Edgar Soto
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Japan’s quiet rise in the Middle East
Japan’s engagement with the Middle East isn’t limited to three states (Israel, UAE, and Saudi Arabia) — or even to energy alone. It’s the product of decades of careful diplomacy, economic statecraft, and a very specific postwar worldview that prioritizes… Continue reading
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Why Arab armies struggle with modern warfare
At the beginning of the ground phase of Operation Desert Storm in 1991, Iraq had the world’s fourth-largest army (a good portion of whom had prior combat experience) and large quantities of Soviet-made weaponry. However, once the ground war kicked… Continue reading
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The Gulf’s battle for 2030: Who comes out ahead?
The Gulf monarchies have always shared a strange paradox — ancient traditions wrapped around cutting-edge modernity. But this new generation of leaders isn’t content with only being rich. They want to be relevant. They want their countries to matter in… Continue reading
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Who are Russia’s silent partners in the Middle East post-2022?
The other day, I was listening to Russia scholar Mark Galeotti’s podcast, In Moscow’s Shadows, and Galeotti made a comment about “Russia’s silent partners in the Middle East.” He mentioned Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE specifically. For context, the… Continue reading
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How Africa could be Israel’s next strategic partner
Israel’s relations with sub-Saharan Africa are not often talked about in the news, but they have a deep practical and ideological basis. In his 1902 fiction work, Altneuland, Theodor Herzl (the father of political Zionism) wrote of “assisting in the redemption… Continue reading
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Friends in few places: parallels between Russian and Israeli isolation
Russia and Israel have been dominating the headlines for the past three years. Both countries are routinely condemned as militaristic aggressors against their smaller neighbors. Interestingly, when you talk to a Russian turbo-patriot or a hawkish Israeli, they both use… Continue reading
From Galilee to the Gulf 