Analysis
List of Analysis articles
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Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's U.N. ambassador, speaks during a Security Council meeting. Trump Makes Devastating Strike on U.S. Diplomatic Credibility
The attack on Iran makes it harder to get any adversaries to the table.
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U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney shakes hands with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on March 23, 2008, at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. Don’t Call the War on Iran Preemptive
Why the official justifications for the war don’t have legal merit.
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Two U.S. National Guard soldiers armed with machine guns and grenade launchers in Los Angeles in 1992. One smiles at the camera behind a face shield. A Rare Presidential Power Could Enable Trump’s Authoritarianism
To rein in executive authority, Congress needs to reform the Insurrection Act.
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U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the nation regarding the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites as seen on a television screen in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 21. Why Trump Changed His Mind on Iran
For months, he seemed to prefer a nuclear deal over military action—until he didn’t.
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Gen. Dan Caine gestures to a cutout displaying U.S. strikes on Iran. Why a Wider War With Iran Is Unlikely
The regime is too weak to escalate or dash to a bomb.
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Trump boards Air Force One while lifting a fist and wearing a MAGA hat. How Trump Could Lose This War
U.S. strikes were limited, but the campaign against Iran could still get messy.
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U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff speaks as U.S. President Donald Trump looks on, May 28, 2025. Trump Lacks the Patience for Peace
Why the mercurial president has failed to deliver on his anti-war rhetoric.
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From left: French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and U.S. President Donald Trump pose for a family photo during the G-7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, on June 16. Can Trump Sit Through a Multilateral Meeting?
Trying to get an ornery president on board is doomed to failure.
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An illustration shows the NATO logo sinking slightly on a blue horizon. Can NATO Keep It Together?
Nine thinkers on this year’s summit and the alliance’s uncertain future.
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Three people, one holding a flashlight, crouch in the opening of a tunnel with rain falling in the background. ‘Andor’ Is a Lesson in Building Rebellion
‘Star Wars’ proves a surprisingly rich text for insurgency.
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People stand outside the White House protesting the Israeli strikes on Iran and any potential U.S. involvement. One of the banners reads "Stop U.S. backed Israel's attacks on Iran," while another reads "All together for peace." Four Questions Trump Should Consider Before Attacking Iran
To succeed, the United States must be able to translate battlefield wins into political leverage.
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Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele greets attendees after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, Maryland, on Feb. 22, 2024. Bukele’s Anti-Crime Model Has Its Limits
El Salvador’s president has attained rockstar status on the global right. But don’t expect other countries to copy his policies.
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Emmerson Mnangagwa stands flanked on either side with two men in formal military uniforms as he stares straight at the camera. Mnangagwa is a man in his 70s wearing a dark suit along with a green sash and military medals and other honors pinned to his jacket. The Perfect Storm Pushing Zimbabwe Toward Crisis
Simmering tensions and an ambitious president could mean wider unrest.
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Newly recruited Indian Army soldiers from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) take part in a parade at the JAKLI Army headquarters in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on June 5. Are India’s Civilian and Military Authorities Aligned?
Officers—not officials—have commented on efficacy in the recent conflict with Pakistan.
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Iranian protocol soldiers stand guard during a ceremony to mark the 27th anniversary of the Islamic revolution at the mausoleum of Iran's late founder of Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Tehran on Feb. 1, 2006. What Regime Change Means in Iran
A new Iran may emerge from the current conflict, but don’t expect a democracy.
