Cold War

The year that linked the fates of Afghanistan and the Middle East

The year 1979 is a turning point in the history of the region, as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Islamic revolution in Iran and ‘Seige of Mecca’ laid the groundwork for the rise and victory of the Taliban over forty years later.

Comrades and pen pals: How Syria and North Korea back each other

North Korean leader’s most frequent pen pal has been Syria’s Bashar al Assad in the first half of 2021. Here's why

The future of war and deterrence in an age of autonomous weapons

Artificial intelligence and autonomous systems will significantly alter the future battlefield and challenge strategists to come up with new models of deterrence.

NATO says China is a threat. But do all its members agree?

NATO leaders define China’s growing influence as a global threat, signaling the Atlantic alliance’s shifting focus to Asia. But not all members of the club appear to be on the same page.

Biden seeks to recommit US to NATO after tense Trump years

US President Joe Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump had undermined the importance of the alliance in his four-year term, with frequent insults about the relevance of multilateral organisations such as NATO.

Global spending on nuclear weapons on rise even amid Covid

According to a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the combined military stockpile of the world's nine nuclear-armed states rose from 9,380 to 9,620 in one year, excluding the warheads waiting to be dismantled.

Can Biden-Erdogan meeting break the diplomatic impasse on key issues?

Turkey is a US ally and a NATO member, but under President Erdogan’s assertive foreign policy, Ankara has shown the capacity to go its own way if necessary.

Multiple issues cloud the upcoming Biden-Putin meet

If history is any kind of guide, then, Russian and American leaders will try to reinforce their respective spheres of influence in different parts of the world.

US, Russia seek to ease tensions in first meeting since Biden took office

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agree to work together despite differences as they held talks on the sidelines of an Arctic Council meeting in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.

The flawed promise of a liberal world order

The only world order compatible with humanity’s diversity resembles a mosaic of political systems – not the universal imposition of liberal democracy.

China calls for end of Cold War mentality in US relations

The comments were made during meetings in Anchorage, Alaska, where US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said China's actions "threaten the rules-based order that maintains global stability."

Is the US military’s global presence an expansionist endeavour?

In human history, no state has maintained as many bases around the world as the United States, experts say.