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For Politico, Nahal Toosi and Eli Stokols reported [ [link removed] ] on President Donald Trump’s unveiling of a proposed peace plan aimed at ending the conflict between Israel and Hamas, though Hamas had not agreed to its terms.
Announced during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the plan included a ceasefire framework and economic incentives for Gaza, but lacked direct negotiation with Hamas leadership.
Hamas must disarm and return all hostages — alive and deceased — within 72 hours. Hamas must also relinquish control of Gaza, allowing an international body to administer the territory.
Israeli officials expressed cautious optimism, while Palestinian representatives criticized the initiative as one-sided.
The authors noted that Trump’s announcement coincided with rising regional tensions and highlighted Netanyahu’s apology to Qatar for a failed bombing this month that attempted to eliminate Hamas negotiators.
The article also noted that Trump essentially echoed Israeli talking points on the war, which has drawn increasing condemnation and political isolation for Israel.
The plan’s viability remained uncertain, with no formal endorsement from key stakeholders.
If You Read One More Thing: Never-ending Detention
Catalina “Xochitl” Santiago, a 28-year-old immigration activist and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient, remained in detention for over 50 days in El Paso despite a judge ruling she could not be deported, according to Jessica Washington’s [ [link removed] ]reporting [ [link removed] ] at The Intercept.
The Trump administration argued it could hold her indefinitely, prompting legal and human rights concerns. Advocates warned this tactic could quietly dismantle DACA protections by preventing renewals through prolonged detention.
Santiago’s arrest at an airport on Aug. 3 sparked rallies and legal action, with supporters citing her lifelong commitment to immigrant rights. Federal Judge Kathleen Cardone blocked her deportation but did not order her release. Immigration experts described the case as part of a broader strategy to “kill DACA by 1,000 cuts,” according to Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, deputy director of federal policy for the immigrant advocacy organization, United We Dream.
A ruling on her release was still pending.
Epstein-Israel Collaboration
In a report for Drop Site News, Murtaza Hussain and Ryan Grim [ [link removed] ]revealed [ [link removed] ] leaked emails showing Jeffrey Epstein’s involvement in brokering a security deal between Israel and Mongolia, with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak as a key intermediary.
The emails, spanning 2015 to 2019 — after Epstein’s 2008 conviction on child sexual abuse charges — outlined plans for a private security force and surveillance infrastructure, with Epstein leveraging his global network to facilitate access.
Barak appeared positioned to lead negotiations, raising ethical concerns about foreign influence and opaque contracting.
Hussain and Grim highlighted how the deal intersected with elite political and intelligence circles, deepening scrutiny of Epstein’s post-conviction activities.
Deep Dive: Bandwidth as a Resource of War
In a forward-looking analysis for Military Review, Lieutenant Colonel Jon R. Creel and Lieutenant Colonel James J. Torrence argue that the US Army Signal Corps must undergo a radical transformation to remain relevant and decisive in the rapidly evolving character of warfare. Their article, “Beyond the Network [ [link removed] ],” contends that the Corps must shift from a passive provider of connectivity to an active warfighting integrator capable of enabling decision dominance and distributed kill chains in contested, sensor-saturated environments.
The authors begin by describing the modern battlefield as transparent, persistently surveilled, and contested across multiple domains, including land, air, sea, space, cyber, and the electromagnetic spectrum. In this environment, commanders can no longer rely on sanctuary or bandwidth. Instead, they must be able to see, decide, and act faster than adversaries. The Signal Corps, they argue, is central to this capability — not merely by maintaining networks, but by shaping the fight through agile, empowered communicators.
Creel and Torrence emphasize that spectrum management has become a form of maneuver. Drawing on insights from military thinkers like John Antal and Jack Watling, they note that bandwidth is now a resource to be seized and held, much like terrain. Signal soldiers must treat emissions as operational vulnerabilities and master spectrum agility, emission control, and signature deception as core disciplines. The authors cite Field Manual (FM) 3-0, which reinforces the need for formations to operate under persistent electromagnetic contact and achieve spectrum dominance for survivability.
The concept of “transformation in contact” is central to their thesis. Rather than relying on institutional modernization cycles, the Army must adapt while under fire — culturally, technically, and operationally. Command posts will be targeted, connectivity will degrade, and communicators must be trained to lead through disruption. Mission command must be more than a concept; it must be embedded in unit culture. Signal leaders must be prepared to assume responsibility for command and control (C2) continuity when infrastructure fails.
