Council on Foreign RelationsArticle
Trading Places: The U.S. and Europe on China and Russia
CFR President Michael Froman analyzes Europe’s changing posture toward China and Russia, and how that mirrors what the U.S. approach used to be.
DwayneThu, 15 Oct 2026
CFR President Michael Froman analyzes Europe’s changing posture toward China and Russia, and how that mirrors what the U.S. approach used to be.
In this episode of Hold Your Fire! , Richard is joined by Crisis Group’s Horn of Africa director, Alan Boswell, to discuss the fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, the risk of direct war between Ethiopia and Eritrea and what may prevent further escalation.
Both Republican and Democratic critics said the plan was beneath the United States.
Russian strikes are weakening the economy sustaining Ukraine’s war effort. Closing the growing funding gap will require more European support and politically contentious reforms in Kyiv.
Putin wants to make politicians out of Ukraine war veterans. After the recent election, 60 now sit in the Duma. But voters seem less keen than the official vote share suggests, and that could become a problem for the Kremlin
A specter looms over the US Army: the threat of positional warfare. For four years, we have watched with growing concern as the Ukraine conflict—our clearest lens into future interstate […]
Hostilities between Cambodia and Thailand ceased in late 2025, after two rounds of combat along the frontier. But the truce is under growing strain. To avoid more war, the two countries should restore normal diplomatic ties and resume work on demarcating their shared border.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the public will be able to watch the execution of the Fort Hood shooter by firing squad. Why it matters: The U.S. hasn't held a public execution in 90 years , and Hegseth's remarks raise questions about how the military would allow people to watch. Nidal Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 shooting , is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3 at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas. What they're saying: Hegseth told Real America's Voice Thursday that Hasan is "gonna get a firing squad of soldiers. As it should be." "We'll make sure that people are able to watch it. That it's public. Because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things." The latest: The Pentagon says the execution will be livestreamed, AP reports, but did not name where specifically the stream will be hosted. The Pentagon currently posts speeches and videos on X and YouTube . State of play: The Department of Defense declined to comment on Hegseth's remarks, leaving questions about how the public could watch the execution. The Army has not shared how it intends to conduct the execution, AP reports. It's unclear if Hegseth's remarks mean the execution will be open to public spectators, broadcast on streaming or TV, or made available to select individuals. Zoom out: This would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 . The last U.S. military execution by firing squad was in 1945, when Pvt. Eddie Slovik was shot for desertion in France, according to NPR . Firing-squad executions are rare i
A public execution is unprecedented in the modern era.
Washington’s sudden decision to open talks with Myanmar’s government grants further legitimacy to an authoritarian regime and is unlikely to deliver access to rare earths.
The Yemen-based Houthis’ naval blockade against Saudi shipping and their battle with Saudi-backed Yemeni forces for control of the Red Sea’s critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait add a new dimension to the Iran war, with potentially major consequences for the region and the global economy.
President Trump said Thursday the U.S. will not attack Iran ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Why it matters: Trump had been considering for several days resuming major combat operations before the midterms. However, his past statements about his intentions in Iran haven't always matched what he ultimately did. If major combat operations resume, they're expected to include large-scale strikes on Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear targets, sources say. Resuming the war in the next three to four weeks could influence the midterms, in part because oil prices might rise in response. It could also influence Israel's elections, which are scheduled for Oct. 27. What he's saying: "I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait ... we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Flashback: In June 2025, before Operation Midnight Hammer, the White House said Trump would decide "within two weeks" whether the U.S. would join Israel's war against Iran. When he made that statement, he had already decided to attack Iran's nuclear sites. On Feb. 27, less than 24 hours before Israel and the U.S. launched the war against Iran, Trump claimed he hadn't made a decision on going to war. In reality, Trump had already decided to authorize the attacks. Driving the news: The Pentagon instructed U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM)
A mutiny by Niger’s special forces in late August morphed into a coup attempt. In this Q&A, Crisis Group experts explain how the unrest exposed growing discontent within the military’s ranks.
Ethiopia's new war in Tigray now runs through three disputes: the Nile, the Red Sea, and Sudan's war. The post Upstream Battle: Ethiopia’s Civil War Draws in Regional Rivalries appeared first on Geopolitical Monitor .
Europe faces impending instability at the space–nuclear nexus in today’s changing strategic environment. This essay considers how European states are responding to these strategic shifts in the space and nuclear domains.
Russian occupying forces have long used highways like the M14 to drive to Crimea. Trucks flowed along the highway, beyond the reach of the drones that made movement near the […]
In this episode, Colonel Mike Rosol joins MWI’s Charlie Faint in the West Point Class of 1974 Recording Studio to reflect on a career spanning armored warfare, multiple deployments to […]
Recent threats on U.S. bases show just how unprepared the military is for drone warfare.
