Analysis

Analysis offers a new angle on a contemporary or historical issue. These articles are policy-oriented and cover current developments around the globe that impinge upon American foreign policy and national security priorities.

Sweden’s Role in Baltic Defense

Sweden’s accession to NATO in 2024 and the successful completion of its first deployment to NATO’s Forward Land Forces (FLF) in Latvia in the first half of 2025 mark a strategic shift in the country’s defence posture. This move,...

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Debt and Development: The Next Chapter of Chinese Investments in Central Asia

China has been a major investor and trade partner in Central Asia for some twenty-five years. For the first half of those years, Beijing was focused on oil and natural gas pipelines and roads and railways to bring energy...

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Beyond Recall: Prospects for Taiwanese Unity after July 26

Introduction If there was ever any doubt, Taiwan’s July 26 “Great Recall” election makes one thing clear: Taiwanese politics are deeply divided. For many in the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), a vote to recall one of twenty-four Kuomintang (KMT)...

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NATO’s Dutch Disease: Can a Wartime Mindset Survive an Injection of Resources?

At the recent summit in The Hague, NATO reaffirmed its commitment to a “new war of production.” With fresh funding, heightened urgency, and rising expectations, the Alliance is cultivating a mindset that is focused, specialized, and execution-driven. But war...

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President Lai Ching-te on Taiwan’s National Unity and Defense

Earlier this summer, in June 2025, President Lai Ching-te delivered the first of his “Ten Lectures on National Unity,” their goal being “to unite the people, political parties, and the nation as a whole, to advance Taiwan’s progress while...

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The Liberty Corridor and American Commercial Diplomacy

On the eve of the recent visit of coastal West African leaders to the White House, it was announced that a letter of intent had been signed between Guma Africa Group and the Government of Liberia to develop the Liberty Corridor. The details of...

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Taiwan’s Recall Vote and Its Implications

On July 26, only a year and a half after the most recent general election, Taiwanese voters will once again head to the polls. This time, however, the vote is not part of a standard election cycle. Instead, after...

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An Emergent US-Favored Regional Order in the Middle East and its Challenges

In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza and beyond, the Middle East is undergoing a profound geopolitical restructuring. Spearheaded by Israeli initiative and broadly endorsed by Washington, a...

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Fighting Irregular Wars: Is it Time to Rethink the Laws of Perfidy?

On June 8, 2024, Israeli forces executed a hostage-rescue operation in Nuseirat, central Gaza. The Israeli operation was widely reported to have utilized civilian disguises, with some forces allegedly being transported in civilian vehicles and wearing civilian clothing. In...

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The Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs on Taiwan

Three months on, the aftershocks of Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff spree in April 2025 continue to reverberate across East Asia. The United States imposed high tariff rates across the region, including 32 percent on goods from Taiwan, before...

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