A quiet political anomaly has long persisted on the Horn of Africa: A territory that governs itself reasonably, holds competitive elections and has largely kept jihadist militias out of its territory is treated as a mirage. The reasons are interesting. danperry.substack.com/p/somaliland...

They actually endanger American society danperry.substack.com/p/trumps-cra...

Prediction is always a dicey, hubristic business. But in today’s episode of Critical Conditions, Claire Berlinski and I took the plunge anyway. We expect a year of decisions and reckonings. open.substack.com/pub/danperry...

As 2025 winds down, I'm grateful what we've been able to accomplish at Ask Questions Later. Here's a review of our top essays of the year -- and a 40% discount coupon good until tomorrow! danperry.substack.com/p/who-by-fir...

2026 Could Bring More Instability or Huge Progress in the Middle East. A Special Report for Paid Subscribers: Iran, Gaza, Yemen, Somaliland, the Gulf, Israel and more. danperry.substack.com/p/2026-could...

Pleased with and proud of my collaboration with @claireberlinski.bsky.social, the twice-weekly geopolitics review known as Critical Conditions. In this final podcast of the year, we rank our top five events and trends. There are some fun surprises. danperry.substack.com/p/2025-the-y...

There's no question Trump has had the biggest impact in 2025, for which he's our Person of the Year. Good or bad? We report - you decide. Meanwhile, offering 40% off a paid subscription through New Year's, and that's surely the Thing of the Year! danperry.substack.com/p/aqls-perso...

A photo essay celebrating 2025 in my own particular idiom danperry.substack.com/p/scenes-of-...

HIghlights from Ask Questions Later's coverage and commentary in 2025, which was truly a year to remember. Check it out! danperry.substack.com/p/who-by-fir...

Why Britain and America Still Don’t Speak the Same English danperry.substack.com/p/separated-...

Don't be too surprised to see UK moves in the direction of the EU in 2026. In the background, leading the polls, looms far-right firebrand (and seeming Putin sympathizer) Nigel Farage danperry.substack.com/p/for-britai...

FOR PAID SUBSCRIBERS: AI is both a speculative surge and a brutally real transition. Which will be the story that sticks? danperry.substack.com/p/the-bubble...

US plans to demand years of social media from visitors are accelerating America’s self-inflicted collapse as an open, admired society. And, of course, harming the economy. Again. danperry.substack.com/p/a-feed-too...

With the world on fire, gifting a publication like Ask Questions Later may be the cool thing to do. It says: I think you care about understanding the world and can hold more than one idea at once. And I think you might appreciate that I know. danperry.substack.com/p/on-gifts-a...

Expect fellow authoritarian Trump to now pressure Israel’s president to help Netanyahu escape justice, backed by threats against the Jewish state danperry.substack.com/p/netanyahus...

Across the map, strange doings are afoot. Here's what's on the radar this week, and a last call for the Thanksgiving subscription discount! danperry.substack.com/p/on-the-rad...

Check out AQL's November astounding roundup and grab our Thanksgiving Discount (or gift a subscription!) danperry.substack.com/p/november-r...

TATIANA DER AVEDISSIAN WRITES IN AQL: With weak national climate commitments and rising political polarization the COP process risks irrelevance unless the public is brought directly into the negotiations. danperry.substack.com/p/the-un-cli...

What X’s new transparency revealed is basically an international emergency: Social media is not serious enough to be taken as seriously as we do. danperry.substack.com/p/fake-social

The ultimate, definitive, comprehensive, authoritative analysis of why Trump bows before the authoritarian war criminal Putin. danperry.substack.com/p/trumps-tra...

Someone should tell Trump how Neville Chamberlain is remembered. danperry.substack.com/p/from-munic...

Is the US about to invade #Venezuela? I discuss this on @newsnation.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNf2...

Elon Musk organizes a trillion dollars for himself. How can it possibly be? The answer lies in the utter madness that is CEO pay today. danperry.substack.com/p/the-avatar...

Trump's trumpeting Saudi Arabia’s supposed pledge to funnel a trillion dollars into the US economy, as though Riyadh has just pulled up a truck full of cash and is dumping it onto the National Mall. It's a little more complicated than that. danperry.substack.com/p/snake-oil

Richard Nixon, cornered by Watergate, stood before reporters in Orlando on Nov. 17, 1973 and delivered one of the most iconic lines in presidential history: “I am not a crook.” It seems quaint to remember such a time. danperry.substack.com/p/i-am-a-crook

WEEKEND READ ON AQL: It's just so strange that my linguistic pet peeves are not a global consensus. So I am launching my campaign for a global exorcism of the Top 10 abominations. danperry.substack.com/p/10-linguis...

ALISON MUTLER WRITES: The EU unveils its Democracy Shield against against the Putinbot project, showing that in a fragmented world with fading US leadership Europe may now be the only actor capable of coordinating a defense of democracy danperry.substack.com/p/europe-str...

