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Defense Priorities

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@defpriorities

The hub of realism and restraint in Washington.
Washington, DC defp.org Joined February 2016
1.5K Following 8.9K Followers 14K Posts

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Defense Priorities Verified account @defpriorities
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-…
www.defensepriorities.org An access-only posture for the Middle East - Defense Priorities Key points The United States has few core interests at stake in the Middle East. The region contains only minor […]
Defense Priorities Verified account @defpriorities
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_…
www.stripes.com Australians wrestle with plans for second nuclear submarine base Down Under Australia is debating where to build a second submarine base on the country’s eastern coast as part of the AUKUS security partnership with the U.K. and U.S.
Defense Priorities Verified account @defpriorities
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-…
apnews.com After midterm loss, Trump is left to weigh his next move in Iran war that contributed to GOP debacle President Donald Trump faces a tough decision on his unpopular war against Iran after the Republican Party's midterm losses.
Defense Priorities Verified account @defpriorities
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…
www.nytimes.com How a Little-Known Company Dominated the Persian Gulf Oil Trade South Korea’s Sinokor controls about half the tanker transits through the Strait of Hormuz, benefiting from a big bet just before the war in Iran started.
Defense Priorities Verified account @defpriorities
On @ForbesTVNews, DEFP Middle East Director @RKelanic speaks with @_brittanylewis about the post-midterms outlook for the Iran war:

forbes.com/sites/forbestv…
www.forbes.com What Will Trump Do Now In The Iran War After Democrats Destroy Republicans In The Midterms? Dr. Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities, discussed the implications of the midterm results on the war against Iran.