Read @sdavidwilp.bsky.social and @lianafix.bsky.social on how German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his grand coalition can reboot Berlin’s economy—and keep the country’s far right at bay:

Without “near-constant efforts by the United States, Israel and Hamas are likely to settle into an uneasy relationship that avoids all-out war but is nevertheless characterized by constant conflict,” writes Daniel Byman.

By treating Iran like a threat to the entire international system—and encouraging other countries to follow suit—Israel and the United States have driven Tehran to invest more in defense, argue M. Javad Zarif and Amir Parsa Garmsiri.

Elder statesmen have played a key role in the Chinese Communist Party’s history, but the current crop of party elders does not “hold enough clout to overrule Xi,” writes Deng Yuwen. “In truth, in today’s China elders have largely lost their power.”

“As long as democratic coordination remains less bold and less inspired than its authoritarian counterpart, there is every reason to expect that autocracy will continue to spread,” write @fromagehomme.bsky.social, Matías Bianchi, and Jennifer Cyr.

“We are in the midst of, to put it bluntly, destroying every valuable part of the U.S. economic engine.” Listen to the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” featuring a conversation with Daron Acemoglu: https://fam.ag/49ivR90

Explore our January/February issue, featuring Steven Levitsky, Lucan Way, and Daniel Ziblatt on the United States’ authoritarian turn; Finnish President Alexander Stubb on the forces shaping global order today; and much more.

“Today’s global security environment is the most complex since the end of the Cold War,” wrote Mara Karlin in a 2024 essay. “Learning from wars that others wage can be difficult, but it is ultimately better than learning those lessons directly.”

Ayumi Teraoka considers how Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung can “put the Japanese–South Korean relationship on a more resilient footing”—and collaborate to protect their interests:

“With conservative leaders recently winning several elections and favored in others over the next year, Latin America seems primed for a once-in-a-generation shift.” Read Brian Winter on Latin America’s lurch to the right:

The Trump administration’s China strategy has “produced no tangible gain for the United States,” argues Jonathan Czin. After a year of theatrics, “Beijing has been neither cowed nor assuaged.”

In our January/February issue, find Finnish President Alexander Stubb on how Western leaders can preserve the multilateral system, Zongyuan Zoe Liu on China’s bid for global economic leadership, Brian Winter on Latin America’s rightward shift, and more.

“When it comes to depopulation, the alarm bells are ringing around the world.” Read Jennifer Sciubba’s review of “After the Spike” by Dean Spears and Michael Geruso:

To restore calm to Yemen, the United States “must press Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to quickly de-escalate tensions in the south,” argues April Longley Alley. https://fam.ag/4j5u5LB

Listen to the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” featuring Daron Acemoglu on how to revive the promise of liberal democracy: https://fam.ag/49ivR90

“Without moral leadership to complement its material strength, China’s global role remains that of a power to be managed—and, perhaps, feared—but not one to be followed,” writes @zoe-liu.bsky.social.

As Washington abandons its traditional global role, the “countries that have relied so heavily on the United States for decades” must start looking for alternatives, write Philip Gordon and Mara Karlin.

“To deter ISIS, the United States must retain a presence in Syria beyond 2026,” argue Caroline Rose and Colin Clarke.

“For many Indian policymakers, the uncertainty caused by Washington’s actions has reinforced the importance of diversification and bolstering other partnerships—not only with U.S. allies but also with U.S. adversaries,” writes Tanvi Madan.

“Europe is in real danger of being sidelined by its most important ally, and its ability to defend itself and secure its future role in the world hinges on its ability to mobilize resources and act collectively,” warn @dougrediker.bsky.social and ‪@heidirediker.bsky.social.

“Beware those who once hailed ‘the age of democracy’ and now proclaim ‘the age of autocracy,’” writes Stephen Kotkin. “Formidable as these regimes appear—and, in fact, can be—they are shot through with weaknesses.”

Philip and William Taubman’s new book, “McNamara at War: A New History,” provides an in-depth study of how Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara shaped the U.S. commitment to South Vietnam. Read Fredrik Logevall’s review:

The Kremlin’s “willingness to engage in aggressive seaborne operations” is not new, write @andreisoldatov.bsky.social and Irina Borogan. “Going back to the Soviet era, Moscow has used ships as a key part of its intelligence operations in Europe.”

“Unlike the Washington of the past, Beijing is more interested in legitimizing its distinctive path than in convincing others to follow in its footsteps.” Read @mariarepnikova.bsky.social on China’s response to the United States’ soft-power retreat:

Our January/February 2026 issue is now available online. Start reading here: fam.ag/3Mxfg8G

“Few people recognize that, prior to this exceptional era of peace, a war in each generation or two was the norm,” write Graham Allison and James Winnefeld, Jr. What explains the absence of great-power wars since 1945?

