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** Saturday Reads
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** February 28, 2026
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How Trump Is Undermining Putin
By Thomas Graham
Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

President Donald Trump has been weakening Russia’s position as a great power in myriad ways, even as his critics say he is Russian President Vladimir Putin’s puppet. Read the full article here ([link removed]) .
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Mind Games: Fighting Forward in Information Warfare
By Michael Miklaucic
Senior Fellow, National Defense University
Editor-in-Chief, PRISM Journal

As Russia and China pour resources into propaganda to shape the future battlespace, the United States and its allies have made no attempt to do the same. Read the full article here ([link removed]) .
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Hezbollah Is Winning the Race to Rearm in Lebanon
By Matthew Levitt
Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow, Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Despite the efforts of the Lebanese Armed Forces, Hezbollah is gradually regaining strength for a future war with Israel. Read the full article here ([link removed]) .
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Four Years After Russia’s Invasion, Ukraine Has Become a “Steel Porcupine”
By David Kirichenko
Journalist
Associate Research Fellow, Henry Jackson Society

The ongoing war has driven extremely rapid innovation in Ukraine’s defense sector—and many Western firms have taken note. Read the full article here ([link removed]) .
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What Nicaragua Can Teach Venezuela About Democratic Transitions
By Richard M. Sanders
Senior Fellow, Western Hemisphere, Center for the National Interest
Former Member, Senior Foreign Service, US Department of State

Leaving former Maduro regime officials in power will increase the odds of a return to dictatorship in Venezuela. Read the full article here ([link removed]) .
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