The international system was built after the catastrophe of the Second World War with a singular ambition. Humanity hoped never again to witness global disorder fueled by unchecked power politics. The institution that embodied this hope was the United Nations, an organization designed to serve as the supreme diplomatic forum where disputes among nations could be resolved before they descended into destructive wars. Yet the escalating confrontation involving Iran, the United S

Even by the standards of its turbulent history, including a decade and a half of continuous civil wars, the Lebanese state is in danger of total obliteration. Little Lebanon has endured its fair share of wars and trauma in its recent history. First, came the Palestinians, mostly in the 1960s and 1970s, displaced by Israel followed by a militarized cohort, the PLO, that was ejected from Jordan after attempting to topple the government there. Hundreds of thousands of Palesti

“It is not possible,” reads the English translation of the Fundamentals of Guerrilla Warfare, “to ensure the success of political, psychological, and socioeconomic measures by means of military actions alone, for success depends on the quality of the political leadership.” When he wrote this, General A. H. Nasution, father of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) as a political actor, was making a point about the need to synergize military success as a guerrilla combatan

In a world of fractured supply chains and rising geopolitical tension, agricultural cooperation is quickly becoming one of the most urgent—and overlooked—pillars of Australia–Indonesia cooperation.  With a population exceeding 280 million and diets shifting toward protein-rich and processed foods, Australia’s scale, geographical location and agricultural expertise make it an obvious partner in safeguarding the region’s food future. Strengthening this partnership is no long

Every March, Beijing transforms into the epicenter of Chinese political choreography. The Lianghui (两会) — China's annual dual legislative sessions comprising the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference — convenes the full apparatus of the Chinese Communist Party in a carefully orchestrated display of political alignment and policy direction. This year's sessions, running March 4–16, could not have arrived at a more consequential m

The nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran pose two of the most persistent and consequential proliferation challenges facing the United States in the post–Cold War era. Yet while both countries have defied Washington’s preferences, the American response has been strikingly different.

Over the past week, public attention has intensified around the reciprocal trade agreement between Indonesia and the United States.

Arab and regional capitals are not trying to save Tehran. They are trying to prevent a vacuum that would leave them all weaker.

Australia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) face a defining moment. Intensifying great-power competition, climate crises, and economic fragmentation are reshaping the Indo-Pacific, raising urgent questions about how the two sides can build a truly resilient partnership.

Recent U.S. actions, such as intervention in Venezuela, measures targeting Iran, and withdrawal from dozens of multilateral institutions, have drawn global attention and led many countries to anticipate broader shifts in U.S. foreign policy, including how Washington may exercise leadership during its 2026 G20 Chairmanship. After the anti-climax closure of the South African Chairmanship of the G20 last November, multilateral economic diplomacy will see a new dawn in the chairm

This article is inspired by two recurring reflections that continue to raise a fundamental question for me: why has Indonesia despite its size, influence, and potential long lacked a strong and consistent global narrative?

In the early morning of 3rd January, 2026, the United States launched a dramatic military operation in Venezuela and captured president Maduro along with his wife and flew to the United States to face criminal charges. In addition to announcing the strike, US President Donald Trump declared that the United States would temporarily govern Venezuela during the transition period.In the western hemisphere, this unparalleled sudden attack has caused tremors among the countries. Th

In early January, the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was captured in a special military operation in Caracas, and is expected to be tried for drug trafficking in New York. This represents the natural conclusion to a doctrine of maximum pressure against the Venezuelan Regime, which has been formally accused of fomenting drug trafficking operations across the Americas. The Maduro Regime has also been deemed as illegitimate by multiple sectors of the international community

Indonesia arms modernization has proven to be one of president’s primary priority programs. The president’s Asta Cita program has called for strengthening the national defense system and empowering the country’s autonomy as one concerted effort. Arms modernization program fall under Optimum Essential Forces (OEF), the continuation of previous long-term military modernization called Minimum Essential Programs (MEF). 

Four years ago, in The Diplomat, one of the world’s most prominent international outlets for foreign policy observers, I wrote about how Prabowo Subianto, then serving as President Joko Widodo’s defense minister, helped shape Indonesia’s foreign policy. I argued that alongside figures such as Retno Marsudi and Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Prabowo played an increasingly influential role, particularly through defense diplomacy and the diversification of Indonesia’s security partner

Chinese Premier Li Qiang addresses the third session of the 20th G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov. 23, 2025. (Photo: Huang Jingwen/Xinhua) What's happening in Johannesburg? On 22nd November, G20 Leaders adopted a declaration  in Johannesburg Summit 2025 against the backdrop of quite a turbulent geopolitical quagmire. The United States, being the next country to lead the presidency boycotted the meeting, with  the Trump Administration citing  “persecution of white

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as they shake hands during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2025. By the time ASEAN, along with its leaders, gathered in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, things were decidedly optimistic. Just in their capacity as the chair of ASEAN, Malaysia had assisted in the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord between Cambodia and Thailand after months of worsening bord

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Moscow on the sidelines of the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union’s Great Patriotic War in May 2025. In Late November , President Trump has announced Venezuela contain a no-fly zone, further growing tensions between the U.S. and Maduro regime. Since September , the U.S has launched 21 strikes against suspected drug vessels, killing 83 people, also amassing m

Waving mini Chinese flags, people crowd Tian'anmen Square in Beijing to watch the flag-raising ceremony on Oct 1, 2020. China’s reemergence as a global power dominates debates about the future of the international order. As China rises, power alone does not dictate how a rising state interacts with the global system.What matters more for the United States and its allies is China’s attitude toward the rules, norms, and institutions that structure international order. Whether B

Anthony Albanese poses with Bluey and Bingo from the hit ABC TV show Bluey. Indonesia’s 280 million people  makes it one of the most populous countries in the world. With a median age of roughly 30, it is a nation driven by youth, digital fluency, and a rapid appetite for global cultural products. Korean pop music dominates its TikTok feeds and concert venues, Japanese anime and games shape entire subcultures, and its parents name their children after European soccer stars. Y