Julian McBride

NATO must adopt a decisive stance by employing its air defenses to intercept Russian missiles, demonstrating a commitment to protect its allies and deterring further aggression from adversaries like Russia.

The two trilateral powers in East Asia will continue to align simultaneously in foreign policy and prepare for a potential global conflict that will intertwine toward widespread military movements in the region.

The resurgence of extremist groups in West Africa intertwines with various socioeconomic and geopolitical events such as corruption, authoritarian juntas, foreign interference, and deteriorating stabilization in the Sahel. With a lack of cooperation amongst local and regional blocs, groups such as al-Qaeda and ISIS could make a comeback and choose the Sahel as their new haven.

For now, the regional conflict between Israel and Iran will be a tit-for-tat Cold War, primarily using Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian Territories as a battleground. Still, one costly direct action could ignite the Middle East and international community in a way not seen since the rhetoric of the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Growing populations from developing nations will continue to be a flashpoint of conflict, particularly over water, for the foreseeable future. Various countries across Africa and Asia, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iran, Afghanistan, and others, could very much become intertwined with wars over water in our lifetime.

The growing axis of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran continue to up weapons production for future wars while the E.U. stagnates and America remains at a crossroads over its global foreign policy strategy. Contingencies must be put in place in lieu of uncertainty, but it is always important for Americans to remember to speak softly and carry a big stick.

Russia’s invasion continues to spiral into unneeded perpetual war. The multiple casus belli to justify the invasion of Ukraine has fallen flat—all for one man’s ego and imperial ambitions to see himself as a reincarnated ‘Peter the Great.’

The more Eritrea descends into authoritarianism through hardline labor practices in conscription, the more the country will face a mass exodus, a declining labor force, and more international isolationism, greatly diminishing any economic potential the East African country may have.

With a lighter-armed Marine Corps that will transition back to amphibious routes to counteract the People’s Liberation Army, the 31st MEU will now be the main effort for one of the first lines of defense for the Republic of China. In an ever-changing world of geopolitical challenges and rising threats, keeping the 31st MEU in constant crisis readiness will help enhance America’s military capabilities. 

The ongoing invasion of Ukraine has severely impacted Russia’s military capabilities, particularly decimating the Black Sea Fleet, leading Moscow to consider relocating it to Abkhazia, a move that could further weaken Putin’s regime and exacerbate Russia’s international isolation.

The United Nations as a whole is faced with a critical choice—to either keep funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which could bring more unwanted trouble, or absorb the Middle East-based organization into the main United Nations Refugee Agency .

Though all three Baltic nations historically have small populations and militaries, closer coordination will enhance force capabilities and strengthen NATO’s eastern flank in the future.