War on the Rocks – Understanding how Venezuela might respond to U.S. military action requires an accurate assessment of the capabilities, readiness, and doctrinal approach to external intervention of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana). The country’s government under President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013) adopted that name to honor Simón Bolivar, the 19th-century liberator who fought for South American independence and whose ideals form the basis for modern Venezuelan nationalism, known as Bolivarianism, linking the military to his revolutionary legacy.

National Interest – James Holmes says that the new “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine echoes a similar set of ideas promoted by Teddy Roosevelt a century earlier—but differs in at least three ways.

US Naval War College Review – Turkey’s policies often appear at odds with its position in NATO and the broad direction of its allies. These polices become less mysterious when it is understood that Turkey’s strategic imperatives are driven by its unique position as gatekeeper to the Black Sea and the dynamics introduced by the tiered rights granted by the Montreaux Convention.

War on the Rocks – On Oct. 14, President Donald Trump announced on social media that the United States had once more attacked an alleged drug smuggling small boat in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This is the latest strike in what the Trump administration has, in a notification to Congress, designated a “non-international armed conflict” against Tren de Aragua, a narco-group based in Venezuela. In other words, the administration has invoked war powers to justify the targeting of these vessels and, ostensibly, other assets of the organization in the future — perhaps even inside Venezuela. This assertion that the United States is now engaged in a “war” against Tren de Aragua matters for two profound reasons…

CIMSEC – Guadalcanal, the Coral Sea, Tarawa, New Guinea, and Iron Bottom Sound highlight the strategic location of the South Pacific during the Second World War. Today, U.S. and allied preeminence in this vital region is under threat. The People’s Republic of China (PRC,) through a sophisticated blend of economic inducements, political influence, and maritime coercion, is executing a campaign to erode U.S. and allied presence and reshape the Indo-Pacific order. Such activities mirror the tactics of insurgency, where control is gained not just through force, but by blurring legal boundaries, exploiting economic vulnerability, and using civilian fronts to advance strategic ends.

Center for Maritime Strategy – Taiwan, then, is not an especially acute case of the security dilemma. Operationally, Taiwan in China’s control would only somewhat harm American security while significantly improving China’s. Much like West Berlin in the Cold War, the primary significance of Taiwan is as a demonstration of uncompromising American resolve to deter an adversary and prevent allied bandwagoning. With a favorable military balance, that demonstration is easy. The United States’ military advantage in East Asia is eroding, however, and it is safe to assume that China will become increasingly assertive towards the island. Soon, American policymakers will have to make choices with no easy answers. Their decisions will be aided by an informed public that approaches the debate with the sobriety and humility that it deserves. 

Breaking Defense – Reunification of the Aleutians: A strategic proposal for the Commander Islands

War on the Rocks – Located at the crossroads of vital Indian Ocean shipping lanes linking the Middle East and Asia, the Maldives has emerged as an unlikely but increasingly important foothold in Indo-Pacific strategic rivalry. Despite having less than 600,000 residents and limited naval capacity, the country’s geographic position, economic ambition, and diplomatic agility have made it a valuable partner for major powers. Malé is attempting to actively shape its strategic environment by securing investments, courting diverse partnerships, and raising its regional profile. For China, India, the United States, and others, access to Maldivian territory or association with its leadership enhances their ability to operate in this strategic corridor.

RUSI – In January 2025, the RUSI Maritime Sanctions Taskforce met for the second time. This report presents findings from the meeting, which was held to examine the evolving strategies of the shadow fleet and provide operational recommendations to enhance collective enforcement efforts.

BBC – A Hong Kong-based company has agreed to sell most of its stake in two key ports on the Panama Canal to a group led by US investment firm BlackRock. The sale comes after weeks of complaining by President Donald Trump that the canal is under Chinese control and that the US should take control of the major shipping route.

The War Zone – Donald Trump seems more insistent than ever on controlling Greenland, but regardless of his controversial intentions, the island is of real strategic importance.

War on the Rocks – Should a war erupt with China over Taiwan, many observers seem to think that Europe would be largely irrelevant as far as the actual fighting is concerned. Those who share this opinion typically point to Europe’s reluctance to confront China or a lack of meaningful military capabilities to bring to the table. Or they prefer Europe simply mind its knitting and focus on the Russian threat, which is much closer to home, and would free up the United States to concentrate on China…We have a different perspective.  

National Interest – James Holmes says Donald Trump’s second term could solidify the U.S. pivot to Asia, focusing resources on countering China’s assertiveness. Prioritizing the Indo-Pacific requires downgrading European commitments, leveraging alliances like Japan and Taiwan, and strengthening the first island chain’s defenses to thwart Chinese ambitions.

CIMSEC – The 2022 National Security Strategy proudly proclaims that “No region impacts the United States more directly than the Western Hemisphere,” but the U.S. defense posture in Latin America and the Caribbean is at risk of being outflanked by extra-hemispheric competitors, the People’s Republic of China first among them.

War on the Rocks – Money is the sinew of all wars. In Haiti, feuding gangs are financed by illicit traffic of all sorts, including narcotics and weapons. Disrupting that flow of cash could help provide some leverage to the authorities trying desperately to re-establish order. Considering that Haiti is insular, cutting seaborne illicit traffic would be a practical and effective step for countries that wish to help the Haitian population but are hesitant to contribute boots on the ground.

War on the Rocks – The Kremlin’s preoccupation with prevailing in Ukraine is pushing it to contemplate geostrategic risks and adopt a more proactive approach in regions like the Red Sea. In the past, the Yemeni quagmire had limited appeal even to Russia, a country known for its inclination to exploit crises around the globe. But Moscow’s calculations may be shifting. The Kremlin’s warming ties with Yemen’s Houthi rebels could enable the latter to expand and intensify their destabilizing activities, especially if advanced military hardware changes hands.

RUSI – The UK has made a foolish trade of hard power for soft, which will quickly evaporate, and gained nothing in return.

BBC – The UK has announced it is giving up sovereignty of a remote but strategically important cluster of islands in the Indian Ocean after more than half a century. The deal – reached after years of negotiations – will see the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius in a historic move.

War on the Rocks – Today, with the return of great-power competition and the corresponding activities of revisionist actors in the wider Mediterranean region, the Mediterranean has come roaring back as a contested body of water. Following Russia’s invasions of Ukraine and the war in Gaza, this sea is once again what it has been for millennia: a zone of competition.

ISPI – Recent crises have demonstrated that maritime security is essential for international stability and Europe’s prosperity. This dossier examines the challenges to the maritime order and the governance and capabilities needed to address them, emphasizing the role of both state and non-state actors in shaping the global order at sea.

AlJazeera – Intelligence experts have warned that Europe is under a growing threat from Russian sabotage operations, and believe those operations aim to secure concrete military results in Ukraine, political and economic costs to Europe, and nuisance value.

RUSI – As uncertainty grows over the future of cooperation in the Arctic, the risk is that creeping alternatives will harden the dividing lines between Russia and the West.

War on the Rocks – What happens in the Baltic will have major implications for regional defense and deterrence efforts. As such, it should be of interest to alliance members well beyond the sea’s littoral.

RUSI – Despite some common interests, Russia and China have different goals in the Arctic.

National Interest – James Holmes writes that the United States’ standing in the world hinges on alliances and fellowships of all types—chiefly in the rimlands and marginal seas ringing the Eurasian supercontinent. America has no strategic position in the rimlands without them.