Remember “no blood for oil”? Decades ago, the slogan emblematized opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Its logic subsequently shifted as the United States experienced a gas and oil revolution thanks to fracking.
It has cycled back into relevance following the Trump administration’s invasion of Venezuela and the seizure of its oil, which, despite its carnivalesque tone, left at least 80 people dead. The Iran war has now ...
Category: Weapons
China Stations Jets-Turned-Drones at Bases Near Taiwan Strait, Report Says
China has stationed obsolete supersonic fighters converted to attack drones at six air bases close to the Taiwan Strait, according to a new report by the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Satellite imagery of these airfields from the February report, “China Airpower ...
China Warns U.S. Against Building Ammunition Facility in Philippines
China warned the United States on Thursday against bringing "conflict and the chaos of war" to the Asia-Pacific, after Washington and its allies said they would weigh building a weapons base in the Philippines. A U.S.-led intergovernmental defence group agreed last ...
With Pakistan and Afghanistan at War, China Confronts a Strategic Moment on Its Frontier
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared "open war" against Afghanistan on Friday amid a surge of fighting between the two South Asian neighbors. Pakistan said it's retaliating against Afghanistan for a series of attacks, including a suicide bombing in early February that killed ...
Chinese Commentator’s Defense of Missile Sale to Iran on Russian TV Lends Credence to Report
While the Chinese government has not officially commented on the reported sale of supersonic anti-ship missiles to Iran, one of China's most outspoken media provocateurs appeared on Russian state television on Tuesday to defend the move. Victor Gao, vice president of ...
U.S. Drone Makers Seek Asia Sales as China Threat Rises
Several U.S. drone firms made their debut at the Singapore Airshow this week, seeking to expand their business beyond the Pentagon into Asia, where countries are increasingly concerned about the threat posed by China's military build-up. The lethal success of drones on both ...
Analysis from Cobus van Staden
Pakistan’s Defense Boom Puts Chinese-Designed Jets on the Global Market
By Saad Sayeed and Ariba Shahid Pakistan's defense manufacturing industry is running red hot since its jets, drones and missiles earned the coveted 'combat tested' tag in a conflict with India last year, attracting a slew of interested buyers.
China Rejects Draft Pentagon Report on Nuclear Missile Silos
China’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, rejected a draft Pentagon report on Chinese missile silos near the border with Mongolia and told Washington to cut its own nuclear arsenal first. The U.S. assessment estimated that China had likely loaded more than 100 ...
U.S. Approves $11 Billion in Arms Sales to Taiwan: Taipei
Washington has approved $11 billion-worth of arms to Taiwan, Taipei said Thursday, announcing one of the largest weapons packages for the island as it seeks to deter a potential Chinese invasion. While Washington is traditionally Taiwan's biggest arms supplier, remarks by ...
Chinese Weapons a Trigger in Thai-Cambodia Conflict: Report
Thai airstrikes against Cambodian military facilities on Monday reportedly targeted Chinese-made rockets. Reuters reported a Thai military official saying the strikes were preceded by surveillance showing the presence of Chinese rockets that could hit civilian targets. The Thai military calculated that the ...
Japan Mulling Export of Weapons System to Philippines
Japan is reportedly preparing to export a command and control system to the Philippines. Designed by Mitsubishi Electric, the system would collect and analyze data about ships and planes passing through the area, and issue instructions to deployed military units. The transfer is aimed at improving cooperation ...
Amid a Global Arms Boom, China Confronts Delays, Scrutiny, and a Rare Drop in Defense Sales
Sales by the world's top 100 arms makers reached a record $679 billion last year, as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza boosted demand, researchers said Monday, but production issues hampered deliveries. The figure was 5.9 percent higher than the year before, ...
Chinese Nationals’ Role in Africa’s Illicit Weapons, Mining, and Money Flows
There's mounting evidence from the United Nations and others that Chinese organized crime syndicates are moving more of their operations from countries in Southeast Asia to Africa. These groups are contributing to a surge in illicit crypto mining, scam centers, illegal wildlife trafficking, ...