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Analysis

The longer reads.

Essays from Conversations Among the Ruins and The Expat Edit. The Debrief covers each day. These take their time.

Source
Topic
America Says It Has Weapons in Orbit. China Yawns, Then Starts Guessing.
Analysis

America Says It Has Weapons in Orbit. China Yawns, Then Starts Guessing.

Sep 15
The Saudis Know They Lost. Europe Doesn't.
Analysis

The Saudis Know They Lost. Europe Doesn't.

Sep 15
Hegemony Is Not a Policy. It Is an Identity.
Analysis

Hegemony Is Not a Policy. It Is an Identity.

Sep 10
Ukraine's Two Spy Agencies Just Turned on Each Other
Analysis

Ukraine's Two Spy Agencies Just Turned on Each Other

Sep 6
Netanyahu Is Losing. Don't Celebrate Yet.
Analysis

Netanyahu Is Losing. Don't Celebrate Yet.

Sep 6
China’s Revised National Defense Mobilization Law: What Actually Changes?
Analysis

China’s Revised National Defense Mobilization Law: What Actually Changes?

Sep 3
Sacrificing the Daughters: The Moral Bankruptcy of Outsourced Warfare
Analysis

Sacrificing the Daughters: The Moral Bankruptcy of Outsourced Warfare

Aug 29
Can America Really Cut Off Iran’s Economic Lifelines?
Analysis

Can America Really Cut Off Iran’s Economic Lifelines?

Aug 25
Why Washington Can’t Stop Making Things Worse
Analysis

Why Washington Can’t Stop Making Things Worse

Aug 25
The End of Air Supremacy
Analysis

The End of Air Supremacy

Aug 18
A Japanese Combat Unit in Ukraine Alarms China’s Internet
Analysis

A Japanese Combat Unit in Ukraine Alarms China’s Internet

Aug 16
Iran’s Smartest Move Is Not to Defeat America, but to Divide It From Israel
Analysis

Iran’s Smartest Move Is Not to Defeat America, but to Divide It From Israel

Aug 11
The Paper Tiger Complex: Why America Can No Longer Build for War
Analysis

The Paper Tiger Complex: Why America Can No Longer Build for War

Aug 9
America Is Not Just Losing Power. It Is Losing Purpose.
Analysis

America Is Not Just Losing Power. It Is Losing Purpose.

Aug 4
Iran Says It Hit 3 US F-35s in Jordan. What Should We Actually Believe?
Analysis

Iran Says It Hit 3 US F-35s in Jordan. What Should We Actually Believe?

Aug 1
He Was on America’s Most Wanted List and Taught in China
Analysis

He Was on America’s Most Wanted List and Taught in China

Jul 29
How Ukraine and Iran Are Becoming One Conflict
Analysis

How Ukraine and Iran Are Becoming One Conflict

Jul 29
Britain Has Entered the War. Cyprus May Pay the Price
Analysis

Britain Has Entered the War. Cyprus May Pay the Price

Jul 26
Did the US Really Ask Korea to Hand Over Samsung and SK Hynix Profits?
Analysis

Did the US Really Ask Korea to Hand Over Samsung and SK Hynix Profits?

Jul 22
The U.S. Built Its Power Around Bases. Iran Is Turning Them Into Traps
Analysis

The U.S. Built Its Power Around Bases. Iran Is Turning Them Into Traps

Jul 22
The Gulf Monarchies Are Running Out of Time
Analysis

The Gulf Monarchies Are Running Out of Time

Jul 20
The Butcher’s Bill Will Come Due
Analysis

The Butcher’s Bill Will Come Due

Jul 12
Why So Many Westerners See Russia as Evil by Default
Analysis

Why So Many Westerners See Russia as Evil by Default

Jul 7
Israel Says It Could Fight Iran Again “Tomorrow.” Bluff, Pressure, or a Real Regional Risk?
Analysis

Israel Says It Could Fight Iran Again “Tomorrow.” Bluff, Pressure, or a Real Regional Risk?

Jun 30
Iran Doesn’t Need a Nuclear Bomb. It Already Has Something Better.
Analysis

Iran Doesn’t Need a Nuclear Bomb. It Already Has Something Better.

Jun 28
Iran’s “Alien” Drones? What That Viral US Pilot Story Really Tells Us
Analysis

Iran’s “Alien” Drones? What That Viral US Pilot Story Really Tells Us

Jun 25
Trump Wants Car Giants to Make Missiles. Is America Quietly Preparing for a Bigger War Economy?
Analysis

Trump Wants Car Giants to Make Missiles. Is America Quietly Preparing for a Bigger War Economy?

