And... how a US-Iran clash could spiral out of control, what Nuri al-Maliki's return means for the US, and more
Wednesday Reads
February 4, 2026
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America's Twin Deficit Time Bombs By Desmond Lachman
Senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute
The US economy has long been shielded from the unsustainability of its trade and budget deficits. It may not be for much longer. Read more here.
How a US-Iran Clash Could Spiral Out of Control By Sina Azodi
Director of the Middle East Studies program at The George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs
A future conflict between America and Iran might resemble the June 2025 war, in which Tehran was careful to telegraph its punches—but it could also escalate far more quickly. Read how here.
Why the ICE Crackdown Is a Mistake By Cheryl Benard,
Former program director in the RAND Corporation’s National Security Research Division
US immigration enforcement would do better to focus on the border than on rounding up undocumented workers within the country. Read why here.
What Nuri al-Maliki’s Iraqi Comeback Means for the US By Charbel Antoun,
Journalist
The revival of Iraq’s most polarizing Shia leader signals Iran’s intent to set the terms of engagement with the Trump administration. Read more here.
Assessing Developments in Anti-Technological Extremism with AI Data Centers By Jordyn Abrams,
Research fellow at the Program on Extremism at The George Washington University
As AI develops, anti-technology extremism is evolving—making AI data centers symbolic, high-risk targets for ideologically diverse actors. Read more here.