The authors critique the current emphasis on hardware and compliance frameworks, arguing that technical roadmaps like the Army Unified Network Plan 2.0 are insufficient without a parallel transformation in leadership and training. Concepts like Zero Trust and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) must be treated as operational imperatives. In contested cyberspace, failure to secure data is not just a breach — it’s a denial of fires, a break in maneuver, and a collapse in initiative.
Creel and Torrence envision the Signal Corps as the integrator of C2 and lethality in a kill web environment, where data is ammunition and decision cycles are measured in seconds. Human cognition alone cannot process the volume and speed of battlefield data, necessitating the use of AI-enabled compression of sensor-to-shooter timelines. Signal professionals must not only transport information but fuse effects, synchronize operations, and enable decisions under pressure.
To achieve this, the Corps must flatten its hierarchy, dissolve artificial distinctions between strategic and tactical communications, and empower leaders at every echelon. The authors highlight the US Army Special Operations Command’s Tactical Mission Networks (TMNs) as a model for future capability. TMNs extend encrypted cloud-based communications to the edge, enabling maneuver units to sense, make sense, and act without relying on fixed command posts or unbroken reach-back. This democratization of technology allows signal integrators to provide layered capability through informed, agnostic transport options.
The article concludes with a series of vignettes illustrating how signal leaders can shape the fight in real time — managing bandwidth risk, enabling fires, and planning deception operations. These scenarios are not speculative; they are logical extensions of current trends in sensor saturation, cyber degradation, and spectrum competition. Signal professionals are portrayed not as troubleshooters but as decisive actors who turn disruption into initiative.
Creel and Torrence’s central message is clear: the network alone is not enough. The Army must cultivate warfighter-communicators who lead from the edge, integrate convergence, and command digital terrain. The Signal Corps must be reimagined as an operational force — no longer a support function, but a maneuver element in the data domain. In the battlespace of tomorrow, victory will belong to those who can see, decide, and act first. That requires communicators who are trained, empowered, and ready to fight through fire.
Show Us the Receipts
For Inkstick, Jon Letman [ [link removed] ]chronicled [ [link removed] ] how Kazakh activists have spotlighted the enduring legacy of Soviet nuclear testing near Semey, where over 450 detonations left lasting health and environmental damage. Youth leaders like Aigerim Seitenova and Yerdaulet Rakhmatulla advocated for nuclear justice through civil society groups and international forums, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Artist Karipbek Kuyukov, born without arms due to radiation exposure, used his feet and teeth to paint haunting images of nuclear trauma. Their efforts underscored Kazakhstan’s leadership in disarmament and the urgent need for global recognition and redress for affected communities.
In a new essay at Inkstick, Aditi Verma [ [link removed] ]documented [ [link removed] ] the enduring impact of the 2011 nuclear disaster through vivid scenes and personal reflection. She described how radiation still permeates daily life, from contaminated soil to abandoned schools preserved as memorials. Verma visited these sites in July 2025, capturing haunting images and recounting the emotional weight of places frozen in time. Her narrative highlighted the tension between memory and renewal, as residents navigate safety, identity, and loss. Through firsthand observation and photography, Verma illuminated the invisible legacy of nuclear fallout and the resilience of communities shaped by catastrophe.
At The World, Tibisay Zea reported [ [link removed] ] on Mexico’s government-backed songwriting contest, México Canta por la Paz y Contra las Adicciones, aimed at countering the influence of narco-corridos, a subgenre of Mexican folk ballads that glorifies drug traffickers and cartel violence. The contest invited youth from Mexico and the US to submit songs promoting peace and rejecting drug violence. From 365 entries, eight finalists were selected to perform in a televised finale. Zea highlighted how artists like Alex Moreno and Vivir Quintana used music to challenge glorified cartel narratives. While critics questioned its efficacy, the initiative marked a cultural push to reshape musical identity and offer youth alternative paths through art.
Got a Story? Pitch Inkstick
Inkstick is on the lookout for US-related pitches [ [link removed] ]. We’re especially interested in reported features and personal essays that examine issues like the weapons industry, the increasing militarization on the US-Mexico border and within the country, domestic extremism, and the people in power pushing for more wars abroad.
Critical State is written by Inkstick Media in collaboration with The World.
The World is a weekday public radio show and podcast on global issues, news, and insights from PRX and GBH.
With an online magazine and podcast featuring a diversity of expert voices, Inkstick Media is “foreign policy for the rest of us.”
Critical State is made possible in part by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

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