Direct intervention is not an appealing option for Trump, but the creation of uncertainty is.

The U.S. doesn’t have to use its military to influence global events.

Japan went without a dedicated amphibious force since World War II – until last weekend.

The core issue is not one of marketing but of citizenry.

The Israelis won’t tolerate a permanent Iranian presence in Syria.

The country grows more unstable by the week.

Viktor Orban is not an outlier but a forerunner.

In a strange way, the U.S. is the thread holding together Russia, Iran and Turkey, if only temporarily.

The European Union is struggling to find its way, Russia is in a state of flux, and Turkey is getting dragged deeper into the Syrian conflict. These are developments that indirectly shape the global order because of the size and power of the countries involved. But there is one part of the world that does not have the luxury of being shaped indirectly: the Balkans. This mountainous region’s unique geography has consigned it to a troubled place in history, as much because of the ambitions and machinations of outside powers as because of its own fractiousness.

Developments in the region are rarely internal affairs.

Japan went through many of the same problems decades ago, but the comparison goes only so far.

The world is inching toward a new competition as a dominant power is challenged by other powers seeking to defend or achieve their national interests.