Middle East
Regional security, proxy networks, escalation risk, and conflict diplomacy across the Middle East.
192 Dispatches
Why Hasn't America Attacked Iran Yet? Reading the Buildup Behind the Pause
The US massed overwhelming force around Iran, then held fire. Reading the military movements and back-channel talks to explain Washington's pause.
Why Iran Now Wants the Bomb: Deterrence in the Shadow of the Mushroom Cloud
How a bruising war shattered Iran's threshold strategy and pushed Tehran toward the one deterrent that has reliably worked: a nuclear weapon.
Why Russia and China Abandoned Iran in Its Hour of Need
Iran expected its partners to rally when the US and Israel struck. Instead, Russia and China stood aside—and the reasons reveal a hard strategic logic.
Why Russia, China, and North Korea Abandoned Iran
When Israel and America bombed Iran, the Axis of Upheaval did nothing. Here is why Russia, China, and North Korea left their partner to fight alone.
Why Taking Iran's Kharg Island Could Be an American Trap
Kharg Island handles up to 90% of Iran's oil exports, making it a tempting target—but seizing it with the forces inbound risks America's worst defeat in generations.
The World's Drone Fleets, Ranked: From the Tryers to the Original Drone Empire
A nation-by-nation ranking of the world's military drone fleets, from Europe's failed programmes to the United States, China, Israel, Turkey, Iran, Russia and Ukraine.
The World's Drone Fleets, Ranked: From Tryers to the Original Drone Empire
A capability ranking of the world's military drone fleets, from Europe's stalled programs to Ukraine, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Israel, China, and the United States.
Yemen on the Brink Again: The STC's Lightning Offensive and the UAE-Saudi Proxy War
A UAE-backed separatist offensive has seized eastern Yemen's oil belt and population centers in days, threatening to split the country and pit the Emirates against Saudi Arabia.
The Collapse of Yemen: How the STC is Forging the State of South Arabia
Following a lightning offensive by the Southern Transitional Council, Yemen faces partition. Explore how the STC aims to build a recognized sovereign
Could and Should Ukraine Join NATO?
An in-depth analysis of whether Ukraine can and should join NATO, examining the strategic benefits, escalation risks, and alternative security
Saudi Arabia's Military Atrophy and Defense Geopolitics
Despite massive sovereign wealth, Saudi Arabia's military relies entirely on imports. Explore the geopolitical strategy behind its atrophied defense
Abdul Qadeer Khan and the Global Nuclear Black Market
Discover how Abdul Qadeer Khan built a clandestine global network that supplied nuclear weapons technology to rogue states for nearly two decades.