In the complex chess game of global geopolitics, few developments have been as paradoxical as the way two of Xi Jinping's most challenging counterparts may have inadvertently strengthened China's strategic position. While facing significant domestic economic headwinds, President Xi has found unexpected opportunities in the disruptions caused by Vladimir Putin's…
By Robbin Laird The 2019 International Fighter Conference in Berlin brought together military leaders and industry representatives from nations living in the shadow of authoritarian powers. Their presentations, focused on airpower strategies for self-defense against existential threats from Russia and China, now read like a prophetic warning of conflicts to…
By Robbin Laird The comfortable world of middle power diplomacy is disappearing. For decades, countries like Brazil and Australia have thrived by maintaining strategic flexibility. They are trading with multiple partners, participating in diverse institutional frameworks, and avoiding definitive alignment with any single major power. This hedging strategy worked well…
Three and a half years after Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has undergone one of the most remarkable military transformations in modern history. What began as a desperate fight for survival has evolved into a sophisticated hybrid defense force that combines Western military technology with rapid domestic innovation, fundamentally reshaping how…
By Robbin Laird and Kenneth Maxwell The discourse surrounding contemporary international relations has become dominated by the phrase "great power competition," yet this framing may fundamentally mischaracterize the nature of today's global order. While policymakers and analysts frequently invoke this term to describe the strategic rivalry between the United States…
By Pierre Tran Paris - Britain and France were seen as reviving close ties between their services and arms industries, following President Emmanuel Macron meeting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street on July 9, the start of a three-day state visit to the U.K. Britain and France signed…
By Robbin Laird Alan Dupont's recent analysis published in The Australian presents a clear warning about Australia's foreign policy trajectory. In his view, Australia is dangerously drifting toward China while simultaneously weakening its foundational alliance with the United States. This drift, he argues, threatens to leave Australia in a "national…
As tensions in the South China Sea reach new heights, the United States and Philippines are dramatically expanding their military cooperation through a combination of new infrastructure projects and cutting-edge unmanned systems. The United States plans to fund and construct a facility capable of hosting watercraft and assault boats on…
