Topic
Defense Policy
News & analysis tagged Defense Policy — diplomacy, politics, and global affairs coverage from Model Diplomat.
49 Stories
China's Taiwan Blockade Playbook: White Hulls
Senator Tammy Duckworth warns China will likely impose an economic blockade on Taiwan by 2028 using coast guard vessels under legal cover, not military invasion, citing rehearsed exercises and $2.45 trillion in trade at risk.
2026-07-19
Pentagon's $100B Critical Minerals Loan Plan
The Pentagon's $100B critical minerals loan program relies on an aggressive assumption that default rates will be far lower than its own books show.
2026-07-17
Taiwan's Armored Drill Targets Decapitation
Taiwan's July 15 Clouded Leopard drill rehearses decentralized command of the Bo'ai Special Zone, targeting the PLA's decapitation-strike scenario and signaling a doctrinal shift from static garrison to survivable command-and-control.
2026-07-16
Taiwan's Armored Drill Rehearses Decapitation
Taiwan's 2026 Joint Defense Exercises rehearse keeping the command node alive under a PLA decapitation strike, but budget cuts and U.S. ambivalence threaten the capability.
2026-07-16
U.S. Grants UAE License-Free AI Chip Access
The U.S. Commerce Department reclassified the UAE into Country Group A:5 on July 10, 2026, granting license-free access to advanced AI chips and defense tech as a payoff for G42's China divestment and Emirati losses in Operation Epic Fury.
2026-07-10
Turkey's F-35 Reset: What Trump Can Deliver
Trump's pledge to lift Turkey's CAATSA sanctions faces significant legal barriers.
2026-07-09
Trump's Ukrainian Patriot Production Deal
Trump's offer for Ukraine to produce Patriots marks a shift in NATO's defense strategy.
2026-07-09
Trump's Ukraine Patriot Missile Deal
Trump's offer to Ukraine for Patriot missile production is a strategic offload, not a gift.
2026-07-09
Taiwan's Coast Guard Patrol with Foreign MPs
Taiwan's Coast Guard hosts foreign lawmakers to counter Chinese maritime pressure.
2026-07-09
Pentagon's $300M Lithium Stockpile Move
Pentagon's $300M lithium buy signals a shift in US supply strategy.
2026-07-09
NATO's 12-Nation Minerals Pact Explained
NATO's new minerals pact highlights strategic fractures in Western supply chains.
2026-07-09
Marcos Orders AFP to Hold the Line in SCS
Marcos directs AFP to maintain a strong defense posture in the West Philippine Sea.
2026-07-09
Marcos Hardens Philippine Line in South China
Marcos' directive marks a pivotal shift in Philippine defense strategy.
2026-07-09
China's Maritime Gambit: 110 Ships Shift Tide
China's deployment of 110 vessels signals a strategic shift in the Indo-Pacific.
2026-07-09
China's Batanes Claim: A Legal Probe
China's claim over Batanes is a strategic move against Japan-Philippines EEZ.
2026-07-09
Trump's F-35 Offer to Turkey: NATO Impacts
Trump's NATO summit signals potential F-35 sale to Turkey, risking regional balance.
2026-07-08
Taiwan's Warning on China's Expansionism
Taiwan warns that China's maritime coercion will persist without global pushback.
2026-07-08
Taiwan's Gray-Zone Coalition Faces Test
Taiwan's coalition against China's gray zone is under real-time stress testing.
2026-07-08
Rutte's Indo-Pacific Pivot in Ankara
NATO's Indo-Pacific strategy narrows to defense contracts under Rutte's leadership.
2026-07-08
NATO's IP4 Pact Deepens Pressure on China
NATO's IP4 pact in Ankara signals a strategic shift in Indo-Pacific security.
2026-07-08
NATO's $50bn Arms Deals in Ankara Summit
NATO's Ankara summit reveals $50 billion in arms deals, favoring Europe over the US.
2026-07-08
Lee's NATO Pitch: A European Answer to Kim
South Korea's Lee Jae Myung offers NATO industrial access for pressure on North Korea.
2026-07-08
Lee Turns to NATO on North Korea Deal
South Korea's Lee Jae-myung seeks NATO's support but secures an industrial deal instead.
2026-07-08
Iskander Missiles: 34 Western Parts Each
Russia's Iskander-M missiles carry 34 foreign parts, highlighting sanctions failures.
2026-07-08