Jun 23
DF-17 Launch Footage Goes Public: Why China’s Multi Vehicle Salvo Matters
Analysis

DF-17 Launch Footage Goes Public: Why China’s Multi Vehicle Salvo Matters

Jun 22
The Day the "Special Relationship" Cracked: Why Trump and Vance are Finally Turning on Israel
Analysis

The Day the "Special Relationship" Cracked: Why Trump and Vance are Finally Turning on Israel

Jun 21
The Great Decoupling: Are We Watching the Beginning of a US-Israel Split?
Analysis

The Great Decoupling: Are We Watching the Beginning of a US-Israel Split?

Jun 17
The End of the Moral Alibi
Analysis

The End of the Moral Alibi

Jun 14
Why Iran’s Hormuz Move Matters Far Beyond the Gulf
Analysis

Why Iran’s Hormuz Move Matters Far Beyond the Gulf

Jun 11
A Midnight Smell Panic in Shanxi: What Might Have Filled Yuncheng’s Air?
Analysis

A Midnight Smell Panic in Shanxi: What Might Have Filled Yuncheng’s Air?

Jun 10
The New Rules of the Middle East: How Iran Rewrote the Regional Balance
Analysis

The New Rules of the Middle East: How Iran Rewrote the Regional Balance

Jun 10
How to Arm Iran With Nukes in 5 Simple Steps
Analysis

How to Arm Iran With Nukes in 5 Simple Steps

Jun 6
Russia’s Restraint in Ukraine May Have Been Its Biggest Mistake
Analysis

Russia’s Restraint in Ukraine May Have Been Its Biggest Mistake

Jun 2
Washington’s Three Bad Options on Iran
Analysis

Washington’s Three Bad Options on Iran

May 28
As Support for Israel Collapses, the Risk of War Grows
Analysis

As Support for Israel Collapses, the Risk of War Grows

May 25
Why the Next Global Conflict May Not Look Like a World War
Analysis

Why the Next Global Conflict May Not Look Like a World War

May 21
The Spectacle and the Quagmire: Why Global Adversaries are Humoring a Waning Empire
Analysis

The Spectacle and the Quagmire: Why Global Adversaries are Humoring a Waning Empire

May 18
Why Putin Announced a China Visit Right After Trump Left Beijing
Analysis

Why Putin Announced a China Visit Right After Trump Left Beijing

May 17
The Stories We Refuse to Tell About Ukraine
Analysis

The Stories We Refuse to Tell About Ukraine

May 16
Preparing for the Day After
Analysis

Preparing for the Day After

May 13
Bringing a 20th Century Military to a 21st Century War
Analysis

Bringing a 20th Century Military to a 21st Century War

May 11
Hostage to an Ally: The Nuclear Blackmail Washington Refuses to Name
Analysis

Hostage to an Ally: The Nuclear Blackmail Washington Refuses to Name

May 9
Everyone Thinks This Will Blow Over. It Won’t.
Analysis

Everyone Thinks This Will Blow Over. It Won’t.

May 7
Why Iran’s Foreign Minister Rushed to Beijing
Analysis

Why Iran’s Foreign Minister Rushed to Beijing

May 5
In Lebanon, Israel’s Power Meets Its Limits
Analysis

In Lebanon, Israel’s Power Meets Its Limits

May 5
Did Iran Just Fire on a U.S. Warship in Hormuz?
Analysis

Did Iran Just Fire on a U.S. Warship in Hormuz?

May 4
Israel Gets 6,500 Tons of Arms. What Comes Next?
Analysis

Israel Gets 6,500 Tons of Arms. What Comes Next?

May 1
What Happens When a Superpower Can No Longer Sustain War
Analysis

What Happens When a Superpower Can No Longer Sustain War

May 1
China Sounds Alarm on Japan’s Nuclear Ambitions
Analysis

China Sounds Alarm on Japan’s Nuclear Ambitions

Apr 30
King Charles’s Trump Joke Just Went Global
Analysis

King Charles’s Trump Joke Just Went Global

Apr 29
What Happens When Citizens Realize They Were Managed
Analysis

What Happens When Citizens Realize They Were Managed

Apr 29
UAE Quits OPEC: What Just Broke in the Gulf?
Analysis

UAE Quits OPEC: What Just Broke in the Gulf?

Apr 28
Iran’s Putin Visit: Peace Bid or War Upgrade?
Analysis

Iran’s Putin Visit: Peace Bid or War Upgrade?

Apr 27
The Most Dangerous Illusion in Washington
Analysis

The Most Dangerous Illusion in Washington

Apr 26
A State Built on Domination Cannot Be Reformed Gently
Analysis

A State Built on Domination Cannot Be Reformed Gently

Apr 25
Why Trump Blinked First in the Iran Standoff
Analysis

Why Trump Blinked First in the Iran Standoff

Apr 24
Is the US Really Preparing to Hit Iran Again?
Analysis

Is the US Really Preparing to Hit Iran Again?

