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Christopher Woody

@chrstphrwdy.bsky.social
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Reposted by Christopher Woody
Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 23h
In August, as Putin visited islands north of Japan that Tokyo claims, Russian warships sailed between the two Japanese islands closest to Taiwan. That transit was the latest in a dramatic uptick in Russian activity around southwestern Japan. My latest in The Diplomat: thediplomat.com/2026/10/russ...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 23h
In August, as Putin visited islands north of Japan that Tokyo claims, Russian warships sailed between the two Japanese islands closest to Taiwan. That transit was the latest in a dramatic uptick in Russian activity around southwestern Japan. My latest in The Diplomat: thediplomat.com/2026/10/russ...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
"The Trump administration has classified its accounting of what happened to $300 million in military aid Congress provided for Taiwan ... The classification obscures the administration’s handling of the Taiwan aid money just days after" Trump hosted Xi www.washingtonsun.com/whitehouse/3...
washingtonsun.com
What Happened to $300 Million in Taiwan Aid? It’s Classified.
The Trump administration’s secrecy over the funding comes days after the president’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Yonaguni, so hot right now thediplomat.com/2026/10/russ...
thediplomat.com
Russia’s Navy Shows Its Reach Around Japan’s Southwestern Islands
Vladimir Putin’s first-ever visit to a northern territory claimed by Japan comes amid a steady uptick in Russian naval activity near Japan’s southernmost islands.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
As Putin visited the Kurils, islands north of Japan that Tokyo claims, in August, a Russian warship sailed between Japan’s Yonaguni and Iriomote islands—one of at least 14 transits this year, a dramatic uptick of Russian activity near Japan’s southwestern-most islands thediplomat.com/2026/10/russ...
thediplomat.com
Russia’s Navy Shows Its Reach Around Japan’s Southwestern Islands
Vladimir Putin’s first-ever visit to a northern territory claimed by Japan comes amid a steady uptick in Russian naval activity near Japan’s southernmost islands.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
“The cost of moving oil by sea from the Gulf to East Asia is around $34 per barrel, a record high and up from an average of $3 in January, according Argus. Importers pay transport fees on top of the oil price.” www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/b...
nytimes.com
Oil Is Flowing From the Persian Gulf, but Prices Remain High. Why?
Crude oil costs close to $100 a barrel because traders are worried hostilities could soon restart and the world is burning through its emergency stockpiles.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
What do a Norwegian island with more volcanoes than permanent residents and a Japanese island that's 70 miles from Taiwan have in common? US Marines are visiting them to practice defending "key maritime terrain" from Russia and China. My latest for Defense News: www.defensenews.com/news/your-mi...
defensenews.com
Operation Atlantic City ushers Marines on rare trip to ... remote Arctic island
U.S. Marines participated in a NATO exercise on a remote Arctic island as the alliance increases its focus on the region amid worries about Russia.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
US Marines and Argentine marines conducted "an amphibious landing during a long-distance movement exercise in Ushuaia" on Sept 19. These kinds of exercises are generally unconnected to politics but timing and location are interesting given Milei's Falklands rumblings www.dvidshub.net/image/997461...
dvidshub.net
Argentine and US Marines Practice Tactical Movements to Enemy Contact Drills in Southern Cone
U.S. Marines with the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center and Argentine marines assigned to the batallon de Infanteria de Marina N 4 use a combat rubber raiding craft to conduct an amphibiou...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
China and Laos have opened a Joint Support and Training Center and pilot training academy at an airport in Laos, Beijing said Tuesday. China ⁠operates another joint training and support center at Cambodia's Ream naval base, which it denies is an overseas base www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...
reuters.com
China opens rare joint military support centre in Laos
China has opened a new military support and training centre in Laos, Beijing's ​Ministry of National Defence said on Tuesday, ‌a rare overseas expansion.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Tired of hearing this stuff. Either kill me or shut up
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"But Nico Lange, former chief of staff at the Ministry of Defense, says: 'If the Americans stop supporting the German F-35s, they won't fly.'"
