The Iran war has revealed both the enduring military predominance of the US and the limits of that power in shaping political outcomes.

Alliances are not neutral, and bases are not passive infrastructure. They are instruments of strategy. The sooner that policy reflects this, the more resilient alliances will be when the next crisis hits.

The Iran conflict reflects a sobering lesson for US policymakers: in an era of asymmetric competition and economic interdependence, raw military strength alone is no longer sufficient to guarantee strategic control.

While Europe remains preoccupied with itself, a geopolitical buildup is taking shape in the Indo-Pacific that has long ceased to be mere war-gaming. The third act of the world order won't premiere in Brussels—but in Chumphon, Ranong, Subic Bay, Guam, and most importantly: Bangkok.

The Nixon era not only offers ambiguous lessons, but practical guideposts for strengthening trilateral US-Japan-ROK security cooperation, made all the more relevant by growing concerns of a ‘dual contingency’ in Taiwan and the Korean Peninsula.

A return of the Bagram Air Base remains highly unlikely, but movement in this direction reflects a tentative warming in US-Afghan ties.

The Falklands War was a reminder that alliances succeed or fail on the basis of political imagination and practical enablers, not just treaty text, and military planners must bear these lessons in mind when preparing for a Taiwan-Korea dual contingency in East Asia.

The US withdrawal from Iraq’s Ain al-Asad and Victoria bases does not amount to a strategic withdrawal from the Middle East. Rather, it’s a tactical shift intended to put the US military’s long-term presence on a more stable footing.

Despite arguments advocating retrenchment, the benefits of maintaining a strong military presence in Europe far outweigh the costs for Washington.

South Korea attempted to develop a domestic nuclear weapons program in the 1970s, and for reasons that remain highly relevant in contemporary geopolitics.

The US military budget for 2025 maintains the traditional defense posture of out-spending any near-peer competitor; however, its only getting harder to keep pace.

New military bases in the Philippines suggests that Manila is interested in hedging its geopolitical bets.

Growing multipolarity in the international system raises some interesting questions for Japanese foreign policy going forward. Is Tokyo about to step out of Washington’s shadow?

Cambodia insists work on a newly-dredged port and shipyard at Ream Naval Base is not being carried out to enable a permanent Chinese military presence. Washington is not so sure.

US efforts to rebuff China’s geopolitical advances in Equatorial Guinea are highly reminiscent of the Cold War.

The Colonial Pipeline attack should be a warning for defense leaders: Make sure your bases have resilient energy infrastructure or that vulnerability will be used against you.

Will inter-Korean tensions be dialed up or dialed down in the year ahead?

Evaluating the motives, impacts, and strategic consequences of President Trump’s recent decision to shake up the US military footprint in Europe.

What might seem like an appealing option to US military planners is actually fraught with its own geopolitical perils.

Examining the Philippines’ role as a middle power amidst growing US-China competition.