Apr 24
What the West Sees in Gaza and Refuses to See in Ukraine
Analysis

What the West Sees in Gaza and Refuses to See in Ukraine

Apr 23
China’s AI Boom Is Here. So Why Do So Many Feel Left Out?
Analysis

China’s AI Boom Is Here. So Why Do So Many Feel Left Out?

Apr 23
Why the West Still Believes China Has a Social Credit Score
Analysis

Why the West Still Believes China Has a Social Credit Score

Apr 22
CATL Says 6-Minute Charging Is Here. China Wants Proof
Analysis

CATL Says 6-Minute Charging Is Here. China Wants Proof

Apr 22
When Military Power Becomes Strategic Failure
Analysis

When Military Power Becomes Strategic Failure

Apr 21
Tokyo's New Arms Policy Is Raising Alarms in Asia
Analysis

Tokyo's New Arms Policy Is Raising Alarms in Asia

Apr 21
The Last Taboo in American Politics Is Cracking
Analysis

The Last Taboo in American Politics Is Cracking

Apr 20
What Iran’s New Hormuz Corridor Really Means
Analysis

What Iran’s New Hormuz Corridor Really Means

Apr 20
The War Washington Cannot Quite Admit It Is Losing
Analysis

The War Washington Cannot Quite Admit It Is Losing

Apr 18
Ukraine Began the Unraveling. Iran Is Accelerating It
Analysis

Ukraine Began the Unraveling. Iran Is Accelerating It

Apr 17
Iran Opens Hormuz Again. Here’s the Catch
Analysis

Iran Opens Hormuz Again. Here’s the Catch

Apr 17
Tokyo Embassy Scare: Why China Is Losing Patience
Analysis

Tokyo Embassy Scare: Why China Is Losing Patience

Apr 16
What the West Still Refuses to Say About Israel
Analysis

What the West Still Refuses to Say About Israel

Apr 15
US Stumbles, Russia and China Step Up in the Middle East
Analysis

US Stumbles, Russia and China Step Up in the Middle East

Apr 15
France Votes To Return China’s Looted Art, But There Is a Catch
Analysis

France Votes To Return China’s Looted Art, But There Is a Catch

Apr 15
China’s Seven Day Return Rule Faces a Trust Test
Analysis

China’s Seven Day Return Rule Faces a Trust Test

Apr 14
US Hormuz Blockade: What It Means for China and Oil
Analysis

US Hormuz Blockade: What It Means for China and Oil

Apr 14
The End of Automatic Deference to Israel
Analysis

The End of Automatic Deference to Israel

Apr 13
Hormuz Falls Silent Again: How Bad Is the Global Shock?
Analysis

Hormuz Falls Silent Again: How Bad Is the Global Shock?

Apr 13
60,000 Venomous Snakes and a Viral Million RMB Claim
Analysis

60,000 Venomous Snakes and a Viral Million RMB Claim

Apr 13
21 Hours, No Deal: Inside the US-Iran Breakdown
Analysis

21 Hours, No Deal: Inside the US-Iran Breakdown

Apr 12
Lebanon Is Now the Test of US-Iran Diplomacy
Analysis

Lebanon Is Now the Test of US-Iran Diplomacy

Apr 11
Why Wired Earphones Are Suddenly Cool Again in China
Analysis

Why Wired Earphones Are Suddenly Cool Again in China

Apr 11
The Question Washington Can No Longer Avoid
Analysis

The Question Washington Can No Longer Avoid

Apr 11
The Vanishing 24 Hour McDonald’s in China
Analysis

The Vanishing 24 Hour McDonald’s in China

Apr 10
The War Isn’t Over. It’s Just Changing Shape
Analysis

The War Isn’t Over. It’s Just Changing Shape

Apr 10
Iran Deletes Islamabad Post. Is Diplomacy Collapsing?
Analysis

Iran Deletes Islamabad Post. Is Diplomacy Collapsing?

Apr 9
China Bridge Collapse Report Reveals Shocking Failures
Analysis

China Bridge Collapse Report Reveals Shocking Failures

Apr 9
How Long Can a Country in Permanent Crisis Keep Fighting?
Analysis

How Long Can a Country in Permanent Crisis Keep Fighting?

Apr 8
The Harsh Truth Behind China’s AI Job Panic
Analysis

The Harsh Truth Behind China’s AI Job Panic

Apr 8
Iran Says It Won. China’s Internet Isn’t Buying It
Analysis

Iran Says It Won. China’s Internet Isn’t Buying It

Apr 8
Iran’s Next Move After the Kharg Island Attack
Analysis

Iran’s Next Move After the Kharg Island Attack

Apr 7
The World Can No Longer Pretend Washington Is Stable
Analysis

The World Can No Longer Pretend Washington Is Stable

Apr 6
A Mother Spoke to Her Dead Son’s AI for a Year
Analysis

A Mother Spoke to Her Dead Son’s AI for a Year

Apr 6
Why RMB Payments Just Had a Breakout Moment
Analysis

Why RMB Payments Just Had a Breakout Moment

Apr 6
Did America Win the Rescue but Lose the Narrative?
Analysis

Did America Win the Rescue but Lose the Narrative?

