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Defense

Coverage of military posture, weapons systems, defense industrial base, and the evolution of modern warfare and force structure.

What the Al Udeid evacuation actually reveals about American power in the Gulf

What the Al Udeid evacuation actually reveals about American power in the Gulf

The partial evacuation of US personnel from Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base in January 2026 sparked debate over whether strikes on Iran are imminent or Gulf states hold veto power over American military action. Both interpretations miss what the movement actually reveals: a signaling system that has...

Dark Eagle arrives: Why America's first hypersonic weapon won't close the gap with China

Dark Eagle arrives: Why America's first hypersonic weapon won't close the gap with China

The U.S. Army has declared its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon operational, but with fewer than a dozen missiles against China's hundreds, the 'hypersonic gap' is being acknowledged rather than closed. Scale, not technology, will determine relevance.

Why China keeps building in the South China Sea despite already controlling it

Why China keeps building in the South China Sea despite already controlling it

Antelope Reef is not redundant expansion but the missing node in a surveillance network stretching from Hainan to the Spratlys. Beijing has learned that international protest is survivable—and strategic gaps are not.

China's AI Army: Impressive Architecture, Fragile Foundations

China's AI Army: Impressive Architecture, Fragile Foundations

The People's Liberation Army has invested billions in artificial intelligence to achieve 'intelligentized warfare.' But centralized command structures, data quality problems, and semiconductor dependencies create vulnerabilities that American strategy could exploit—if Washington acts before...

Why NATO cannot stop Russian attacks on undersea cables it sees coming

Why NATO cannot stop Russian attacks on undersea cables it sees coming

The alliance's surveillance network tracks every suspicious vessel in the Baltic. Its legal framework, ownership structures, and decision-making architecture ensure that watching is all it can do. Russia has learned to exploit the gap.

Can China's military AI actually outpace US decision-making over Taiwan?

Can China's military AI actually outpace US decision-making over Taiwan?

The PLA is racing to build AI command systems that operate at machine speed. But the Communist Party's political control mechanisms may prevent China's military from using the speed it is building.

How military dependency is reshaping American governance

How military dependency is reshaping American governance

The United States has conducted hundreds of strikes across seven countries under a single authorization passed in 2001. This is not policy choice but structural evolution—a republic whose institutional metabolism now requires continuous military activity to function.

Why American missiles would save Iran's dying regime

Why American missiles would save Iran's dying regime

The 2026 protests represent the Islamic Republic's deepest legitimacy crisis since 1979. Protesters have spread to all 31 provinces, targeting the Supreme Leader himself. American military intervention would accomplish what regime propaganda has failed to achieve: reunifying a fractured society...

The Plasma Sheath Problem: North Korea's Hypersonic Gambit

The Plasma Sheath Problem: North Korea's Hypersonic Gambit

North Korea's hypersonic missiles may not defeat American defences today. But they exploit structural vulnerabilities that software patches cannot fix—and the adaptation cycle favours Pyongyang.

India's Southeast Asia Defence Gambit: Useful Partner, Limited Constraint

India's Southeast Asia Defence Gambit: Useful Partner, Limited Constraint

New Delhi's Act East Policy has delivered joint exercises, BrahMos sales, and maritime cooperation across Southeast Asia. But ASEAN's hedging strategies ensure these partnerships diversify options rather than constrain Beijing—a feature, not a bug, of regional security architecture.

The Pentagon's Absorption Problem: Why $1.5 Trillion Cannot Buy Its Way to Capability

The Pentagon's Absorption Problem: Why $1.5 Trillion Cannot Buy Its Way to Capability

A 50% defense budget increase sounds transformative. But market concentration, workforce collapse, and acquisition sclerosis ensure that additional funding will inflate contractor profits rather than expand military capability. The constraints are structural, not managerial.

America's First Strikes in Nigeria Signal a New Sahel Doctrine

America's First Strikes in Nigeria Signal a New Sahel Doctrine

On Christmas Day 2025, American missiles hit Nigerian soil for the first time. The operation targeted ISIS militants near Sokoto—but its true target was the collapsing security architecture of West Africa, where French withdrawal and Russian expansion have left Washington with fewer options and...