Middle East
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Global Commons
Houthi rebel attacks expose PRC’s disingenuous platitudes, failure to protect global commons
FORUM Staff Iranian-linked Houthi rebels have attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea and northwest Indian Ocean more than 50 times since mid-November 2023. Operating from Yemen, they sank a ship in February 2024, killed three crew members and injured four others in March, and have damaged more than 20 ships, according to news reports. The attacks have caused an…
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Northeast Asia
South Korea strengthens defense ties in Middle East
Felix Kim South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik demonstrated the value of defense diplomacy with a tour of three Middle Eastern countries in February 2024, where he signed defense agreements and a $3.2 billion arms deal. Shin’s trip to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) followed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s visits to the region in…
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Global Commons
Missile warning satellites protect U.S., ally assets in Middle East
United States Strategic Command The United States is using satellites to intercept enemy missiles before they reach their targets. The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) uses a constellation of satellites with infrared sensors to detect the hot plume of a rocket as it launches, allowing U.S. and allied forces time to respond. The sensors can detect the missile type, launch…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
Indian Navy pledges to ensure security amid piracy, rebel attacks
FORUM Staff India’s growing naval presence in the Red Sea region reflects its commitment to safety and security along the vital trade route. New Delhi has surveillance aircraft and at least 12 vessels focused on preventing piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, Reuters news agency reported in late January 2024. A multinational coalition is working separately…
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Climate
U.N. climate agreement addresses fossil fuels for first time as Blue Pacific nations, U.S. push for more ambitious goals
FORUM Staff United Nations climate talks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December 2023 closed with an agreement by nearly 200 nations to “transition away” from fossil fuels. It marked the first time a U.N. climate compact has called for governments to burn less coal, oil and natural gas, a step some observers called historic. Blue Pacific nations on…
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Free and Open Indo-Pacific/FOIP
U.S., Allies, Partners ensure safe, secure passage of global commerce
FORUM Staff In late November 2023, the United States Navy’s USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, demonstrating how regularly scheduled transits enable the U.S., Allies and Partners to assure economic prosperity via safe and secure sea passageways. “Our passage through this important strait and continued presence in the area plays…
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Conflicts - Tensions
‘Malacca Dilemma’ drives PRC policies, aggression
FORUM Staff The People’s Republic of China (PRC) remains heavily dependent on foreign energy imports, more than 70% of which must pass through the congested Malacca Strait. Beijing has sought to develop alternative trade routes to mitigate this vulnerability, defined as the “Malacca Dilemma” in 2003 by then-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Hu Jintao. Blockades of the channel connecting…
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