The double costs of conflict-driven climate change in MENA and beyond

While much of the world’s attention was on the ongoing Gaza war, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region was also dealing with unprecedented heavy rainfall in the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries this month, coupled with record heat waves throughout the region. These events were stark reminders of the climate change challenges

Bombs and disinformation: Russia’s campaign to depopulate Kharkiv

Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv, is currently the Kremlin’s number one target. Since the start of 2024, Kharkiv has been the primary focus of a Russian bombing campaign that has sought to capitalize of Ukraine’s dwindling supplies of air defense ammunition in order to terrorize the civilian population and destroy vital infrastructure. The Kremlin’s goal is

US takes big step toward making Russia pay for Ukraine invasion

The landmark US aid bill signed by President Biden on April 24 has visibly boosted morale in Ukraine. Many analysts believe the $61 billion package will significantly improve Ukraine’s military outlook, easing months of critical supply shortfalls and creating new opportunities to strike back at the invading Russian army. While most attention has so far

New US aid package is not enough to prevent Russian victory in Ukraine

This week’s big news of a major new US aid package has boosted Ukrainian morale considerably and sparked fresh optimism over the country’s military prospects. Indeed, the change in tone across Ukraine and among the country’s partners in recent days has been tangible. During the previous six months, coverage of the war had grown increasingly

Why Taiwan stands with Israel

“Israel Alone,” blared the Economist’s cover story in late March. This sentiment resonated deeply with Israelis. Since Hamas’s devastating attack on October 7, the fight to free hostages and defend itself from vicious terrorism feels like a solitary battle. Six months into the conflict, 133 Israeli hostages still languish in Gaza, tens of thousands of

The Syrian parliamentary elections are coming up. Should anyone care?

This summer, elections for the Syrian People’s Assembly will be held in the areas controlled by the government under Bashar al-Assad. As the electoral process unfolds, a series of articles will deconstruct the key elements of Syrian elections and their role in legitimizing Baath Party rule. It will also conduct a deep dive into the

Brooks interviewed for History Channel “The Great War”

Original Source On April 25, it was announced that an interview with Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Max Brooks will be included in The History Channel’s upcoming two-part documentary series “The Great War” premiering on May 27-28. “The Great War” explores the critical years of 1917 and 1918, weaving together the stories of three different