Geopolitics and Security
International affairs, wars, militaries, intelligence, and diplomacy, including Israel's wars and external security.
#2981: Jerusalem's Lost Airport: What Happened to Atarot?
Once a bustling international airport, Atarot now faces demolition for housing. Could it ever fly again?
#2980: Dual-Use Airfields: Civilian Jets and Military Cargo on the Same Runway
How Israel runs civilian and military flights on the same tarmac during an active war with Iran.
#2954: The 47 Lubricants of War: Inside Defense Supply Chains
How Israel’s military actually buys bullets, missiles, and tank grease — and why a single factory in Virginia matters.
#2946: How a Kahanist Teen Became Israel's Police Chief
The story of Itamar Ben-Gvir's rise from Kach activist to National Security Minister.
#2945: How a World Leader Phone Call Actually Works
A president doesn't just dial. The real process involves SCIFs, encrypted terminals, switchboard operators, and at least six listeners.
#2921: The Man Behind the Politics: Netanyahu's Personality
What drives Benjamin Netanyahu? Former aides reveal the man behind the political force.
#2913: Hitching a Ride on a Cargo Ship: The Truth
The internet myth vs. the reality of booking passage on a commercial cargo vessel — it's slow, expensive, and vanishing.
#2899: Can We Trust Palestinian Polls in Wartime?
How one man's surveys became the world's only window into Palestinian opinion—and whether the data is real.
#2880: Israel-Greece-Cyprus: The Alliance That Outlasted Its Pipeline
How three eastern Mediterranean countries built a durable partnership around gas, electricity, and a shared strategic interest.
#2878: How China Controls Foreign Critics and Domestic Media
China blocks foreign critics at the border while running a sophisticated domestic media control system. Here's how both work.
#2876: When Iran Recruits Your Iran Experts
How a DIA contractor with top secret clearance gave Iran dossiers on US intelligence officers — and why cultural expertise can be a vulnerability.
#2875: How Polls Actually Make Samples "Representative
The secret behind "representative samples" — and why the margin of error is just the beginning of the story.
#2873: Why Israel's Negev Desert Stays Empty Despite Being 60% of the Land
60% of Israel's land is empty Negev desert. Why can't they just build there to solve the housing crisis?
#2869: China's Special Puzzle Pieces: Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
How "one country, two systems" works differently for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan — and what's changed.
#2853: What the Nordics Actually Struggle With
Beyond bike lanes and pastries—what Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have genuinely figured out, and where their model cracks.
#2833: What Police Actually Do All Day
Most officers make one arrest every two weeks. Here's what fills the other 90% of their time.
#2827: Why People Still Pay for SSL Certificates
Free DV certificates are everywhere, yet paid SSL still thrives. Here’s what commercial CAs actually provide that free ones don’t.
#2819: Did China's Wildlife Wet Market Ban Actually Stick?
The COVID origin investigation stalled. But what about China's wildlife wet market ban — did it actually work?
#2813: How Jerusalem Day Went From Thanksgiving to Sovereignty Display
The holiday began as a rabbinic day of thanks. Now 70,000 people march through the Muslim Quarter. How did it shift?
#2809: What Enforcement Leaves Behind
How border enforcement fractures economies, families, and institutions in ways the headlines miss.