Opinion & Analysis

Expert perspectives from leading think tanks and analysts

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Trouble with Persia? Ask the Romans

Responsible Statecraft

•Marcus Licinius Crassus, Roman Triumvir and real estate magnate, launched a campaign against the Parthians in 53 BCE.
•At least four Roman triumvirs and emperors launched military attacks on Persia that ended in disaster.
•The excerpt claims Roman rulers were driven by hubris and ignorance in their Persian military operations.
•The opinion piece draws historical parallels between Donald Trump's military decisions and failed Roman campaigns against Iran.

OpinionForeign Policy·35d ago

U.S.-Iran Talks May Continue, but the Cease-Fire Is Over

GeoBrief AI

•Regional powers are pushing Washington and Tehran to pause strikes to allow negotiations.
•U.S.-Iran talks may continue according to the article's assessment.
•A cease-fire between the U.S. and Iran has ended.

OpinionProject Syndicate·35d ago

The Israel-Lebanon Recipe for Never-Ending War

GeoBrief AI

•The excerpt characterizes Lebanon's political circumstances as making Hezbollah's complete disarmament highly unlikely.
•Iran's strengthened regional position is cited as a factor reducing prospects for Hezbollah's complete disarmament.
•Israel has conditioned its withdrawal from Lebanon on Hezbollah's complete disarmament according to the new framework agreement.
•The framework agreement contains no provisions addressing cuts to Hezbollah's Iranian lifeline, per the excerpt.
•The author assesses the new framework agreement as 'dead on arrival' due to its conditional structure.

OpinionJust Security·35d ago

Early Edition: July 10, 2026

GeoBrief AI

•Qatar and Pakistan conducted phone calls on Wednesday with U.S. and Iranian officials.
•Regional mediators attempted to de-escalate tensions between the United States and Iran.
•Multiple phone calls occurred on Wednesday aimed at reviving negotiations between parties.

OpinionWar on the Rocks·35d ago

Going Over the Brink: How Hizballah’s Risk Strategy Made Lebanon Impossible to Ignore

GeoBrief AI

•The United States and Iran announced a framework agreement on June 15 addressing nuclear and regional issues.
•The U.S.-Iran agreement included commitment to immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon.
•The agreement addressed reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, lifting of U.S. naval blockade, and Iran's nuclear program.
•The United States spent months treating Lebanon as a separate issue from broader U.S.-Iran negotiations.

OpinionResponsible Statecraft·35d ago

China just got one step closer to its own nuclear triad

GeoBrief AI

•China test-fired a long-range submarine-launched ballistic missile toward the South Pacific Ocean on Monday.
•China described the missile test as routine training according to Beijing's official characterization.
•China launched a long-range missile into the Pacific for only the third time since 1980.
•The previous Chinese long-range Pacific missile test occurred in September 2024.
•The test drew nervous reactions from countries across the Asia-Pacific region.

OpinionResponsible Statecraft·35d ago

Is Lebanon hurtling towards a Libya-style civil war?

GeoBrief AI

•Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter claimed the Lebanese Armed Forces marginalized Shiite personnel due to reluctance to confront Hezbollah.
•Leiter stated approximately 25% to 30% of the Lebanese army comprises Shiite personnel.
•Leiter claimed 30% to 50% of Shiite Muslims support Hezbollah according to his statement.
•The article's headline questions whether Lebanon is moving toward a Libya-style civil war without stating this as established fact.

OpinionWar on the Rocks·36d ago

Fraying Deals and Rising Strikes

GeoBrief AI

•A memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran is unraveling three weeks after being signed.
•The United States and Iran engaged in skirmishes after an April ceasefire despite reaching a memorandum of understanding.
•Continued tit-for-tat exchanges occurred between the United States and Iran following their memorandum of understanding.

OpinionResponsible Statecraft·37d ago

US-Iran on dangerous path to blowing up MOU over Hormuz

GeoBrief AI

•The United States struck 80 targets in Iran with precision munitions following Iranian forces firing on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
•A US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding exists and has experienced direct military confrontation for the second time since its signing.
•Iranian forces fired on several ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz without prior coordination with Tehran.
•The scale of American strikes reportedly far exceeded the previous US-Iran exchange according to reports.
•Washington's strike scale suggests intentions beyond retaliation, according to the excerpt's characterization.

OpinionWar on the Rocks·37d ago

The Davis Wing, the B-24 Liberator, and the Self-Made Bet That Paid Off

GeoBrief AI

•American industry produced 18,482 B-24 Liberator bombers over five years during World War II.
•The B-24 Liberator was the most produced American military aircraft of World War II.
•B-24 Liberators served in every theater of the war during World War II.
•The B-24 Liberator was a complex four-engine heavy bomber with strategic impact.
•The B-24 Liberator's wing design was critical to the aircraft's utility and existence.

OpinionResponsible Statecraft·37d ago

Inside the growing religious revolt against Christian Zionism

GeoBrief AI

•Christians United for Israel (CUFI), America's largest Zionist organization, sends hundreds of activists to Capitol annually for lobbying campaigns.
•Rev. Hannah Sachs, a United Church of Christ pastor, warned Senate office staffers about potential visits from CUFI representatives.
•Sachs distributed flyers characterizing religious groups as 'extremists' wanting to 'start Armageddon' in opposition to Christian Zionist messaging.
•Growing religious opposition to Christian Zionism has prompted counter-activism, including advance warnings to Congressional offices about pro-Israel lobbying visits.

OpinionForeign Affairs·37d ago

The Ukraine Lesson Taiwan Keeps Missing

GeoBrief AI

•The article focuses on China-Taiwan Strait Tensions as the primary conflict area.
•The headline suggests Taiwan is not adequately learning lessons from the Ukraine conflict.
•The article argues the critical issue extends beyond drone technology to broader strategic factors.

OpinionWar on the Rocks·38d ago

Gathering Clouds: Building Digital Strategic Depth in the Compute Age

GeoBrief AI

•The excerpt identifies wars in Ukraine and the Middle East as exposing digital infrastructure as part of the battlespace.
•Data centers and cloud regions are described as the digital backbone of military power and economic prosperity.
•Long-range strike systems, drones, and cyber capabilities are cited as threats to digital infrastructure.
•The excerpt argues that physical distance is eroding as a protective factor for digital infrastructure.