There is a stigma around the term ‘proxy’. It invokes a caricature of a puppet master pulling strings. In the context of conflict, it suggests that one party is being forced to fight and die at the direction of a more powerful party. In reality, there are no puppets, only actors with layered motivations and abilities.

Of all the wars Trump claims to have resolved, the peace initiative between Azerbaijan and Armenia may be the most strategically significant. Azerbaijan and Armenia have been alternating between hot wars and frozen conflicts for the last 37 years.

Are we killing because this is the General’s order? Are we letting civilians die because we elude our conscience by telling ourselves “That is just a casualty”? Is the endgame sought in “how many killed” or are we all just too hot-blooded to end any game at all?

Geopolitical literacy means more than knowing international headlines; it is the ability to connect geography, history, and political dynamics to understand why events happen and how they might evolve. It requires critical thinking to identify patterns, assess multiple perspectives, recognize bias, and interpret data and narratives objectively.

War can no longer be seen as a local failure; it is reproducing itself within a system that has failed to regulate it. And democracies, far from being immune, are active participants. The challenge is no longer just to stop a war. It is to prevent more from joining the wave.

The emotional pull of a photograph creates share-ability on social media, challenging the traditional journalism.

The shame of Germany and the EU is nowhere to be found when they have the audacity to demand an increased supply of Norwegian gas.