Defense Priorities

NEW EXPLAINER by DEFP Director of Military Analysis @jekavanagh: An access-only posture for the Middle East.

No vital American interest requires a significant, permanent military presence or a network of bases in the Middle East. The U.S. can meet its military objectives in the region by retaining only a small footprint of intelligence assets and the basing access needed to facilitate a rotational air and naval presence.

defensepriorities.org/explainers/an-…

"The American people never thought bombing Iran was necessary, were deprived of any halfway convincing argument from the administration when the bombing started, and have been left to deal with the economic fallout[.]"

-@DanDePetris in @chitribopinions:

chicagotribune.com/2026/11/10/col…

In @starsandstripes, @lylegoldstein tells @sethrobson1 that U.S. bases along the first island chain in the Pacific appear highly vulnerable and Washington would be wise to consider a more defensible basing posture.

stripes.com/theaters/asia_…

DEFP Non-Resident Fellow Brian Haggerty speaks to @AamerISmad on what comes next in Iran:

“There’s reason to suspect that Trump may feel less restrained given that the political damage is done. At the same time, the strategic calculus or the strategic logic of what you hope to achieve through an escalation of strikes against Iran is no different today than it was a week ago or a month ago.”

apnews.com/article/trump-…

Even once the Iran war ends, there will be no revival of the status quo ante bellum.

“It’s never going to be back to its prewar days, when shipping through the strait was cheap and easy and everybody did it."

-@RKelanic in NYT

nytimes.com/2026/11/01/bus…