Category: South & Central Asia

Thunder over the Falklands: Asian Arms in Latin America

Pakistan Air Force JF-17’s armed with air to air and air to ground munitions. Photo Credit: Pakistan Air Force Last month, local Argentine newspapers leaked news that the Argentinian government intended to purchase 12 Pakistan-Chinese manufactured JF-17[i] Block III ‘Thunder’ fighter aircraft and supporting equipment. This is not new. Argentina’s plan to purchase Chinese fighters … Continue reading Thunder over the Falklands: Asian Arms in Latin America

India needs Planes, Waivers, and A Little Bit of Patience

Photo Credit: Boeing The Border Clash          On June 15th, 2020, Chinese and Indian forces clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) resulting in the deaths of twenty Indian soldiers and at least six members of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).[1] This clash, the first border incident between the two nuclear armed powers to lead … Continue reading India needs Planes, Waivers, and A Little Bit of Patience

Faculty Interview with Ali Vaez

*The transcript of this interview, conducted by Meghan McGee, has been lightly edited to enhance flow and clarity. Please tell me briefly about your background and how you ended up at Georgetown. I have a rather peculiar background. I was born and raised in Iran. I was always interested in international relations and politics, but … Continue reading Faculty Interview with Ali Vaez

Shifting Sands: Assessing the likelihood of a US-Iranian War

Iranian protesters burning an American flag. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons. The United States rang in 2020 with a precision drone strike, killing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Commander Qasem Soleimani. Maximum pressure has given way to lethal force, and the region anxiously awaits new developments. The question is whether this move by the Trump Administration … Continue reading Shifting Sands: Assessing the likelihood of a US-Iranian War

Iran’s Approach to Deterrence

Iranian skyline with mountains in the background. Photo Credit: Shutterstock. Iran’s approach to deterrence and grand strategy produces threats to different US foreign policy priorities: chiefly, non-proliferation, arms control, and regional stability, making it difficult for the United States to make and build consensus for an effective countering strategy. Iran’s desire to establish a nuclear … Continue reading Iran’s Approach to Deterrence

Despite its Economic Impact, The Maximum Pressure Campaign Is Not Successful

An Iranian woman holds her national flag as she walks past the former US Embassy in Tehran. Behrouz Mehri /Getty Images. Four years since Washington and Tehran signed the JCPOA agreement, diplomatic efforts have given way to renewed hostilities and brinksmanship between the two sides. The maximum pressure campaign, the Trump administration’s replacement to the JCPOA, … Continue reading Despite its Economic Impact, The Maximum Pressure Campaign Is Not Successful

The Lack of a US Response to Iran’s Brazen Actions may be its Most Escalatory Move Yet

Riverine Command Boats (RCB) 802 and 805 participate in a bi-lateral exercise with Kuwait naval forces in the Arabian Gulf. Photo Credit: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Torrey W. Lee. Iran's ongoing attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and its escalatory strike on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities in Abqaiq have jolted … Continue reading The Lack of a US Response to Iran’s Brazen Actions may be its Most Escalatory Move Yet

Deal or No Deal: US Peace Talks with the Taliban

General Joseph Dunford during a recent visit to Afghanistan. Photo Source: DoD/Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique Pineiro. Over the past few months, the United States has been negotiating with the Taliban to hammer out a peace deal that would allow the U.S. to remove its troops from Afghanistan after 18 years of conflict. The U.S. … Continue reading Deal or No Deal: US Peace Talks with the Taliban