Global Security Review

Great power competition between the United States and China will define the geopolitical landscape of East Asia. The Indo-Pacific region will see a fundamental shift in the geopolitical status quo throughout 2019. This shift is the result…

Moscow and Tokyo are negotiating the status of the Kuril Islands, which have been an integral part of Russia for over seventy years.The Kuril Islands were annexed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Japan, however, still refers…

Since Prime Minister Theresa May and then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson announced in 2016 a new Global Britain approach to the United Kingdom's (UK) position on the world stage, much speculation has been cast over precisely what this…

In previous years, interest in the Middle East was largely focused on ISIS (DAESH). This year, however, that focus will shift towards Iran. As the threat from the extremist Sunni group dwindled, Iran-backed militias have been strengthening…

Immediately following President Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Europe rushed to save it. European leaders announced the…

India's role in Southeast and Central Asia is being shaped through Afghanistan.Many countries, both regional and global powers, are working in Afghanistan to secure their interests in Southeast Asia. Afghanistan’s strategic location is of…

Iranians are skilled in the localization of almost anything Western or foreign. This is partly because of the nationalist, anti-imperialist promises of the 1979 revolution, and partly due to U.S. and international sanctions. These…

Is Germany the missing link in the Sea of Azov dispute? When the Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Partushev, claimed in mid-January that the continuation of policies “by the Kiev authorities can contribute to the loss of…

Besides having long term economic consequences for both the British and the European economies, Brexit will likely have security implications that may weaken the interlocking web of Western institutions and alliances that maintained peace…

China learned the value of hard power during its so-called “century of humiliation.” Now, as China begins its century of expansion, it’s learning to use soft power, too. In reference to China’s foreign policy strategy, Deng Xiaoping once…

Modern wars are fought with eyes and ears on the ground, air, and cyberspace. In Afghanistan, the U.S. and its allies have deployed cutting-edge aerial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. What is missing,…

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected by land, air, sea, and cyberspace, tensions and uncertainty are growing. These trends are particularly evident in Europe, where elections, treaties, and other events will reshape the…

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s January 2019 visit to the United Kingdom highlights the close partnership that exists between the two great powers.As the U.K. attempts to redefine its role on the international stage once it withdraws…

The concept of information operations (IO) has entered into our everyday lexicon without a precise definition. Any stated definition of information operations is relative to the context. IO remains a complex subject, and the field is…

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently visited Kabul to discuss recent efforts towards peace in Afghanistan.  Though the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn’t provided any details of the meeting, the visit is…

Editor's note: this assessment is based on a study conducted by the author for the Afghan Institute of Strategic Studies entitled The Fallacy of Peace Processes in Afghanistan: The People’s Perspectives. Afghanistan’s dream for a…

High-level delegations from six Gulf states met in the Saudi capital of Riyadh this December to discuss cooperation on issues ranging from economic to security matters. The summit occurred at a notably significant time because the future…