The Case for Saving the United Nations danperry.substack.com/p/the-lesson...

The US government shutdown fiasco - and its absurd end with a Democratic fold - is the final argument for abolishing the filibuster. There are other lessons as well. danperry.substack.com/p/so-what-ex...

In today’s Critical Conditions podcast, Claire and I focused on #COP30 in Brazil. The US is not sending high-level delegates, hates multilateral diplomacy and denies climate change. Is it time to look beyond the COP process? danperry.substack.com/p/the-brazil...

THE FIFTH ESTATE: My analysis of the new economics of journalism. danperry.substack.com/p/the-fifth-...

The filibuster that enables the shutdown is an absurd relic, and Trump is actually right in wanting to kill it. It is another case of BAD American exceptionalism. Read the story here: danperry.substack.com/p/trump-is-r...

The Americans have revolted (in a way) - why don't the Russians? In today’s Critical Conditions podcast, Claire Berlinski and I focused on US politics, the potential for a revolt in Russia, and the urgent need to help Lebanon disarm Hezbollah. Give it a listen! danperry.substack.com/p/the-americ...

I wrote this a few months ago, practically begging SCOTUS to not drop the ball this time, and again let Trump get away with a crime. I don’t want to jinx anything, but according to reports, the early signs are good. danperry.substack.com/p/scotus-at-...

New York’s new mayor embodies two kinds of progressivism — one might actually help the Democrats, and the more likely one would doom them danperry.substack.com/p/the-mamdan...

Dick Cheney was long the embodiment of hubris — gray, unblinking architect of the Iraq War, defender of “enhanced interrogation,” bureaucratic hawk. Yet many who once loathed him found themselves mourning, just a little bit, an America that no longer exists. danperry.substack.com/p/a-hawk-in-...

A GLOBAL BRIEFING: From Iran and Africa to Russia and Lebanon, we have a problem. Meanwhile, solar energy is ascendant and New York holds a fascinating election. Much to consider in a roundup from Ask Questions Later. danperry.substack.com/p/this-week-...

This article is both a photographic salute to nighttime Warsaw, and a harrowing tale of woe. danperry.substack.com/p/a-miracle-...

Larry Derfner brings up a very important issue this week in Ask Questions Later. danperry.substack.com/p/when-did-t...

Trump’s colossal $250 million ballroom — bigger than the White House residence and built while teachers and health officials are being fired — encapsulates monarchic mania (precisely amid "No Kings" protests). But is that really new? danperry.substack.com/p/let-the-ea...

#France's Fifth Republic worked for a while but it is in need of an overhaul, writes @claireberlinski.bsky.social in Ask Questions Later. The current troubles of Macron, however absurd, reflect something quite serious. Worth a read! danperry.substack.com/p/frances-fi...

The UK political landscape is becoming absurdly cluttered in a way that does not align with the electoral system, which may yield random results, writes Alison Mutler in Ask Questions Later. danperry.substack.com/p/britains-p...

Is the Gaza "peace" already falling apart? The pivotal thing right now is for the mediators, especially Qatar, to move like a hammer to force Hamas to explicitly the disarmament clause. Otherwise, there will be a lot of embarrassment and a Plan B will be needed. danperry.substack.com/p/is-the-gaz...

My latest in @mediaite.com: Journalists must resist the Pentagon's edict to only publish "authorized" stories. It is the latest salvo in the War on Truth (see the detailed examination here: danperry.substack.com/p/the-war-on...) www.mediaite.com/opinion/the-...

Trump has muscled the Mideast toward a possible end to the Israel-Hamas war, declaring the imaginary “3000-year” conflict was over. He then held a signing ceremony in Egypt without the presence of either combatant — fascinating! It just might work. danperry.substack.com/p/historys-s...

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Hostages returning; Trump convenes the Arabs; Putting ICE on Ice; the E3 seize Russian assets; weirdness at the Fed; and an amazing project for children in Gaza. Check out Ask Questions Later. danperry.substack.com/p/for-once-n...

Steven Gutkin, who was the The AP bureau chief in #Venezuela for years and knew Hugo Chavezl, writes for Ask Questions Later about the meaning of the #NobelPeacePrize being awarded to Maria Corina Machado, who proposes to end the country's three-decade nightmare danperry.substack.com/p/the-nobel-...

If the Gaza war is winding down, there will be two clear lessons to be remembered. First, US pressure and leverage are vitally useful; second, the Israelis & Palestinians cannot be left to their own devices without risking catastrophe. danperry.substack.com/p/us-power-w...

On the second anniversary of Oct. 7, the Middle East stands at a juncture - peace and reconstruction if Hamas disarms, or an even greater disaster if it refuses. Here's what happened, why it happened, what the consequences are and where it may be headed. danperry.substack.com/p/black-octo...

Science, reason, and democracy challenged God — yet billions still cling to religious faith. Here’s why. open.substack.com/pub/danperry...