An Alternative Assessment of President Trump’s Strategy in Venezuela

Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP)

Data Privacy & Governance Hub Project

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Mauro Lubrano: A Deep Dive into Anti-technology Extremism

Listen Now

An Unwinnable Claim, A Strategic Opportunity: Japan, Dokdo, and the China Challenge

Promoting Evidence-based Policy and Good Governance

Defense & Security, Americas, Transnational Crime Project

Apr 28 , 2026

Policy Brief

An Alternative Assessment of President Trump’s Strategy in Venezuela

Jackie Ducharme

Editor’s Note: This policy brief is Part V of an Orion Policy Institute (OPI) Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP) series. While unprecedented and unexpected, it increasingly appears that the United States’ capture of Nicolas Maduro in January 2026 was more than an isolated regional event. Instead, it was a broader strategic

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Cyber Security & Info Technologies, Terrorism & Extremism

Apr 27 , 2026

Podcast

Mauro Lubrano: A Deep Dive into Anti-technology Extremism

Mauro Lubrano

This episode of Orion Talks, hosted by Marta Furlan, features Dr. Mauro Lubrano examining the rise of anti-technology extremism. He begins by distinguishing it from anti-technology activism, emphasizing that conflating the two risks discrediting legitimate concerns and may even contribute to further radicalization. The discussion situates recent attacks on tech

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Defense & Security, Indo – Pacific, South Asia

Apr 23 , 2026

Op-Ed

An Unwinnable Claim, A Strategic Opportunity: Japan, Dokdo, and the China Challenge

Colin Pascal

Japan and South Korea share a difficult history that complicates their bilateral relationship. This is a problem since an effective Japan-Korea alliance would be a bulwark against China’s regional ambitions and allow the U.S. to redirect resources to other parts of the world. The long-discussed U.S. pivot to Asia, announced

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Defense & Security, Indo – Pacific, Middle East, South Asia

Apr 13 , 2026

Op-Ed

Iran War from the Perspectives of China and Russia

Ismail Onat

Operation Epic Fury is the 2026 U.S.-led military campaign against Iran. The operation marks one of the most significant escalations in Middle Eastern conflict in the post–Cold War era and stretches beyond the issues between Iran versus the U.S.-Israel sides. As of 2026, the most powerful countries are the United

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Transnational Crime, Americas, Transnational Crime Project

Apr 9 , 2026

Policy Brief

Examining the Crime-Terror Convergence in Venezuela

Madeline Garber

Editor’s Note: This policy brief is Part IV of an Orion Policy Institute (OPI) Transnational Crime Project (OPI-TCP) series and culminating report examining Venezuela’s transnational criminal networks, their regional security implications, and the evolving U.S. policy response. Introduction Venezuela, ranked seventh globally for the highest homicide rate, is characterized by

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Defense & Security, Indo – Pacific, Middle East, South Asia

Apr 6 , 2026

Policy Brief

China and the War In Iran, High Risk for Marginal Opportunities

Miquel Vila Moreno

China has worked to build a diplomatic position in the Middle East, cultivating an image as a non-interventionist power that can be everyone’s friend and no one’s enemy. However, when the drums of war began to sound over the Strait of Hormuz, China found itself exposed to a conflict it

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Defense & Security, Americas

Apr 4 , 2026

Podcast

Kerry Chavez: Drones, Non-State Actors, and the Changing Nature of Warfare

Kerry Chavez

In this episode of Orion Talks, hosted by Suat Cubukcu, we are joined by Dr. Kerry Chávez to explore how drones are reshaping modern warfare and homeland security. As commercial drone technology becomes more accessible, the barriers to air power are rapidly eroding, enabling non-state actors and even lone individuals

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Defense & Security, Terrorism & Extremism

Apr 1 , 2026

Op-Ed

What Works in Counterterrorism and What Doesn’t?

Ismail Onat

Terrorism and counterterrorism have been significant concerns after terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in the United States. The concerns have valid reasons. Currently, the U.S. State Department lists approximately 70 Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) as of early 2026 [1]. In addition to domestic violent extremist groups, the FTOs pose

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Latest Research

Democracy & Human Rights, Africa

Aug 19 , 2025

Research

Women and the Path for Peace in Africa: Ethiopia

Ayse Ergene, Virginia Buffum

Ethiopia today is characterized by growing fragmentation and eruptions of violence since the catastrophic Tigray war. The civil war, which lasted from 2020 to 2022, has claimed more than 500,000 soldiers and 360,000 civilians, making it one of the deadliest conflicts since the end of the Cold War. Beyond the

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Democracy & Human Rights, Americas

Aug 7 , 2025

Policy Brief

The Security and Humanitarian Crisis in Haiti and Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy

Jackie Ducharme

Haiti is on the verge of a total institutional collapse, with only 10% of the capital in control of the Haitian government—a government entrenched with corruption.[i] Instead, Haitian gangs are nearing total control of the capital and Haitian authorities can no longer combat the escalating violence.[ii] The current crisis goes

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Terrorism & Extremism, Middle East

Jul 26 , 2025

Research Report

The Houthi Drone Supply Chain

Suat Cubukcu, Evan Jordan

The Houthi movement, designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), has emerged as the most prolific violent non-state actor employing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). According to GTTAC data, the group has conducted 388 drone attacks from 2018 to 2024, targeting a wide array of actors, including the

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Indo – Pacific, Middle East

Jul 10 , 2025

Policy Brief

IMEC and the Battle for Connectivity: Why Trieste Matters

Federico Donelli

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a visionary infrastructure and cooperation initiative that was officially launched at the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi. The IMEC’s primary aim is to enhance connectivity and promote robust economic collaboration between India and Eurasia. The corridor comprises land rail links and shipping

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Middle East

Jun 29 , 2025

Policy Brief

Gulf Arab States Need Israel and Iran to De-escalate

Giorgio Cafiero

President Donald J. Trump successfully cajoling Israel and Iran into a precarious ceasefire this month was welcome news in the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Wanting stability to prevail in the region, the Gulf Arab monarchies have stakes in this truce holding up so that the Israel-Iran war does

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Democracy & Human Rights, Middle East

Jun 27 , 2025

Research

Women and War in Syria: Gendering of the Syrian Civil War

Ayse Ergene, Nihal Eken, Zach Pittman

A comprehensive overview of the Syrian Civil War extends from its origins during the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011 through to the fall of the Assad regime in 2024 and continues into the country’s ongoing transitional period. It examines the rise of extremist groups and assesses the role of foreign

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