(By Khalid Masood) With 20 aircraft lost, an AWACS destroyed, and 10 radar sites hit, the conflict exposes fundamental vulnerabilities in U.S. sensor architecture—and the brutal reality of modern air combat attrition. I. Introduction: Taking Stock On April 1, 2026, President Donald Trump delivered a nationwide televised address, declaring that the conflict with Iran would…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: The Paradox of Modern Power In the annals of military history, victory has traditionally been measured by the destruction of enemy capabilities, the seizure of territory, and the imposition of political will through overwhelming force. Yet, the recent confrontation between the United States and Iran presents a strategic paradox that challenges…
(By Khalid Masood) 1. Introduction Tensions in the Persian Gulf have reached a critical inflection point. Observable US military movements suggest a transition from deterrence posture to contingency preparation for kinetic operations. This analysis evaluates the current US force buildup against the Iranian defensive architecture, focusing on four specific operational hypotheses: the seizure of Kharg…
(By Khalid Masood) “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”— Sun Tzu, The Art of War The modern landscape of geopolitical conflict is undergoing a stark transformation. What began as a regional confrontation involving Israel, Iran, and proxy networks has evolved into a strategic stress test for the global order….
(By Ayesha Mahnoor) In a quiet but consequential development, Islamabad has emerged as an unlikely but increasingly vital node in the complex architecture of Middle Eastern diplomacy. Today, the Pakistani capital hosted a high-level gathering of foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Egypt—alongside their Pakistani counterpart—for closed-door consultations that signal a subtle but significant…
(By Khalid Masood) Introduction: When the Sky Turns Against You On March 25, 2003, a wall of sand—brown, choking, and absolute—slammed into the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division as it advanced toward Baghdad. Visibility dropped to less than 50 meters. Fine grit infiltrated rifle mechanisms, clogged tank treads, and jammed the switches on communication gear….
(By Khalid Masood) Deep inside the fortified national command centers of Washington, Jerusalem, and Tehran, the same maps glow on screens—but the strategies drawn upon them could not be more different. Missiles arc across the sky, proxy militias shift positions, and diplomats burn the midnight oil. Yet, despite sharing the same battlefield, the United States,…
(By Quratulain Khalid) I. Introduction: The Gap Between Rhetoric and Reality In the glossy brochures of New Delhi’s propaganda machine, India is portrayed as an emerging superpower—a “Vishwaguru” (World Teacher) destined to lead the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government frequently touts a $4 trillion economy, digital supremacy, and military self-reliance. Yet, in mid-March…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction: The Paradox of Israeli Military Power For decades, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has cultivated an aura of invincibility. Propagated through Western media and reinforced by swift victories in the 20th century, the narrative of Israeli military supremacy has become a cornerstone of the state’s deterrence strategy. However, as 2026…
(By Khalid Masood) I. Introduction In the midst of heightened regional tensions during March 2026, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) found itself at the centre of a geopolitical storm. Following a series of unprecedented missile and drone attacks attributed to Iranian forces, anxiety rippled through the Emirates’ vast expatriate community. Images of intercepted projectiles lighting…
