"in the dead of night, in fair weather or foul, to go to dangerous places to find those who would do our nation harm, and deliver justice on behalf of the American people in close and brutal combat if necessary," Hegseth said. "In this profession," he went on, "you feel comfortable inside the violence so that our citizens can live peacefully. Lethality is our calling card, and victory our only acceptable end state."
US president's visit to Malaysia puts spotlight on Southeast Asian country's efforts to walk a fine line between great powers. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia When US President Donald Trump lands in Malaysia for Southeast Asia's headline summit this weekend, he will be delivering Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim a diplomatic coup. US presidents rarely visit Malaysia, a multiracial nation of 35 million people sandwiched between Thailand and Singapore, which for decades has maintained a policy of not picking sides in rivalries between great powers.
New Zealand's foreign mininster discusses the decision not to recognise a Palestinian state, shifting geopolitical alliances, and diplomacy. In a shifting world order, New Zealand's foreign policy faces new tests, from Gaza to the Pacific. Foreign Minister Winston Peters speaks to Talk to Al Jazeera about why his government has stopped short of recognising a Palestinian state, how small nations can stay neutral amid the United States-China rivalry, and whether multilateralism still protects the weak from the will of the powerful.
President Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that he is working to reestablish a U.S. presence at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, four years after America's chaotic withdrawal from the country left the base in the Taliban's hands. Trump floated the idea during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as he wrapped up a state visit to the U.K. and tied it to the need for the U.S. to counter its top rival, China.
"The time may well be coming when the U.S. and China will face off and we will need to ask our Gulf partners to stand with us in that tough moment," former National Intelligence Manager for Iran at ODNI Norm Roule. "To do this, we need closer and more regular visits by the Saudi Crown Prince, as well as the Emirati President of the United Arab Emirates Mohammed bin Zayed."