All articles by our directors, fellows, advisors, and distinguished guest authors.
Conventional wisdom says it would be over quickly: China would bring overwhelming military power to bear against Taiwan, and the island would quickly capitulate. But wars are unpredictable things; they seldom go as planned. The possibility of a protracted Taiwan fight – like the kind Ukraine is waging now – should …
For Survivable Resupply, Look to Autonomous Submarines Continue Reading >>
Hamas’ use of small commercial-grade drones, generally classified by the Federal Aviation Administration as Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS), should come as no surprise to those interested in national security. The terrorists employed Chinese-made SUAS to take out sensors along Israel’s Gaza security fence and later dropped a Russian-model grenade on an …
The United States is pursuing a backward Middle East strategy, one in which it seeks to avoid conflict by restraining its allies, rather than deterring its adversaries. (Note, for example, Mr. Biden lecturing Mr. Netanyahu about avoiding civilian casualties while Hamas seeks to increase innocent Palestinians’ suffering as a spur to …
The first Donald Trump administration was a tragic endeavor. The allegations against him of collusion with Russia to steal the 2016 election were entirely fabricated, yet these allegations poisoned the political well and generated a climate of suspicion and hostility between the White House, the media and the security services. …
Trump 2.0: A huge question-mark for national security policy Continue Reading >>
The U.S. and China are in tension over Taiwan. But this is not a legal antagonism, founded on some poor understanding of Taiwan’s status. It is instead a strategic antagonism over mutually conflicting long-term political, military and economic objectives. The Sino-American relationship hinges on the status of Taiwan as articulated in the 1970s. The …
A Guarantee to China on Taiwan Would Be Pointless Continue Reading >>
Like all dictatorships, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership presents itself as strong, secure, popular, in total control — and entitled to rule. Yet beneath this image (one that all too many foreigners often fall for), there’s a paranoia that the protective façade might collapse and leave the CCP exposed. …
The Chinese Communist Party Is Afraid of Its Own Citizens Continue Reading >>
Notwithstanding President Biden’s heartfelt speech to the nation on Oct. 19, his administration — absent a change in policy toward Iran — is walking into a regional conflict of its own making. At every turn, the Biden White House has refused to rethink the folly of its Middle East policy and …
How US Mistakes May Lead to a Worst-Case Global Scenario in the Middle East Continue Reading >>
It has been nearly 15 years since the Chinese started moving in on Japan’s Senkaku Islands. Chinese pressure is indeed troublesome, but for now, it’s manageable – even if the Japan Coast Guard and Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) are overstretched. The Japanese have patiently dealt with near-daily aggression and pressure from Chinese naval, coast guard, maritime …
Escalation in the Senkaku Islands? It’s China’s Choice Continue Reading >>
There are three possible objectives in a war of conquest: assimilation, imposition, and accommodation. The first was demonstrated by the Holy Roman Empire as it sought to tie its origins to the Hungarian state which, following centuries of Habsburg supervision, became formally absorbed by the Austrian Empire in 1867 as …
Peter the Great, Stalin, and Russia’s Historical Reckoning Continue Reading >>
Shortly after Hamas’s assault on Israel, The Wall Street Journal, relying on Hamas sources, reported that the Islamic Republic of Iran had green-lit the Oct. 7 attack. U.S. government officials said they don’t have evidence of Iran’s involvement, and Tehran itself claims that Hamas is an independent actor. But American and …
Why It’s Obvious Iran Approved Hamas’s Attack Continue Reading >>
