Eric Wind

The U.S. operation in #Venezuela is not just about Caracas. It marks a broader shift in how #Washington is approaching #power, #security, and influence in the #WesternHemisphere. On Saturday, I discussed these dynamics with CNN en Español anchor Rey Rodriguez, unpacking why the Venezuela intervention reflects a move away from institutional restraint toward realpolitik. In the interview, we explore: -What this shift means for regional stability and U.S.–Mexico relations -Why the precedent matters ahead of the upcoming #USMCA review -And how security considerations are increasingly shaping economic and trade decisions This is a conversation about geopolitics, not headlines—and about how decisions taken in Venezuela could ripple across the r#egion, particularly for Mexico. 🎥 Full interview below.

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U.S. Special Envoy Sergio Gor commended the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation decision to issue an LOI supporting a tungsten project in Kazakhstan. “We are thrilled that Kazakhstan is becoming a reliable partner and will continue to identify areas of mutual interest.” The project advances implementation of the U.S.–Kazakhstan MoU on Critical Minerals, signed in November 2025, and reinforces Kazakhstan’s role as a strategic partner in critical mineral supply chains and broader economic security efforts. Source: U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Kazakhstan https://lnkd.in/eGeQuSD9

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In a wide-ranging conversation with Elizabeth Dent, Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former Pentagon official responsible for Gulf policy, we examined the expanding regional dimensions of the war with Iran — from Gulf security and air defense systems to U.S. strategic priorities and the future of diplomacy. Among her key remarks: “Diplomacy with Iran was not given enough time before the war.” “Gulf air defense systems have achieved interception rates of roughly 80–90%, giving regional partners greater confidence in their ability to defend their territory.” She also noted that Iran’s strategy of targeting Gulf states as the “soft underbelly” of U.S. strategy has largely backfired — bringing Gulf countries closer together and strengthening security cooperation with Washington. Full interview link in the first comment 👇

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Important insights from Derek Chollet and the JPMorganChase team about the state of the US/Allied Defense Industrial Base. We are at war -- and the strength of the private sector will help determine if the US and our allies achieve our military objectives.

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The action doesn't stop! The potential Supreme Court review of #IEEPA this week could affect U.S. tariffs across the region, as well as framework trade agreements with #Argentina, #Ecuador, #ElSalvador, and #Guatemala https://lnkd.in/eWDjC-aX

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Implementing TRIPP: The MOU should not be seen as an end product, but as an affirmation of Washington’s continuing interest and commitment to invest political capital, financial resources, and diplomatic creativity into rebuilding connectivity across one of Eurasia's most disputed regions. My latest: https://lnkd.in/emj3R8Bd

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With today's announcement of a $448 million financing guarantee for KAZAKHSTAN TEMIR ZHOLY JSC to procure locomotive kits from Wabtec Corporation, the Export-Import Bank of the United States is demonstrating how export financing can simultaneously support U.S. economic interests and the development of critical transportation infrastructure in Central Asia.

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The Trump administration today has been announcing tariff rates on a number of U.S. trading partners -- at levels that are higher than anything the U.S. has seen in a century. A good time to listen to American-German Institute Vice President Peter Rashish and Bergos AG Chief Economist Jörn Quitzau and their hot-off-the-press podcast on U.S. trade policy 👇 https://lnkd.in/eB9ivgGi

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Small Wars Journal did a great job outlining this problem/threat. A deeper look at China's dual use satellite operations can be found in this October piece by The Epoch Times https://lnkd.in/ecxVSsBv Founded in 2014 as a spinoff from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CGST operates the Jilin-1 satellite constellation, which offers sub-meter resolution and rapid revisit rates. While its public-facing applications include agriculture and disaster monitoring, CGST is embedded within Beijing’s Military-Civil Fusion framework. This doctrine views civilian innovation as a latent military capacity, enabling the state-directed use of commercial platforms.

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Four really interesting articles this month for Observer Research Foundation America on: the domestic economic impact of Trump's tariffs, the possibility of India-Taiwan submarine cooperation, the consequences of China's rare earth restrictions, and parallel U.S. and Indian traditions of Just War Theory. https://lnkd.in/eeT4aNSe

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