Welcome to The Adversarial. Every other week, we’ll provide you with expert analysis on America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists. Read more below. *** Iran On Oct. 1, Iran launched its second major direct attack against Israel since April. The barrage of around 180 missiles, which initial assessments suggest caused...

Despite the operational and intelligence successes of Israel in Lebanon in September 2024, a troubling question hangs over the country: Who bears responsibility for the failure to anticipate the Oct. 7 Hamas assault that led also to the war in Lebanon and on other fronts? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his intelligence chiefs appear locked in...

TNSR Managing Editor Rick Landgraf talks with Charles Ziegler about his latest article, Filling the Void Left by Great-Power Retrenchment: Russia, Central Asia, and the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Charles and Rick discuss how the Central Asian countries have reacted to the withdrawal, how Russia has tried to reassert itself in the region, and...

In 2018, Kerry Brown wrote “Will Xi Jinping Tighten His Grip on Power in 2019?” where he argued that the atmosphere in China has become increasingly dominated by President Xi, indicative of his ever-increasing political influence. In the wake of a pandemic that shook China, as well as the rest of the world, we invited Kerry back to reflect on his article....

As North Korea continues to advance its nuclear capabilities along with long-range missiles and China’s potential invasion of Taiwan, along with U.S. military responses, dominates discussions on Far East Asian security, the recent establishment of the Trilateral Security Cooperation Framework has sparked questions about whether it includes detailed...

A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it.  *** In recent weeks, Israel has stepped up its campaign against Hizballah in Lebanon, culminating in the killing of...