Original essays, research notes, and reports
The most consequential fact about the current war on Iran is not the eventual fate of any government in Tehran, nor the precise terms of any final communiqué, but the manner in which coercion is now being organized. Whatever the war’s outcome, the conflict has already normalized three departures from the post–Cold War settlement: the Read more
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Rights, Power, and the Jurisprudence of Lā ḍarar walā ḍirār ABSTRACT: This article argues that rights are more than being protections against power, they are also socially recognized capacities to shape the choices available to others. Building on this proposition, it reexamines the Prophetic maxim lā ḍarar walā ḍirār (“there shall be neither harm nor Read more
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The recent signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan has sent ripples through the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. Initial reports suggesting that Iran had been invited to join this newly established security alliance sparked immediate speculation regarding Tehran’s next move. However, the Iranian government has since formally clarified the situation, denying Read more
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The Architecture of Insecurity by Ahmed E. Souaiaia, Ph.D. * Abstract The emerging defense alignment among Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Türkiye marks a significant development in the evolving security architecture of the Middle East and South Asia. This article examines the strategic logic, internal contradictions, and potential limitations of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement (The Read more
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The Meanings and Functions of the Rise of Abdul El-Sayed The American political landscape has just experienced a seismic tremor. In the Michigan Democratic Senate primary, progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed defeated establishment-backed Haley Stevens, prevailing in what has been described as the most expensive Senate primary in American history. If El-Sayed triumphs in the Read more
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Introduction Recent commentary in policy and journalistic circles, typified by essays such as The New York Times piece titled “America Is Officially an Empire in Decline,” interprets the contemporary geopolitical moment through the lens of strategic errors, imperial overreach, and episodic miscalculation. Within this framing, hypothetical or proximate conflicts, including discursive references to the 2026 Read more
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Why Land Routes Build Empires Trace the yellow line from Xi’an to Tehran, and you are not merely looking at a modern infrastructure project—you are witnessing the resurrection of an ancient truth that shaped civilizations for two millennia. Throughout history, the great cities of the Silk Road did not rise because of what lay beneath Read more
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By Ahmed E. Souaiaia, PhD* “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” These words, posted by US President Donald Trump on Truth Social, were more than a threat—which they were directed against Iran which he attacked without congressional authorization or Read more
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The Paradox of Power By Ahmed Souaiaia In the annals of modern conflict, a persistent fallacy plagues the strategic calculus of superpowers: the belief that kinetic dominance equates to political victory. As the United States and Israel engage in escalated hostilities against Iran, the Trump administration faces a stark reality that transcends the battlefield. While Read more
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How the Iran Nuclear Pretext Reveals a Broader Agenda of Coercion In the annals of modern geopolitical theater, few phrases carry as much ironic baggage as “mission accomplished.” Eight months after the United States launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities under the codename “Operation Midnight Hammer,” President Donald Trump finds himself in a rhetorical loop: Read more
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