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
"The foreign ministry noted that efforts to buy American weapons are viewed positively by the Trump administration, but the purchase of European military material should be increased." www.ft.com/content/bec2...
ft.com
Donald Trump’s US no longer a reliable ally, warns Belgium in leaked document
Dynamics in Washington ‘are likely to compromise vital interests’ of Belgium and the EU, says foreign ministry document
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Iran war gets all the attention right now but it seems increasingly likely that that second half of Trump 2 sees the US enter an open-ended military operation in the Western Hemisphere, either to depose Cuban leadership or attack "narco-terrorist organizations": www.state.gov/releases/off...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
"Earlier this year, American forces conducted reconnaissance operations on the seafloor and maritime approaches surrounding the Cuban island, multiple U.S. military personnel told CBS News." www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-gro...
cbsnews.com
U.S. military lays groundwork for potential action around Cuba
Some units would "possibly [be] needed in 90-120 days," according to an internal Army message reviewed by CBS News.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"'We are sustaining 15 warships in the [weapon engagement zone]. That’s almost four carrier strike groups’ worth of destroyers,' Capt. Eric Kellum, the chief of staff of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, said Wednesday" news.usni.org/2026/09/23/3...
news.usni.org
3 Years of Middle East Combat Altering How Navy Supplies, Maintains Fleet, Leaders Say - USNI News
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran is morphing how the Navy fixes and supplies ships operating thousands of miles from logistics hubs as extended time at sea and the prospect of...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
"The sources, who spoke ​on condition of anonymity...said China has also asked for the US to stop deliveries of arms already ordered by Taiwan. ... In return, China is offering help to put pressure on Iran over the war in the Middle East, the sources added." www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
EXCLUSIVE: China's Xi expected to press Trump to halt Taiwan arms sales under 1982 agreement, sources say
China regularly ‌describes the issue of Taiwan, which Beijing views as its own territory, as its most sensitive and important diplomatic issue and has repeatedly called for arms sales to stop.
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Reposted by Christopher Woody
Will Yale @wayale.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It is extremely unfortunate and regrettable that the Department of the Air Force has decided to shutter the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). CASI, along with its sister institutions the China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI), China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC), and…
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
China’s replenishment fleet held steady for several years at 12 ships, perplexing some US commanders who wondered how the PLAN expected to resupply its ships during wartime. But that fleet has swelled with several new Type 903 ships and these new, larger vessels: open.substack.com/pub/thedatel...
open.substack.com
China is closing a curious gap in its growing navy
The addition of new replenishment ships will allow Chinese warships to stay at sea longer and go farther from home.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"'Since peaking in 2021 with 95 million average monthly unique viewers, Business Insider’s traffic has cratered 78%, averaging just 21 million monthly uniques in 2026 year-to-date. One staffer who attended the meeting ... simply reacted, 'Yikes.'" talkingbiznews.com/media-news/e...
talkingbiznews.com
Examining the traffic drop at Business Insider - Talking Biz News
Stephanie Korach of Status writes about the traffic decline at Business Insider. Korach writes, “Early in the meeting, Baesler put up a slide displaying Comscore data that painted a bleak picture of B...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Pretty nice Kennedy Center you got here. Would be a shame if something happened to it www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
“(The Houthis) don’t need to use advanced weapons to close Bab al-Mandeb. They can just use a cannon on a car": edition.cnn.com/2026/09/12/m... thedateline.substack.com/p/iran-war-h...
thedateline.substack.com
SLOC-blocked
New military challenges and wavering superpower commitment raise doubts about the future of the open sea.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Steve and Jared en route now to talk seaside development possibilities with our new Houthi partners
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"China's oil demand is expected to fall by 600,000 barrels a day, or 8.9%, in 2026, marking ​a third straight annual decline, while refining capacity is forecast to shrink up ‌to 5.5% from 2026 levels by 2030, according to Sinopec's research arm." www.reuters.com/business/ene...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Protracted blockages of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb underscore the growing threats to some of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints and the shipments of food, fuel, and goods that flow through them thedateline.substack.com/p/iran-war-h...
thedateline.substack.com
SLOC-blocked
New military challenges and wavering superpower commitment raise doubts about the future of the open sea.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
"The Houthis have previously attacked ships in the Red Sea from Yemeni territory further north, but control of Mokha gives the militia a foothold closer to the strait, with implications for global trade and oil markets, analysts say." www.nytimes.com/2026/09/10/w...
nytimes.com
Houthis Seize Strategic Red Sea Port, a Major Victory for Iranian Ally
The Iran-backed militia routed Yemeni government forces in Mokha, putting the group in a stronger position to attack ships in a crucial waterway for global trade.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
The Pentagon regularly announces "framework agreements" that it touts as investments to speed up and expand defense production, but "framework" deals still need to have funding allotted by Congress, which, as the chairman of the joint chiefs tacitly acknowledged today, is not assured:
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Notably, Görlitz is a hub for Germany's reinvigorated arms industry (which has been revived in response to Russian aggression) and is represented in the German parliament by an AfD member, according to the Atlantic last year www.theatlantic.com/magazine/202...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
"Investigators discovered ​nine additional homemade explosive devices over the weekend near ​high-voltage power lines south of the Graustein substation ⁠in the eastern German district of Goerlitz, taking the total number ​discovered to 21" www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
Police in eastern German state defuse 21 explosive devices found near power grid
Prosecutors in the eastern German state of Saxony said on ​Monday that authorities had found a total of 21 ‌explosive devices as part of their investigations into attacks on the electricity grid that ...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
"Modi has so far managed to contain the damage caused by Trump. But there are limits to his capacity to do so. A growing section of India’s political class is itching to see New Delhi confront Washington, even if such a move hurts their country." www.foreignaffairs.com/india/india-...
