From martial law to democratic renewal in South Korea

South Korea’s response to its 2024 martial law crisis offers valuable lessons on how democratic systems can withstand periods of intense political stress. Andrew Yeo and Hanna Foreman examine how its constitutional checks on the executive branch, civil society pressure, and military restraint helped the country navigate one of its most significant political crises in decades.

A new debate over Pentagon funding. A proposed $350 billion boost to Pentagon funding raises concerns about how such resources should be allocated and overseen. Michael O’Hanlon argues the extra funding could be appropriate if distributed gradually over the next decade with proper congressional oversight, but warns against giving the Pentagon no-strings-attached authority.

The cycle of violence in the Middle East. The war in Iran has reshaped regional politics in the Middle East and shifted diplomatic attention away from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even as conditions on the ground worsen. In our ongoing series on the impacts of the Iran war, Hady Amr writes that unresolved structural inequities in Israel-Palestine must be addressed by Washington and regional governments to help ease broader tensions and instability in the region.

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