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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The Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooter Shows That Al-Qaeda Is Still a Significant Threat
We now know that Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani was working for AQAP.
The Taliban Is Still the Main Driver of Violence in Afghanistan
Two recent attacks by ISIS only obscure that the Taliban is attacking the Afghan government daily.
Explaining the Intense Diplomatic Battle Between the U.S. and China
The Chinese Communist Party’s ‘Wolf Warriors’ have Secretary Pompeo in their crosshairs right now, but their agenda will outlast the Trump administration.
How China’s Repressive Policies Could Fuel the Jihad
The CCP’s harsh treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang could very well drive more people into the arms of both al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Germany Disrupts ISIS Plot Targeting U.S. Military
Let's look at how ISIS has recruited a base of supporters from Central Asian states such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
State Department Report Highlights World’s Deadliest Weapons
Potential nuclear tests in China, a whole list of problems with Russia, and let's not forget North Korea and Iran.
The Coronavirus Pandemic Exposes Fault Lines in the ‘Great Power Competition’
Does the U.S. continue to work within the framework of existing global institutions or abandon those it sees as problematic?
Why China Sunk a Vietnamese Fishing Boat During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Chinese Communist Party has aggressive intentions in the South China Sea.
Henry Kissinger’s Illusory World Order
He writes about how coronavirus will change the world without even mentioning China.
How Jihadists Are Reacting to the Coronavirus Pandemic
By calling it “divine retribution” and inviting Westerners to convert to Islam, for starters.
ISIS—One Year After the Caliphate
It's well-removed from the height of its power. But the organization is far from dead.
Iran Is Getting Away With Blaming the U.S. for Its Own Coronavirus Mismanagement
And it's getting help from Americans.
China’s Dangerous Coronavirus Disinformation Campaign
Not only did the CCP fail to act in a way that could have diminished the pandemic, the Chinese are now peddling conspiracy theories blaming others.
Bernie Sanders Gets China’s Economy Exactly Wrong
The economic growth came from the kind of liberal reforms that he hates.
What Has Iran Hidden? And What Might It Still Be Hiding?
The Islamic Republic has never come clean concerning the extent of its nuclear weapons activities.