MIDDLE EAST

·  Blinken Says Israeli Units Accused of Serious Violations Have Done Enough to Avoid Sanctions. Experts and Insiders Disagree.

Blinken told Congress that Israel had adequately punished a soldier who got community service for killing an unarmed Palestinian. Government officials call it a “mockery” and inconsistent with the law

·  Biden Administration Won’t Conclude Israel Violated U.S. Weapons Deals, AP Sources Say
A soon-to-be-released Biden administration review of Israel’s use of U.S.-provided weapons in its war in Gaza does not conclude that Israel has violated the terms for their use

·  Israel’s PR-War Pandemonium
The chaotic rise and fall of the anti-Bibi protester who became Israel’s spokesperson

CHINA WATCH

·  China’s Xi Courts European Allies, Seeks to Exploit Western Divisions, Analysts Say
The European Union accuses Beijing of unfairly subsidizing the industry and undercutting its own carmakers

·  Did China’s Xi Jinping Expose Disunity in Europe?
The Chinese president’s visit to Europe yielded little breakthrough on issues like trade and Ukraine. But it did show that Beijing prefers to work one-on-one to avoid collective opposition to its interests

·  China Suspected of Cyberattack on Britain’s Military
A mass cyberattack on Britain’s military has exposed the names and banking details of thousands of British soldiers

·  The East and South China Seas: One Sea, Near Seas, Whose Seas?
For all the attention they receive as contested Indo-Pacific maritime regions, the strategic differences between East and South China Seas do not always get their due

·  Taiwan Wants Suicide Drones to Deter China
Taipei is seeking U.S.-made loitering munitions to help deter or ward off a potential Chinese invasion

·  China Is Buying Gold Like There’s No Tomorrow
The global price of gold has reached its highest levels as Chinese investors and consumers, wary of real estate and stocks, buy the metal at a record pace

·  Why Are More Chinese Migrants Arriving at the U.S. Southern Border?
Asylum-seekers and others are making the journey through the risky Darién Gap in the wake of the pandemic

THE LONG VIEW

·  Why a Cold War Is Breaking Out Over Milei’s Lithium ‘Gold Rush’
Argentina’s Lithium Triangle in the Andes threatens China’s dominance of critical minerals

·  German Atomwaffen and the Superweapon Trap
Can nuclear weapons fix Germany’s or Europe’s complex security problems?The answer is “No,” and Berlin should not fall for the bait

·  No, Trump Was Not Good for US Alliances. And Without Changes, Trump 2.0 Will Be Worse.
Alliances cannot be maintained without a clear understanding of what constitutes a friend and likewise what makes for an adversary, a delineation that Trump has historically blurred

MORE PICKS

·  Congressman: US Needs Counterterrorism Partners in Central Asia
Washington wants to enhance security cooperation while backing political and economic reforms

·  Sudan’s Descent into Chaos Sets Stage for al-Qaida to Make a Return to Historic Stronghold
A year of brutal civil war has now plunged Sudan into the kind of chaos in which terrorist groups thrive

·  Give France Credit for its Strategic Change 
The change in French strategic thinking creates a window of opportunity to redesign the European security order

·  The Chilling of the Fourth Estate After 10 Years of Modi
The Indian prime minister has demonstrated that there is only one form of journalism he likes