If the U.S.-Colombian relationship ruptures, Colombia will become less secure—and the United States will “see its ability to confront transnational crime curtailed,” writes former U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Kevin Whitaker.

Read Rebeccah Heinrichs on what the Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy means for Washington’s partners around the world:

Instead of fixating on drones, the United States should urgently invest in its conventional air and maritime forces, argues @justin-br0nk.bsky.social. “The assumption that large-scale acquisition of AI-enabled drones will strengthen U.S. defenses against China is misguided.”

Trump “is lighting that international order on fire in a way it’s going to take a generation to repair.” Listen to the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” featuring a conversation with @kschake.bsky.social:

“After decades of slowly building the complex machinery of economic warfare, the United States is ripping it apart,” write Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman.

“Democratic movements need more support if they are to turn their aspirations into reality,” writes Jane Harman. “But as long as these ideals endure, Madeleine Albright’s hope for a comeback remains alive.”

Many East Asian countries, including some U.S. allies, have refused to choose between the United States and China, writes @proflind.bsky.social. “But under bipolarity, the luxury of choice is not one afforded to small countries in a superpower’s backyard.”

“Europe’s Trump strategy is a self-defeating trap,” argue Matthias Matthijs and @nathalietocci.bsky.social. Now, the continent must take steps to restore its own sovereignty—or risk strengthening the far right forces “hollowing it out from within.”

“South Asia’s slide toward China has real consequences for Washington,” writes Muhib Rahman. “As disillusioned governments draw closer to Beijing, the United States risks losing both influence and credibility in the region.”

Read Ekrem Imamoglu, who served as the mayor of Istanbul from 2019 until his arrest in March 2025, on how Turkey can “restore its democracy and return competence and consistency to its foreign policy”:

Trying to force regime change through violence could leave Venezuela “even worse off than it is today,” argues @philgunson.bsky.social. “No matter how bad Maduro’s regime is, some of Venezuela’s possible futures could well be worse.”

On the latest episode of “The Foreign Affairs Interview,” @kschake.bsky.social argues that the Trump administration’s approach to foreign policy is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of American power. Start listening here: https://fam.ag/494W62u

“In 2025, the United States ceased to be a full democracy in the way that Canada, Germany, or even Argentina are democracies,” write Steven Levitsky, @lucanway.bsky.social, ‪@dziblatt.bsky.social.

“Food security is a foundation for peace,” writes Arif Husain. “Efforts to negotiate cease-fires and peace agreements must include provisions ensuring that aid organizations can deliver assistance and food systems can recover.”

Thomas Graham argues that “the contours of a final settlement are visible” in Ukraine today—but achieving a peace deal will require “a sustained diplomatic effort” on Washington’s part:

“At the very moment when Washington needs allies and partners more than ever, the Trump administration’s sweeping unilateral tariffs are alienating U.S. partners,” writes Lael Brainard.

“Trying to keep Shiite groups subdued by excluding them from politics will only make them prey for future efforts by Iran to rebuild its proxy network—and imperil any broader vision of regional peace,” write Maria Fantappie and @valinasr.bsky.social.

To win Israel’s upcoming elections, Netanyahu “is trying to spin the war as a grand victory, castigating his critics as enemies within,” argues Aluf Benn.

Read Daniel Benaim on the potential upsides—and the inherent risks—of enhanced AI cooperation between the United States and the Arab Gulf:

As Washington steps back from its role in today’s international system, Beijing is enhancing its “capabilities and influence in the underlying systems that will define the decades ahead,” writes Elizabeth Economy.

Trump’s first-year surprises have produced “the conditions for a wild swing of the pendulum, as future presidents attempt to overcorrect or, alternatively, pursue their own agendas to the new limits established by the Trump precedent,” writes Peter Feaver.

Read James Jeffrey and @lizydent.bsky.social on how the United States can help pave the way for a new order in the Middle East—one “rooted in deeper U.S.-Gulf ties, the collapse of Iran’s regional power, and even closer coordination among friendly militaries.”

The Trump administration has designed “a security strategy for the age of social media, pegged to a never-ending, fluid, ever-adjustable present tense,” writes Michael Kimmage.

Washington’s allies “may still hope for U.S. support, but they are also starting to hedge against the possibility that the United States will be absent when problems arise,” write Robert Kelly and @profpaulpoast.bsky.social.