foreignaffairs.com
India Is Sticking With America—for Now
But Trump’s coercion could force Modi’s Hand.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
“The Pentagon has asked lawmakers for permission to reshuffle $4.3 bln in funding already appropriated for 2026. Most of it…would go toward military personnel costs, with the Pentagon taking millions from shipbuilding, aircraft procurement and research and development” www.notus.org/defense/pent...
notus.org
Officer Ousters, a Cash Crunch and Iran Attacks: The Headaches Mount for Hegseth
The defense secretary is at odds with military leaders and lawmakers as the Pentagon navigates budget shortfalls and a revived Iran war.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
“[T]his is an administration, and in particular a Pentagon, where optics matter, where branding matters, so they change the name ... to ‘Department of War’ unofficially. The secretary cares a lot about grooming standards and whether generals are fat, right?" thedateline.substack.com/p/pentagon-n...
thedateline.substack.com
Playing the name game in ‘the most consequential region’
The Pentagon’s shifting terminology for Asia and the Pacific has raised questions about its priorities there.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
US Navy official signaling to industry that they're expected to deliver new hardware despite funding doubts: “If the plan for your companies is to wait for us to get a go signal from congressional funding, that's probably a bad path, and I would recommend against it" aviationweek.com/defense/miss...
aviationweek.com
U.S. Navy Sets 'Feisty' Schedule, Novel Funding Plan For New Missile | Aviation Week
Navy accelerates Terminal Stage Interceptor development, seeking industry self-funding and modular designs to rapidly replace Standard Missile.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
"On the surface, China is discussing governance deficits. In substance, it is expressing a demand for a redistribution of international power... China is not trying to build a separate system; it is trying to alter the distribution of power within the existing one." www.thinkchina.sg/politics/wha...
thinkchina.sg
What China really wants from global governance
Behind China’s new global governance white paper lies a broader ambition: to reshape international rules and institutions to reflect Beijing’s growing power and influence, says commentator Deng Yuwen.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The US Navy has 75 active destroyers, the most of any class of ship in the fleet. “Caudle conveyed to Hegseth that barely one-fourth of the Navy’s destroyer fleet is ready to deploy, a sharp decline from prewar levels, said those familiar with the assessment.” www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
washingtonpost.com
Military leaders warn Hegseth against extending Iran war operations
A recent classified assessment advised that prolonged large-scale operations in the Middle East risk weakening U.S. capabilities elsewhere.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
“Hegseth has fired or blocked the promotions of more than 80 generals and admirals, a purge that has hit about 10% of the military’s top officers … part of a broader effort by [Hegseth] to fashion a force…that is aligned with his political and ideological views” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/01/u...
nytimes.com
Hegseth Targets 7 More Officers as His Frustrated Army Secretary Quits
The defense secretary’s cuts, which have hit about 10 percent of the military’s top officers, are dividing the Pentagon, officials said.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
"Xi’s diplomatic offensive will aim to drive home a more specific and powerful point ... China can build an international ecosystem less centered on Washington while managing—and extracting benefits from—Washington itself." juliangewirtz.substack.com/p/xi-jinping...
juliangewirtz.substack.com
Xi Jinping Hits the Road
His four-week diplomatic offensive carries a potent message for America
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
“The United States has threatened to oppose Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands if Andy Burnham does not increase defence spending… The proposal is among measures being drawn up by…the Pentagon as an incentive to hit Nato’s 5 per cent spending pledge.” www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...
telegraph.co.uk
US threatens Britain over Falklands
Pentagon officials warn UK to boost defence spending or risk losing support for sovereignty over the islands
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Reposted by Christopher Woody
Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The Pentagon has been tinkering with what it calls the Indo-Pacific, most notably by stripping "Indo" from the name of the command responsible for the region. That shifting rhetoric has led to more questions than answers about US priorities in the region thedateline.substack.com/p/pentagon-n...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The Pentagon has been tinkering with what it calls the Indo-Pacific, most notably by stripping "Indo" from the name of the command responsible for the region. That shifting rhetoric has led to more questions than answers about US priorities in the region thedateline.substack.com/p/pentagon-n...
