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Flashpoints
Will China’s military rival the United States’ in the Pacific? Will Japan abandon the constitutional fetters on its own military? How will India respond to the String of Pearls strategy? The Diplomat has put together a team of leading analysts to offer must-read, regular commentary on the big defense and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.
Steve Bannon on Trump's NSC Should Concern US Allies and Partners in Asia
By Ankit Panda
Elevating Steve Bannon to the National Security Council suggests "America First" is here to stay.
Are China and the US Set for a Showdown in Space?
By Peter Garretson, Namrata Goswami, and Peter Garretson and Namrata Goswami
Conversations with Chinese experts highlight several misperceptions about China's ambition in space.
Islamic State’s Khorasan Province, 2 Years on
By Milo Comerford
Today marks the two-year anniversary of ISIS’s new front in Afghanistan. Can the group consider its venture a success?
What's All the Buzz About Missile Defense, Anyway?
By Robert Farley
The political landscape for missile defense will likely shift under the Trump administration. How will that play out?
A US Navy Blockade in the South China Sea Is Not Sound Strategy
By Robert Farley
Rex Tillerson's South China Sea comments just don't make strategic sense.
Japan Scrambles Fighter Jets to Intercept 3 Russian Strategic Bombers
By Franz-Stefan Gady
Is Russia stepping up its aerial patrols in the Asia-Pacific region?
Selective Revanchist Recognition: Trump, Crimea and the South China Sea
By Casey Michel
On the South China Sea, the Trump administration seems to be taking a hard line. Not so on the issue of Crimea.
Ambiguous Trump Policies Might Accelerate China’s Militarization in the South China Sea
By Steven Stashwick
China could use threats to block its Spratly bases to bolster their military capabilities.
Why Pakistan's Newly Flight-Tested Multiple Nuclear Warhead-Capable Missile Really Matters
By Ankit Panda
Pakistan's pursuit of a MIRV capability complicates strategic stability calculations in South Asia.
The Trump Administration Needs a Clear South China Sea Policy
By Ankit Panda
The first mention of the South China Sea by the new U.S. administration in office leaves more questions than it answers.
Japan, US, South Korea Hold Missile Defense Drill
By Franz-Stefan Gady
The naval exercise staged to counter North Korean missile threats concluded on Sunday.