CLOAK AND CABINET

Last week, I wrote about how U.S. President Donald Trump made a deal with Vladimir Putin, the dictator of Russia, to import diesel. Since this deal was announced, it has caused furore among U.S. allies, and it seems that in the days since, things have only gotten worse for Ukraine. Starlink was shut off and slowed down for Ukraine, Trump demanded that Zelenskyy step down, and a so-called energy ceasefire was announced by Trump. This ceasefire came as a surprise to both Putin and Zelenskyy, and, of course, Russia doubled down on its attacks on Kyiv. What can we do in a situation where Trump does not seem to care about the consequences, but simply wants this war to end because it “pushes prices up,” despite the fact that the war in Iran is actually a major factor behind soaring diesel and gas prices? Credit for image: Wikimedia Commons WHAT HAPPENED IN UKRAINE THIS PAST WEEK? Over the past week, the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated sharply, particularly as tensions between Kyiv and ...

Last Friday, Trump announced plans to lift U.S. sanctions on Russian oil. An unprecedented move that could help ease gasoline prices for American consumers just ahead of the midterm elections. But while lower prices at the pump may offer short-term relief, the decision could have far-reaching consequences well beyond the United States, potentially leaving Ukraine in an even more vulnerable position. In this blog post, we’ll examine what Trump has done and what it could mean for the global economy, energy markets, and the war in Ukraine. Trump has also openly called for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step down. But, would that actually be a smart move, and what could it mean for Ukraine? And perhaps most importantly: why does the United States remain dependent on global oil and diesel markets, including energy supplies historically linked to its geopolitical rival, Russia? Let’s take a closer look at the decision, its potential consequences, and the bigger geopolitical picture behind ...

When people talk about  the Iran war, we tend to focus on Iran itself: the nuclear program, the Hormuz Strait struggles, how any American strikes there was. However, the war is now slowly expanding to other places, and the most important consequences of the war are happening also somewhere else.  Across Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, armed groups connected to Iran are fighting, reorganizing and adapting to a rapidly changing Middle East. These fronts are not simply side battles. They are part of a wider contest over who will shape the region after the current war ends. In this week’s blog post, let’s look at Iran’s network across the region and ask whether it can survive the war with America. Attribution: CyberPen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 IN LEBANON, HEZBOLLAH’S PROBLEM IS NO LONGER SIMPLY ISRAEL For a long time, Hezbollah has been an important part of Iran’s regional strategy. Its political and military influence in Lebanon gave Tehran a powerful partner right on Isra...

September 11, 2001, marked a defining moment in modern history, altering the course of global events. On that day, coordinated terrorist attacks shocked the United States and the world, killing nearly 3,000 innocent people and creating a profound sense of national unity in the immediate aftermath. The attacks reshaped global security strategies and foreign policies, with lasting effects on international relations and personal lives. Known simply as “9/11,” the tragedy claimed nearly 3,000 lives and set the stage for sweeping changes in how nations addressed security and terrorism. In this blog post, marking the 25th anniversary of this tragic event, we will explore the events leading up to September 11, 2001, the harrowing occurrences of that day, and the profound aftermath that transformed both the United States and the world. The 9/11 attack was devastating (Copyright) THE BACKGROUND OF THE ATTACKS Al-Qaeda, the terrorist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks, traces part of ...

Before the conflict began, many expected the war with Iran to be short. President Trump and his supporters appeared to believe that Iran would be unable to sustain a prolonged fight. At the same time, anti-government protests had been taking place across the country, leading some to predict that internal unrest would quickly weaken the Iranian regime. The reality has been more complicated. Although Iran cannot match the United States in military technology or conventional firepower, it has demonstrated resilience, patience, and a willingness to absorb significant costs. Unlike many Western democracies, Iran's leadership also faces fewer domestic political constraints when it comes to sustaining a long conflict. In this blog post, I explore how the conflict has evolved over time, why many early predictions proved inaccurate, and what the consequences could be if the war continues for an extended period. THE WAR IN A NUTSHELL Let's take a step back and look at how the war has u...

Trump's special military operation in Iran has now been going on for almost two months. In this time, not much has been achieved. So what is America's plan with this war? In this week's blog post, I want to explore what is going on in Iran: what America's goals are, and how this conflict might end. THE WAR SO FAR Iran has been going through a very turbulent time over the past year. There were widespread protests, during which many people died. These protests were largely related to the economic situation in Iran. Many people felt that the regime did not support them. Young people in particular felt that they had no opportunities. Trump appears to have seen an opportunity to encourage these protests to grow. Alongside the unrest, he took the chance to launch attacks. Two months on, however, we still do not know exactly why. During the time the war has been going on, Ali Khamenei has been killed and replaced by his son. We have not seen the son publicly since the start of...

On 3rd January 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump led a military operation in Venezuela to capture President Nicolás Maduro on alleged drug charges. The mission was swift and ruthless, lasting only a few hours, and it successfully resulted in the arrest of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They are now in New York, facing trial on drug-related charges. On top of this, Trump has been threatening several other countries in Latin America, and has even gone as far as claiming that the U.S. will take Greenland because “they need it for their defence.” In this blog post, we’ll briefly look at the Venezuela operation, and then spend more time analyzing what it means for global geopolitics—and more specifically, why Trump seems so obsessed with Greenland.     WHAT HAPPENED IN VENEZUELA? On 3 January 2026, United States forces carried out a rapid military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. According to U.S. offici...

The United States’ 2025 National Security Strategy was published on December 4th. It sets out the priorities of the U.S. government for the upcoming administration, its main goals, strategic direction, and expectations for global partners, as well as how it intends to position itself on the world stage. It is a critical document that U.S. allies look to in order to understand how to navigate their relationships with an increasingly unpredictable Trump administration. Unfortunately, despite its significance, this 30 page document falls short. It presents a deeply insular “America First” approach, combined with the assertion that the United States can intervene anywhere it deems necessary in the name of “protecting the interests of the American people.” In practical terms, this means asserting authority over other nations’ governments, laws, and internal affairs whenever Washington labels something a threat. In this blog post, I will break down the strategy, focusing especially on what ...

For decades, American diplomacy has traditionally followed a structured and institutional approach shaped by the State Department, multilateral cooperation, and standardized policy frameworks. The current U.S. strategy in mediating the Ukraine–Russia peace process, however, looks extremely different. Rather than following classical diplomatic norms, Washington is now approaching the conflict as though it were a business negotiation. This is most evident in the strong involvement of Steve Witkoff, the US envoy with a background in real estate, investment, and deal-making. Their methods reflect the growing influence of American business culture on global conflict resolution, due to Trump's own background in this area. The result is an approach that treats the war not only as a geopolitical crisis but also as a complex transaction in which leverage, incentives, and practical outcomes matter more than ideological alignment. In this blog post, let's analyze how this approach will be...