It's Debatable
Intervention or Restraint? A Washington debate on pressing issues for policymakers.
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Refugees stand in the back of a truck after crossing the border near Kornidzor on Sept. 28. More than 65,000 Armenians have fled Nagorno-Karabakh for Armenia. What Does Nagorno-Karabakh’s Fall Mean for Great Power Influence?
Washington and Moscow care a lot about some post-Soviet conflicts—but are largely ignoring others.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed following the G-20 meeting on Sept. 13 in New Delhi, India. Is the G-20 Useless?
As another multilateral forum issued a watered-down statement, Russia and North Korea met to deepen military ties.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping, surrounded by flags of African countries, gestures as he speaks at the China-Africa Leaders' Roundtable Dialogue during the BRICS summit in Johannesburg. Can BRICS Derail the Dollar’s Dominance?
The group’s countries share one concern—the growing use of U.S. sanctions to restrict trade and investment globally.
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Ukrainian soldiers fire a SPG recoilless gun during a military training as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk oblast, Ukraine on Aug. 17. Should the West Keep Arming Ukraine or Push for Peace?
A slow counteroffensive hasn’t led to major breakthroughs—prompting calls for negotiation rather than escalation.
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People demonstrate in Niger's capital, Niamey, to show their support for the coup plotters and Russia. Does U.S. Military Training Embolden Coup Plotters in Africa?
Weak institutions and underdevelopment also plague nations led by undemocratic regimes.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) speaks to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting in Jerusalem on January 24, 2020. Would the Israel Model Work for Ukraine?
The NATO summit offered Kyiv mostly vague pledges and empty rhetoric—but there could be other ways to defend the country short of alliance membership.
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Members of Russia's Wagner Group, including one soldier riding atop a tank, prepare to pull out from the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to their base in Rostov-on-Don. Is Revolt in Russia Good for America?
The Wagner Group’s short-lived mutiny seems to have weakened Putin—but that isn’t necessarily a win for Washington.
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Police outside of Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Aug. 9, 2022, the day after the FBI searched Donald Trump's estate. Did Trump’s Bathroom Stash Threaten National Security?
An indictment of the ex-president overshadows the beginning of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
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French President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he delivers a speech at the GLOBSEC regional security forum in Bratislava, Slovakia, on May 31. Is Europe Serious About Self-Defense, or Free-Riding?
As U.S.-China tension increases, so does discussion about whether European states are pulling their weight.
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Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold a banner of his portrait outside the Justice and Development Party headquarters after polls closed in Turkey's elections in Ankara. What Does Turkey’s Election Mean for the World?
Erdogan’s strong first-round showing could mean five more years of headaches for Washington and NATO.
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U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen delivers a keynote address at the American Bankers Association's (ABA) 2023 Washington Summit on March 21, 2023. Is Decoupling Destabilizing the Global Economy?
Major speeches from Janet Yellen and Jake Sullivan double down on Biden’s strategy of linking U.S. national security with economic policy.
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Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, sit atop a tank in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, on April 20, 2023. When Fighting Is More Rational Than Peacemaking
Sudan’s power struggle is a textbook case of the credible commitment problem in international relations.
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Finnish military personnel install the Finnish national flag at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Will Finland’s NATO Accession Make a Difference?
One of the alliance’s long-awaited new members has joined, but it won’t necessarily bring Europe closer to strategic autonomy.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and China's President Xi Jinping meet in Moscow. What Does Xi’s Visit to Russia Mean for the World?
China’s embrace of Russia seems politically risky but Beijing is also benefiting economically and emerging as the dominant power.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) meets with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel on March 9. Does the United States Have More Leverage Over Israel Than It Thinks?
The beleaguered Netanyahu government needs Washington’s backing on Iran—but unpopular judicial reforms and casual talk of ethnic cleansing could imperil it.
