Mutual Hedging, Not Mutual Defense
September 18, 2026 | Indo-Pacific minilateralism offers a hollow promise.
Articles by Yasir Aladdin Afifi
Haiti, Erik Prince, and the Cost of Privatized Security
September 2, 2026 | Vectus Global has promised to rid Haiti of gangs. What it hasn't achieved is any measure of accountability.
Tajikistan Cannot Police Its Way to Cultural Sovereignty
August 26, 2026 | The country has a real argument about imported cultural authority. Raids, forced shaving, and vague dress laws are the wrong answer.
Europe Is Embracing Green Protectionism — At the Cost of a Global Green Transition
August 20, 2026 | Developed countries pledged to support poorer countries in their green transitions. Under a new EU policy, they’re applying penalties instead — and the U.S. may follow suit.
The Five Eyes Have Global Reach and So Do Their Opponents
August 19, 2026 | International coalitions are challenging Five Eyes surveillance through courts, legislatures, and public campaigns.
Impunity in Africa
August 18, 2026 | The case of Kizza Besigye in Uganda showcases the way many African governments are suppressing opposition movements and letting their security forces get away with torture.
A “Pacific-First” Reality Check
August 17, 2026 | Why the Pentagon’s strategic retreat was inevitable.
The Real Causes of Iraq’s Problems
June 17, 2014 | Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki isn't the only one responsible for Iraq's woes -- history, U.S. foreign policy, and meddling neighbors are also to blame.
Environmentalists Miss Chance to Protest Base
July 19, 2012 | Why are the organizers of the World Conservation Congress holding their meeting near the construction of a military base in South Korea that is destroying the environment?
A Visit from the FBI
July 21, 2011 | In this excerpt from a new book of narratives about men and women needlessly swept up in the War on Terror, the FBI inadvertently reveals the scope of its surveillance.