Russia

  • After America: What Middle Powers Can Still Build

    Iran ceasefire talks are now beginning. Had the war continued, Iran’s retaliation might well have threatened the very survival of Gulf civilization itself, while also exposing the limits of U.S. military power and potentially bringing an end to America’s unipolar dominance. The ceasefire has, at least for now, bought everyone some breathing room. . Even so, this latest attack on…

  • Russia, cursing the dollar, cannot forego it

    Russia never misses a chance to square off against the United States. The dollar has long been one of its favorite targets. The message has been simple enough: why keep using the dollar, that tool of American imperialism? Why not settle trade in rubles or Chinese yuan instead, and show the Yankees that the world can move on without them?…

  • Dark Clouds Gathering on Putin’s Horizon: Russia’s September Parliamentary Elections

    The war in Ukraine has now entered its fifth year. Not only Ukraine but Russia itself—despite being a great power—has been badly worn down. The recent surge in oil prices caused by the war with Iran has given Moscow some temporary breathing room. Yet the underlying strains remain severe. Thousands of tanks and armored vehicles have been destroyed in Ukraine,…

  • Should Japan go nuclear or can it?

    (Currently Japan’s prime minister TAKAICHI Sanae is in Washington D.C., an official visit long planned. During the meeting with President Trump, discussions are likely to cover not only the current situation regarding Iran but also the future direction of the Japan-U.S. alliance in the Asia-Pacific region. For reference, I have posted below my own article on Japan’s nuclear armament. While…

  • How to Survive Trump’s Armageddon

    For some time now, analysts have been pointing to the possible end of the U.S.-led postwar order. With the Strait of Hormuz now facing the risk of closure, global stock markets, oil prices, and other indicators are swinging wildly. The atmosphere feels almost apocalyptic. ・ History shows many moments when an existing system of security and economic stability suddenly collapsed.…

  • Dialogue with the Late Professor Joseph Nye

    (This essay was originally written in March 2025. Since then, Professor Joseph Nye has passed away. The issues discussed here, however, remain urgent. I have therefore updated and reposted it.) On February 25, 2025, I read in Newsweek Japan an article by Joseph Nye, the architect of the concept of “soft power,” titled “Why America Holds the Advantage in a…