Expert Commentary

Shihoko Goto, Asia Program Director As the first G7 leader to meet with President Donald Trump in the White House since the US attacks on Iran, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s ability to manage relations with the United States...

Emily Holland, Eurasia Program Director With the world still reeling from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one fifth of global oil is shipped, Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Qatar’s LNG infrastructure have sent...

After weeks of war, pressure is mounting on the Trump administration to deploy sea and ground forces on an open-ended mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway connecting Asia with the Arabian Sea. The options for...

The third Gulf War began with an assassination on February 28, 2026, in broad daylight in central Iran. The war has engulfed the region in conflict, extending from neighboring Gulf Arab countries to the waters just off Sri Lanka....

Aaron Stein, President After declaring Iran’s nuclear program obliterated after Operation Midnight Hammer, the US has returned to finish the job. The backdrop for this renewed air campaign is complicated, but worth fleshing out to understand the implications for...

Shihoko Goto—With Takaichi’s Massive Win, Japan’s Potential Path Forward Opens Up  The decisive electoral victory of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s ruling party on February 8 was a clear win for a new wave of conservatism in Japan. The Liberal...

Aaron Stein, President The rapid JSOC-led operation has drawn considerable comparisons to previous American operations in Central and Southern America, beginning with the invasion of Grenada (Urgent Fury) and then Panama (Just Cause). These missions have become routine, based...

Aaron Stein – President Whatever you think of the substance, the new National Security Strategy is different than all that has come before it. The Europe section is quite the departure from the norm, but then again, it fits...

During his week-long tour of the Indo-Pacific, President Donald Trump at first blush accomplished what he had set out to achieve. From attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit meeting in Kuala Lumpur, to overseeing a ceasefire agreement...

Managing Tensions, Maintaining Balance—Michael Beckley This month, we’re zeroing in on a core tension in US strategy toward China: how to strike the right balance between deterrence and reassurance. As Washington strengthens military postures, deepens coalitions, and hardens supply...