Category Archives: International Relations

White Paper: Strategic Depth and Fragile Unity: Managing the Tensions Between Territorial Expansion and Internal Cohesion

Posted on December 11, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary States have long sought strategic depth—the acquisition or consolidation of geographic space that provides military buffer zones, control of transportation corridors, and protection of core population centers. Yet this expansion often incorporates peripheral regions with weak historical integration … Continue reading →

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The North Sea Empire in the Early Eleventh Century: A White Paper on Its Military, Political, and Economic History

Posted on December 2, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The early eleventh-century North Sea Empire—principally associated with King Cnut the Great (r. 1016–1035)—represented one of the most ambitious and short-lived thalassocratic unions of medieval Europe. Encompassing England, Denmark, Norway, and intermittent influence over Sweden and parts of … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Prospects of Independence, International Recognition, and State Viability for Badakhshan

Posted on November 29, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Badakhshan—specifically the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAR) of Tajikistan—is a culturally distinct, geographically remote, and politically sensitive region with intermittent tensions between local populations and the Tajik central government. This white paper evaluates the likelihood that Badakhshan could break … Continue reading →

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White Paper: A Potential Framework For A Peace Deal In Sudan

Posted on November 20, 2025 by nathanalbright

1. Executive Summary Sudan’s war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian catastrophes: more than 11–13 million people displaced and over 30 million in need of aid, … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Æthelred the Unready in Contrast: A Study of Reputation and Historical Record

Posted on November 11, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper examines how three Anglo-Saxon rulers—Edward the Martyr, Æthelred II (the Unready), and Edmund Ironside—were judged by history, and how their reputations evolved. While Edward’s brief reign became sanctified by martyrdom, Æthelred’s long reign was vilified … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Abraham Accords: Core Terms, Current & Prospective Members, and Strategic Implications (as of November 8, 2025)

Posted on November 9, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive summary The Abraham Accords are a set of U.S.-mediated normalization arrangements launched in 2020 that pair a short Abraham Accords Declaration with country-specific bilateral normalization agreements with Israel. Initial signatories were the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain (September … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Western Sahara Settlement and Moroccan Sovereignty: Implications for Global Conflicts

Posted on November 8, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The Western Sahara file moved sharply in late 2025 when the UN Security Council renewed MINURSO and—for the first time—explicitly framed Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan as the basis for talks, a position long backed by the U.S. and … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Writers with Backgrounds in Espionage and Diplomacy: How That Background Influenced Their Writing

Posted on November 8, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Throughout modern history, the professions of espionage and diplomacy have occupied a unique intersection of secrecy, persuasion, observation, and narrative construction. Both fields rely on acute psychological insight, mastery of language, and the ability to craft compelling interpretations … Continue reading →

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Romania’s Strategic Role in World War I: A Scholarly White Paper

Posted on November 7, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Romania’s participation in World War I (1914–1918) was shaped by a complex interplay of geography, national aspiration, and alliance diplomacy. Although initially neutral, Romania entered the war in August 1916 on the side of the Entente Powers, seeking … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Identity of the Wise Men of the Gospels — Biblical and Historical Context

Posted on November 7, 2025 by nathanalbright

I. Introduction The account of the Wise Men from the East visiting the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:1–12) has fascinated theologians, historians, and lay readers alike. While popular tradition imagines three kings visiting the manger, Scripture itself is more restrained, mentioning … Continue reading →

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