Geopolitics
International affairs, defense, intelligence, and regional conflicts
#2200: Reading the Geopolitical Forecast in Oil Prices
When markets spike on breaking news, which price signals actually tell you what traders believe will happen next—and which ones are already priced in?
#2199: Mining the Strait: Why Clearing Iran's Weapons Takes Months
The US is conducting one of the most technically complex military operations in decades—clearing Iranian mines from the world's most critical oil c...
#2198: The Strait Choke: How Naval Blockades Actually Work
The US just announced a blockade of Iranian ports. We break down the legal definition, four centuries of blockade history, and why this one might—o...
#2197: Who Controls the Press Pool?
How the traveling press pool evolved from FDR's train to Air Force One—and what happens when governments decide who gets to cover them.
#2176: Geopol Forecast: How will the Iran-Israel war evolve following the failure of...
A geopolitical simulation reveals why the Pakistan-brokered ceasefire is a "loaded spring"—and what happens when it breaks in the next 10 days.
#2159: When the State Protects Politicians, Not People
A family sheltering from Iranian missiles while their government issues parking tickets and funds sectarian interests raises a brutal question: has...
#2156: Think Tank Funding and the Art of Academic Laundering
Foreign governments are funding U.S. think tanks through complex financial networks to shape policy, often bypassing transparency laws.
#2154: Iran's Shadow Architecture Beyond Missiles
Iran's power isn't just military proxies. Discover the hidden financial, religious, and diplomatic networks that keep Tehran relevant.
#2151: The Minefield of Information
The Strait of Hormuz is "open," but Iran can’t find its mines. We explore how this fog of war is a deliberate tactic.
#2149: Pakistan's Two-Track Diplomacy
Pakistan hosts US-Iran peace talks while its Defense Minister calls Israel a "cancerous state."
#2148: IRGC: From Street Militia to Regional Franchise
How did Iran's IRGC evolve from a domestic "People's Army" into a franchiser of militias across the Middle East?
#2147: Israel's New Axis: Beyond Washington
Forget the US map: Israel's real 2026 allies are in the Gulf and India.
#2145: Why the Money Beats the Machines on Ceasefires
In April 2026, AI wargames predicted a 55% chance of the Iran-Israel ceasefire holding, while prediction markets priced it at 68%. Here's why the g...
#2143: AI Forecast: Iran Ceasefire Won't Last
A two-stage AI pipeline predicted a 4% chance the Iran-Israel ceasefire would survive a month, using Monte Carlo simulations and an LLM council.
#2140: A Functional Chaos: Middle East 2027
By 2027, the Middle East is reshaped by the Islamabad Truce. We predict the rise of the Council of Five in Iran and the Negev tech migration.
#2138: Housing as National Defense in Israel
Why Israel's next election might focus on apartment prices instead of missiles—and how organizers are reframing housing as a security issue.
#2131: In-Q-Tel's Open-Source Wargames
In-Q-Tel is on GitHub. Explore the IC's strategic investment arm and its use of open-source AI for wargaming.
#2130: A Ceasefire in Tehran: Who Wins the Peace?
A ceasefire in Tehran: peace or prelude to chaos? Our experts predict the next 30 days of war, markets, and revolution.
#2128: The Victory Siren Sounds, But the Shelter Door Is Still Open
After a ceasefire announcement, why are Israelis still running to bomb shelters? The gap between official victory narratives and lived reality.
#2122: Israel’s Pivot: From Europe to the Middle East
The April 2026 conflict may have ended the "island strategy" for Israel, sparking a shift toward deep regional integration.