Crisis Group
The New Forever War
Why America and Iran Fight On Without Victory
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Oil & energy
Why America and Iran Fight On Without Victory
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Oil & energy
The brigade commander watched the icons representing his lead battalion move toward the enemy’s defensive belt. Somewhere ahead were minefields, observation posts, unmanned aircraft, and artillery waiting for the formation […]
Defense
On Sunday, five British nationals from London were arrested for their involvement in an alleged plot against the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford Base located on the border between Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The suspects were spotted in hoods and masks operating three white vans — at least one falsely branded with a British fuel company […] The post A Potential Terrorist Plot Against a British Airbase Shows the Continued Threat of Hybrid Warfare appeared first on The Soufan Center .
Europe · West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Cybersecurity
Israel’s election: What will it mean for neighbours and allies? 8 October 2026 — 17:00 TO 18:15 BST Anonymous (not verified) 28 September 2026 Chatham House and Online Hear from experts on the foreign policy choices facing Israel’s next government. Hear from experts on the foreign policy choices facing Israel’s next government. Israel’s upcoming election follows three years of war and a marked decline in international support. Leading candidates to be prime minister offer little in terms of rethinking Israeli foreign policy and all reject Palestinian statehood. The election outcome could have profound consequences for the Palestinians and Israel’s relations with neighbouring states and international partners. This event discusses: What is at stake for Palestinians and regional states in Israel’s election? Would a change of government alter relations with the UK, US and Europe? How do leading candidates view relations with Lebanon, Syria and Turkey? How might Israel’s next government approach Iran? Could a new government change Israel’s approach to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict? Can Israel’s next government rebuild international public support?
West & Central Asia · Defense · Global politics
SIPRI convened an online event focused on integrating the WPS agenda into peacebuilding.
West & Central Asia · South & Central America · Defense · Global politics
New energy and trade routes could bypass Hormuz and change the Middle East. But major challenges remain Expert comment thilton.drupal 25 September 2026 The Strait of Hormuz crisis is accelerating a wider reordering of the region, as Iraq, Syria and Lebanon plan new oil pipelines and transport corridors. But whether they can seize the opportunity to diversify will ultimately depend on wider reforms. The war on Iran and the resulting disruption to the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the vulnerability of existing trade and energy routes and unsettled the old balance of power across the Middle East. In this context, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon are seeking to capitalize on their position between Europe and the Gulf and improve their connectivity via oil and gas pipelines, roads, railways and digital corridors. Once central to an Iranian regional order, all three governments are now aiming to achieve greater sovereignty by diversifying their economic ties, a shift supported by the Trump administration. Yet they are attempting to do so while facing foreign occupations and military action, and while also confronting domestic endemic corruption and fragmented political systems that empower armed groups. Whether they can seize this opportunity to become more connected – and more sovereign – will therefore depend not only on the infrastructure they build, but on whether they can reform their states to govern it. Changing energy routes The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused severe disruption to regional energy flows, including from Iraq. Pre-war, Iraq was exporting around 3.
West & Central Asia · Defense · Oil & energy · Global politics
China rising, America in decline? The Trump-Xi summit Audio sseth.drupal@c… 25 September 2026 In this week’s episode of Independent Thinking, our experts discuss the Trump-Xi summit in Washington and the increasing competition between the two superpowers. President Donald Trump welcomes Xi Jinping to Washington with the US-China dynamic in a moment of historic flux. China is rising economically and militarily, while the US is mired in the Iran war, alienating allies and pursuing Trump’s unpredictable trade and tariff disputes. What do the two leaders want from this meeting, and will they get it? Can they reconcile their differing economic powers, the competition for critical minerals, and their radically contrasting visions for artificial intelligence. And in the longer term: who will dominate the 21st century? Does Xi really want to retake Taiwan for China before his time in power ends? Or is the US-Chinese dynamic more complex and perhaps less alarming? To unpick these threads Bronwen Maddox is joined by three experts from Chatham House’s Asia-Pacific Programme: programme director Ben Bland, senior research fellow Dr Yu Jie and associate fellow Dr Bill Hayton. About Independent Thinking Independent Thinking is a weekly international affairs podcast hosted by our director Bronwen Maddox, in conversation with leading policymakers, journalists and Chatham House experts providing insight on the latest international issues. More ways to listen: Apple Podcasts and Spotify . Explore our other Chatham House podcasts .
West & Central Asia · East Asia · North America · Defense · Cybersecurity · Global politics
During a year on the staff of the ROK/US Combined Forces Command in 2023, I never asked an American counterpart the question behind much of our work: Would the United […]
East Asia · North America · Defense
Senate Republicans barely defeated an effort to halt the conflict even as GOP candidates in battleground states turn against the war.