Apr 5
Why Chinese Expats Are Falling Out of Love With Germany
Analysis

Why Chinese Expats Are Falling Out of Love With Germany

Apr 5
The Fear That Silences: How the Charge of Antisemitism Warped Moral Judgment
Analysis

The Fear That Silences: How the Charge of Antisemitism Warped Moral Judgment

Apr 4
China Issues Urgent Warning for Millions of iPhone Users
Analysis

China Issues Urgent Warning for Millions of iPhone Users

Apr 4
Did Israel Frame Iran in the Riyadh Embassy Attack?
Analysis

Did Israel Frame Iran in the Riyadh Embassy Attack?

Apr 4
The Path of Escalation Has No Natural End
Analysis

The Path of Escalation Has No Natural End

Apr 3
Another F-35 Down?
Analysis

Another F-35 Down?

Apr 3
Why Warm Light Feels Western and White Light Feels Chinese
Analysis

Why Warm Light Feels Western and White Light Feels Chinese

Apr 3
Are US Ground Troops Heading To Iran? Zhihu Says Yes
Analysis

Are US Ground Troops Heading To Iran? Zhihu Says Yes

Apr 2
Buying a Job: Why Workers Are Paying 28,000 RMB for a 1,750 RMB Salary
Analysis

Buying a Job: Why Workers Are Paying 28,000 RMB for a 1,750 RMB Salary

Apr 2
US vs Iran: How Chinese Netizens Decode the Troop Buildup
Analysis

US vs Iran: How Chinese Netizens Decode the Troop Buildup

Apr 1
Beijing Offers Energy Security to Post-Reunification Taiwan
Analysis

Beijing Offers Energy Security to Post-Reunification Taiwan

Apr 1
Why Booking 10 Hotel Rooms Got This Student Arrested
Analysis

Why Booking 10 Hotel Rooms Got This Student Arrested

Apr 1
Trump Wants Out of the Gulf But Iran Now Controls the Exit
Analysis

Trump Wants Out of the Gulf But Iran Now Controls the Exit

Apr 1
Beyond the Battlefield: The Economic and Strategic Toll of the Iran Campaign
Analysis

Beyond the Battlefield: The Economic and Strategic Toll of the Iran Campaign

Mar 30
Phantom Talks and Empty Bases: The Grim Reality of the Iran Conflict
Analysis

Phantom Talks and Empty Bases: The Grim Reality of the Iran Conflict

Mar 27
The Phantom Victory: How Imperial Hubris is Marching Us Toward the Abyss
Analysis

The Phantom Victory: How Imperial Hubris is Marching Us Toward the Abyss

Mar 25
Outmaneuvered and Outgunned: The Self-Inflicted Collapse of Unipolarity
Analysis

Outmaneuvered and Outgunned: The Self-Inflicted Collapse of Unipolarity

Mar 23
Military personnel in a dark control room focused on large screens displaying tactical information.
Analysis

The Hail Mary of Hegemony: Aliens, Epstein, and the March to Tehran

Feb 20
A large naval fleet, including an aircraft carrier, sails on the ocean as many military aircraft fly in formation overhead.
Analysis

The Architecture of Entanglement: Why Washington Risks War for Tel Aviv

Feb 19
Why China Thinks Prince Andrew Was Arrested
Analysis

Why China Thinks Prince Andrew Was Arrested

Feb 19
The Great WeChat Silence & The Plastic "Prayer" Problem
Analysis

The Great WeChat Silence & The Plastic "Prayer" Problem

Feb 18
$29,000 Robots and the "Hongbao Deficit"
Analysis

$29,000 Robots and the "Hongbao Deficit"

Feb 17
An extremely crowded train carriage packed with passengers.
Analysis

No House, No Hukou: Why China’s Youth Refuse to Leave

Feb 16
Mugshot of Jeffrey Epstein (left) and a headshot of Bill Gates (right).
Analysis

Bill Gates in China: Escaping the Epstein Shadow?

Feb 16
An illustration of a Chinese family enjoying a festive dinner with fireworks visible through a window.
Analysis

The "Great Bathing" Migration & The Dongbei Princess

Feb 16
Men in tuxedos with glowing red eyes in a smoky, dimly lit room under a chandelier.
Analysis

The Spiritual Crisis of American Hegemony

Feb 16
An aircraft carrier at sea, engulfed in fire and smoke forming a giant skull.
Analysis

The Persian Trap & The Death of the Dollar

Feb 1