Russia, China, and Iran are now trying to block IAEA verification and monitoring reporting related to UNSCR 2231

There was no dedicated CSG in CENTCOM between the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 and the war in Gaza in 2023. Days before October 7, the U.S. presence in the CENTCOM AOR was limited to an ARG and the usual surface accompaniment: news.usni.org/2023/10/02/usn…

"American officials believed the technology shared with Huawei, which may have been dual use, would give Chinese fighter jets even more time to target American fighters in any war over Taiwan, increasing an advantage that the PLA had secured over the US military."

For more on the US-UAE negotiations over G42 and China, see our Washington Institute report from 2024: washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysi…

.Secretary Marco Rubio: “No one is contemplating” walking away from Taiwan as part of a deal with Beijing. 🇺🇸 🇹🇼

Per the NYT, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have yet to receive advanced NVIDIA chips despite an initial green light during Trump's trip in May. Another reminder to our friends in the Gulf that the competition with China remains the major rallying point in Washington.

"The materiel includes advanced Chinese-made drones along with small arms, heavy machine guns, vehicles, artillery, mortars and ammunition, the officials said." wsj.com/world/how-u-a-…

Moving DSCA from Policy to A&S may speed up arms transfers in some aspects, but it's only one piece of the puzzle. There also needs to be a greater push for more staffing: we're seeing record level orders since Ukraine, but personnel numbers at DSCA have largely remained the same

"European intelligence sources say several shipments of sodium perchlorate...have arrived from China to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas since the so-called “snapback” mechanism was triggered at the end of September." edition.cnn.com/2025/10/29/mid…

"Whatever the name China uses for these initiatives, it is characteristically hard to actually define or measure their impacts." Read my Washington Institute colleague Henry Tugendhat in Foreign Policy on China's latest multilateral initiative: foreignpolicy.com/2025/10/30/chi…

"RSF fighters are armed with bomb-carrying Wing Loong II and FeiHong-95 drones, made in China, and supplied by the United Arab Emirates to help expand its own interests in the region." wsj.com/world/africa/s…

New Aircraft Carrier Advances China’s Naval Power—Leader Xi Jinping marks step in his mission to modernize nation’s military Chun Han Wong 王春翰 wsj.com/world/china/ne… wsj.com/world/china/ne…

India - Israel joint venture deal will deliver Indian Army 425,000 close-quarter carbine assault rifles between 2026 and 2028. jpost.com/defense-and-te…

From the Sea, always together.  For 250 years, Sailors and Marines have stood side-by-side, delivering combat power and strength wherever it’s needed most.   Happy Birthday, Marines!

ICYMI: Amb. James Jeffrey, Ambassador Michael Herzog, Michael Jacobson, and Anna Borshchevskaya set the stage for Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's historic White House visit, examining critical issues as well as lessons from past diplomatic efforts. washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysi…

Like every Michigander, I grew up with the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald. How the ship was built in a Detroit shipyard. How it was once the “Pride of the American Side”, the biggest freighter on the Great Lakes at the time, a symbol of America’s manufacturing might. How all 29

Important argument from my friend mattfromprotocol: Congress should authorize the U.S. to use its existing biometric infrastructure to help find abducted Ukrainian children. thehill.com/opinion/intern…

China plans to ease the flow of rare earths and other restricted materials to the U.S. by designing a system that will exclude companies with ties to the U.S. military while fast-tracking export approvals for other firms, say people familiar with the plan. wsj.com/world/china/ch…

It was a real privilege to host a thoughtful panel at KCL, titled "Deal-Making or Disorder? The Trump Administration and the Middle East" sponsored and organised by Centre for Statecraft & National Security. Many thanks to our amazing panel of Grant Rumley, Ebtesam al-Ketbi, Ozge Genc and Dr. Ammar Kahf!