The New Edition of DWB has been posted as a Newsletter
Reader’s Digest provides a weekly, curated selection of articles and reports in the public domain, sourced from respected global policy institutions.
Reader's Digest 6th March 2026
The Carnegie Endowment: The Gulf Monarchies Are Caught Between Iran’s Desperation and the U.S.’s Recklessness
Andrew Leber, Nonresident scholar, contends Gulf monarchies are trapped between Iran’s aggressive strikes and the U.S.–Israel’s war strategy, undermining their diplomacy and economic stability while pressuring collective defence frameworks.
CSIS: Why Did Pakistan Announce “Open War” Against the Taliban?
Alexander Palmer, Fellow, and Alexander Margolis contend that Pakistan's "open war" declaration against the Taliban stems from TTP escalation, with further ground incursions and regional destabilisation likely
Chatham House: With Iran attacks, President Trump is making the use of force the new normal – and casting aside international law
Professor Marc Weller, Director of the Global Governance and Security Centre, contends that President Trump’s Iran attacks risk normalising force and undermining international law by bypassing UN mandate requirements.
CSIS: Venezuelans Welcome U.S. Intervention, But Hope for a Rapid Democratic Transition Post-Maduro
Mark Feierstein, Senior Advisor and Mary Speck, former Senior Advisor, observe Venezuelans cautiously welcome U.S. intervention but stress urgent, credible democratic transition post-Maduro for stability and legitimacy.
IISS: Trump and Netanyahu go for Iran’s jugular
Emile Hokayem, Senior Fellow, argues that Trump and Netanyahu's military strikes on Iran were inevitable, driven by hawkish advisers, and risk creating a long-term regional catastrophe despite early military advantages.
Members Corner
Avoiding a Wider Catastrophe in South-Central Asia
In this article published by Substack, Omar Samad advocates preventing broader conflict in South-Central Asia, emphasising urgent diplomatic engagement to avert a regional catastrophe amid Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions.
Members Recommendations
Nina Lahoud recommends:
Statement of Appeal for Peace: Escalating Conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Wider Regional Implications
The group of Seven Plus (g7+) calls for a de-escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, stressing urgent regional dialogue to prevent widening conflict and destabilising spillover effects.
Farid Zarif recommends:
Consortium News: Other Avenues to Try, to Stop the War on Iran
Marjorie Cohn argues that the U.S.–Israeli attack on Iran violates international law, urges the U.N. General Assembly to use the “Uniting for Peace” mechanism, and calls for legal accountability and global pressure to stop the war.
UnHerd: It’s time for Europe to resume talks with Russia
Pavel Devyatkin and Anatol Lieven argue that Europe must reopen direct diplomatic channels with Russia to avoid accidental escalation and meaningfully participate in Ukraine peace negotiations.
Roeland Van De Geer recommends:
The Atlantic: The End of Diplomacy
Vivian Salama argues that Trump has hollowed out traditional diplomacy, sidelining career foreign-service officers and allies in favour of informal deal-making by loyalists like Witkoff and Kushner.
Reader's Digest 27th February 2026
IPI: From Ambiguous Governance to Stabilisation Failure in Gaza: The Limits of the Board of Peace
Carol Daniel-Kasbari, Senior Associate Director, argues that Gaza’s ambiguous governance has driven the failure of stabilization, exposed the limits of peace mechanisms, and left civilians trapped amid overlapping political and security vacuums.
IISS: New openings for peace in Sudan?
Benjamin Petrini, Research Fellow, explores emerging openings for peace in Sudan by analysing shifting conflict dynamics, ceasefire prospects, and the roles of internal and external actors toward reducing violence.
Raymond La Raja, Nonresident Senior Fellow and Professor Robert Saldin explain how public participation can both strengthen and weaken democratic governance depending on how civic engagement interacts with institutions, norms, and accountability.
ISS Africa: From SONA to the street: what real dialogue in South Africa looks like
Chandré Gould, Senior Research Fellow, describes how genuine dialogue in South Africa must move beyond speeches to lived experiences, connecting state actions with citizens’ needs and street-level engagement.
The Carnegie Endowment: For Younger Palestinians, Crisis Has Become a Way of Life
Michael Froman, CFR President, contends that the Munich Security Conference revealed cautious but renewed NATO-centred transatlantic cooperation, stressing shared security responsibilities while calling for European defence autonomy and enduring U.S. ties.
Members Recommendations
Nina Lahoud recommends:
Mrs: Taliban’s New Penal Code Codifies Violence, Obedience and Gender Apartheid
Sarah Hamidi explains that the Taliban’s new 119-article penal code institutionalises violence, obedience, gender apartheid, legalises private violence and erases women’s autonomy and legal protections under the guise of religious rule.