Publications

Thirteen years ago, as the Bush administration and its "freedom agenda" entered its second term in office, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman took the pulse of popular sentiment in Iran, and came away with some surprising conclusions. Iran, Friedman heard from Iranian expatriates and regime insiders, was the ultimate "red state," where the population did not share the ruling regime's hatred of the West and where people craved greater freedom and democracy.

It's official: U.S.-Turkish relations are in a tailspin.

Only time will tell if Tehran will cave to Washington's demands.

Films by regime-friendly directors reveal the more subliminal level of what government representatives proclaim explicitly in interviews.
 

But is he willing to embrace the policies of past administrations in order to achieve that goal?

Military Innovation, Commercial Technologies, and Great Power Competition

Even though the Islamic State group has been greatly diminished, its offshoots and other terrorist groups still wreak havoc around the world.

An American president meets his Russian counterpart in Helsinki. Critics worry that he'll validate Russia's rule over its conquered neighbors, while human rights advocates fret that he won't discuss their issue.

The Russian Ministry of Defense is pursuing artificial intelligence with an urgency that has only grown since Vladimir Putin’s “rule the world” speech in September.

The threats to U.S. LNG range from external shocks, Asian governments keeping their doors closed, and the need to finish domestic investment.

On July 16th, President Donald Trump will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in what is shaping up to be a highly anticipated – and highly controversial – bilateral summit.

The fresh outbreaks of street protests in Tehran that have taken place in recent days raise the question of whether this will be just a temporary disturbance or a sign of more significant changes to come.

America's Iran policy is at a crossroads. In the wake of President Trump's recent decision to abandon the 2015 nuclear deal, his administration has unveiled a new, more muscular approach toward the Islamic Republic.

The record-setting nuclear deal inked between China and Russia earlier this month is the latest blow to America’s declining influence in commercial nuclear power across the globe.

Russia, like many other nations, is investing in the development of various unmanned military systems. The Russian defense establishment sees such systems as mission multipliers, highlighting two major advantages: saving soldiers’ lives and making military missions more effective.

Getting to better relations with Turkey will not be easy. But it’s far from impossible.

Does the road to Tehran lead through Singapore? Hopes are high that next week's summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will begin a process leading to the total, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.