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense · Oil & energy · Global politics
The Polish foreign minister announced the effort Thursday, despite a previous Trump administration threat to pull troops from the country.
Europe · North America · Defense · Global politics
What can DRC’s national dialogue achieve? Expert comment jon.wallace 24 September 2026 President Tshisekedi and the opposition both want national dialogue. But it remains to be seen whether they can agree on the nature of the DRC’s problems, let alone their solutions. When President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Félix Tshisekedi finally announced a ‘national dialogue’ on 27 August, he evoked the country’s long history of previous negotiations. Too often, he said, they had been about elite power sharing, had not meaningfully included the Congolese people, and had legitimized armed insurrection. This time will be different, he promised. Tshisekedi appealed directly to the Congolese people by proposing a series of public consultations in all 26 provinces, culminating in a convention in Kinshasa. Unlike previous dialogues, this process has a more ambitious aim. It not only seeks to address the causes of insecurity and inequality in DRC and identify reforms. It also seeks to reconstruct or re-found the state. The opposition immediately denounced the project. The C64, a coalition made up of opposition heavyweights including Moïse Katumbi, Martin Fayulu, Delly Sesanga and Jean-Marc Kabund, rejected Tshisekedi’s proposal . So too did the ‘Sauvons le Congo’ platform created by exiled former president Joseph Kabila. Tshisekedi’s plan, they claim, is intended above all to legitimize his attempt to change the constitution, possibly allowing the president to extend his rule beyond his two-term limit, which ends in 2028. They point to a controversial bill that would pave
East Africa · Defense · Global politics
Palestine, Jordan and Egypt ambassadors: On the future of Palestine 5 October 2026 — 13:30 TO 14:45 BST Anonymous (not verified) 24 September 2026 Chatham House Join this fascinating discussion as three Middle East ambassadors to the UK discuss reconstruction, security, President Trump’s Board of Peace, and more. Join this fascinating discussion as three Mideast ambassadors to the UK discuss reconstruction, security, President Trump’s Board of Peace, and more. In August 2026, eight Arab and Islamic countries issued a statement reiterating their support for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state. The group condemned Israeli measures aimed at displacing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as well as Israel’s continued resistance to implementing President Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. This event will bring together ambassadors from states in the Middle East to discuss developments in Palestine. They will also talk about the role of regional states – and the UK - in furthering dialogue, peace and reconstruction. This event discusses: How are Arab states supporting peace, security, and reconstruction in Palestine? What are the immediate and medium-term priorities? What are states’ perspectives towards the Board of Peace, and President Trump’s Peace Plan? What are key takeaways from UNGA concerning regional and global actors’ positions towards Israel and Palestine? Where do opportunities lie for achieving long-term peace? What role do external actors, including the UK and EU, have in supporting Palestine’s future? There will be a 30-minute coffee reception following the
West & Central Asia · Defense · Global politics
For twenty months, Russia’s 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies ground toward Lyman, a small city in eastern Ukraine that sits on a critical road and railway juncture. By seizing […]
Europe · Defense · Cybersecurity
In this episode with host Dr. Charlie Faint, retired Colonel Pat Howell reflects on a career that took him from the 82nd Airborne Division and conventional engineer units to the […]
West & Central Asia · North America · Defense
The delay in confirming high-level officials occurs as the U.S. tries to extricate itself from a war in the Middle East.
North America · Defense · Global politics
Leaders from at least a half-dozen states are making their pitch, even though the federal academy is far from a reality.
North America · Defense · Global politics
The new U.S.–Denmark–Greenland agreement will help Washington exert political, economic, and financial dominance under the guise of security. Yet, it acknowledged Copenhagen’s and Nuuk’s sovereignty on the island.
Europe · North America · Defense · Global politics
The increasing use of drones on the modern battlefield has sparked a great debate about their impact on the ever-changing character of warfare. Whether framed as evolutionary drivers of that […]
Europe · West & Central Asia · East Asia · Defense
The 2025 National Security Strategy called for a “military capable of denying aggression anywhere in the First Island Chain.” During 2026, MWI focused its research efforts on understanding how the […]
East Asia · North America · Defense
Houthi advances now threaten Saudi Arabia’s most viable oil-export route. Europeans should strengthen Riyadh’s maritime and air defences, and mobilise a wider diplomatic coalition to end the US-Iran war driving the escalation
Europe · West & Central Asia · Defense · Oil & energy
