Vital Interests
This is the archive page for Vital Interests, which is no longer actively sending. Once each week, Thomas Joscelyn, who is sought out by the nation’s top foreign policy and national security policymakers, sent a deeply researched but highly readable analysis of American power on the world stage.
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China’s Military Has Global Ambitions
A new DoD report to Congress shows how the CCP sees the U.S. as its primary foe. Plus, why we should be concerned about China and Russia working together.
Trump Tries to Have It Both Ways on ‘Endless Wars’
Trump decries our presence in Iraq, but he hasn’t withdrawn American forces, either.
The World’s Most Dangerous Alliance
How Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin are using international institutions to undermine American interests.
How China Tries to Intimidate Its Dissidents Living Overseas
Explaining the CCP’s “Fox Hunt” program.
We Still Have More Questions Than Answers on Russian Bounties
U.S. officials have identified two possible attacks. Let’s take a closer look.
Donald Trump’s Silence on Al-Qaeda Is Deafening
The administration is still going after terrorists even as it claims to be ending ‘endless war.’
China’s Skirmish With India Is Only Its Latest Aggression During the Pandemic
The clash in the Galwan river valley will exacerbate concerns regarding the CCP’s intentions.
Trump’s Executive Order on Chinese Students Addresses a Complicated—But Real—Issue
This issue requires a surgical scalpel, not a sledgehammer.
What the New York Times Never Told Readers About Sirajuddin Haqqani
Revisiting the op-ed the paper published by the deputy emir of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
The Trump Administration Seeks a Balance With New China Strategy
The government is attempting to determine where cooperation is warranted and conflict may be unavoidable.
Understanding China’s Latest Move Against Hong Kong
The CCP is using the threat of a foreign bogeyman to encroach on residents' freedoms.