Trump team has more than enough confidence. The world will soon learn whether it also has enough wisdom. What a New Term Means.

 

- Were Russia to falter in the war and start seeking an exit, countries outside Europe could be vital to the ensuing diplomacy. If negotiations yielded arrangements suitable to Ukraine, to Europe, and to the United States, then it would not particularly matter which country hosted the talks or which plan was their catalyst. As for the military help that China, Iran, and North Korea are lending, there may be ways to limit it on the margins or to raise the costs of providing it. How Ukraine Became a World War.