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Reposted by Christopher Woody
Benjamin A. Engel @benjaminaengel.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The US is now more unpopular among Koreans than it was in the wake of the Yangju Highway Incident in 2002 when a US armored vehicle accidentally ran over two young Korean girls.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
“A series of firings and feuds initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has left the Army essentially rudderless as it struggles to deal with the threat posed by cheap, deadly drones and missiles that have pounded US bases in the Middle East.” www.nytimes.com/2026/08/25/u...
nytimes.com
Hegseth’s Purge of Top Generals Leaves the Army Rudderless
The leadership vacuum comes as the Army is trying to adapt to a new kind of war dominated by deadly drones.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
In 2025, the IEA said China’s oil demand would likely peak by 2027 thedateline.substack.com/p/china-redu... On Monday, the chairman of Sinopec said demand "very likely" peaked last year thanks to China's clean energy growth, electrification, and low-carbon goals: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
China’s Oil Demand ‘Very Likely’ Peaked Last Year, Sinopec Says
China’s oil demand probably peaked last year, earlier than previous estimates, according to the head of the nation’s top refiner.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Reuters found soldiers in DC "mostly responded to minor incidents in neighborhoods that are wealthier, whiter and less dangerous" and found no references "to soldiers doing any kind of law enforcement...where about 82% of the city’s 859 murders occurred" in past 5 yrs www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
reuters.com
Trump put thousands of soldiers on Washington’s streets. They seldom stop crime
The administration told Congress it plans to keep sending soldiers to Washington until the end of Trump’s presidency in ​2029 at a cost of $1.4 billion.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
"One member who served in Afghanistan likened the patrols to tactics commonly used by the U.S. military during the War on Terror in communities to instill goodwill and monitor the opposition." www.npr.org/2026/08/24/n...
npr.org
In candid interviews, National Guard members speak out about D.C. deployment
As President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to Washington, D.C., enters its second year, three guard members who served many months on the mission share their reactions with NPR.
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Reposted by Christopher Woody
Ryan Goodman @rgoodlaw.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
"The US Navy is working to rename an aircraft carrier under construction that was set to honor a Black sailor hailed for his heroic actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor ... there have been internal conversations about renaming it to honor Trump." www.cnn.com/2026/08/20/p...
cnn.com
Exclusive: Navy weighs renaming carrier slated to honor Black war hero, potentially switching it to Trump | CNN Politics
The US Navy is working to rename an aircraft carrier under construction that was set to honor a Black sailor hailed for his heroic actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor, three sources familiar wit...
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
“Arms experts are already emerging as an important piece of Japan’s diplomacy...and will continue to be a factor going forward as Japan looks to use defense exports to build up its defense industry while also strengthening its strategic goals" @tobiasharris.bsky.social said in June
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Wrote about how Japan has stepped up arms diplomacy since loosening its military export rules in April. There's been a focus on transferring warships, including retiring Japanese vessels, to partners — a reflection of Tokyo's concern about freedom of the seas thedateline.substack.com/p/japan-offe...
thedateline.substack.com
Old warships get new looks as Japan steps up military exports
Japan is offering its older warships to partners to help defend important sea lanes in the Pacific.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
"Korea sees its future as extending beyond competition with North Korea and the management of the China–US rivalry. Instead, Lee aimed to establish Korea as a critical middle power and a source of crucial supply chain management" carnegieendowment.org/emissary/202...
carnegieendowment.org
Why Korea’s President Skipped Washington for Silicon Valley and Brasília
Lee’s tour shows how Seoul is reorganizing its diplomacy away from Pyongyang and toward industrial networks and the geography of the compute economy.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
A reason the US remains so influential in Latin America even as China makes deep inroads there is the personal, educational, and business ties between people in those countries and the US. If you can’t be sure you’ll be able to come to the US, those ties start to fray www.nytimes.com/2026/08/16/w...
nytimes.com
Trump’s Other Hold on the Americas: The Visa
As part of its expansionist approach to the Western Hemisphere, the Trump administration is trying to reassert its dominance, one U.S. visa at a time.
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Christopher Woody @chrstphrwdy.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
"Trump’s memo that mandates the removal of the system also noted that one of the issues facing shipbuilding is the Navy’s constant design changes, 'which have resulted in cost growth, delays, and cancellations.'" apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Trump orders the Navy to return to an older system of launching jets off aircraft carriers
President Donald Trump is ordering the U.S. Navy to remove the advanced system used to launch fighter jets from its newest type of aircraft carriers and return to using older steam catapults that he h...
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