Atul Singh

In this episode of FO° Podcasts, Atul Singh and Kent Jenkins Jr. discuss how class shapes US identity and political behavior. Jenkins went from North Carolina to elite Washington institutions while Singh grew up in India in a “dispossessed aristocracy.” Unspoken class signals drive American politics, explaining US President Donald Trump’s appeal and the Democrats’ struggle to sway working-class voters.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan in response to a parliamentary question have triggered a furious response from China. Beijing is using diplomatic, economic and military levers to crank up the pressure on Tokyo. As often, the dark shadow of history inflames the current crisis, and the risk of conflict in East Asia is rising.

Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, causing a rise in fuel and fertilizer prices. In turn, these will cause shortages and prices of food to rise. Asian economies that rely on Gulf energy will suffer. Gulf economies might be forced to liquidate some of their $4 trillion in assets to cushion a collapse in export revenues and hike in import costs. This great liquidation threatens to trigger a fall in stock markets, burst the AI bubble and destabilize US Treasuries, and even trigger global hyper-stagflation.

Since President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, China has been acting more aggressively towards Taiwan. Tensions go back nearly a century ago, when communists and nationalists fought a bloody civil war. The latter lost and fled to Taiwan, running a one-party state for decades. Today, China is still communist but Taiwan has evolved into a democracy, although a rather fractious one. A new pro-independence Taiwanese party has emerged even as Beijing holds on to its old One China policy to secure legitimacy through nationalism. Meanwhile, the US aims to deter China from conquering Taiwan but risks are rising as both are taking actions they view as defensive but the opposing side views as escalatory.

In this episode of FO Podcasts, Atul Singh and Cynthia Farahat examine the Muslim Brotherhood’s origins, debating whether it evolved or remained ideologically consistent since 1928. Farahat challenges the distinction between gradualism and militancy, portraying the movement as structurally and ideologically unified across time and geography. They highlight debates about political Islam, governance and the limits of ideological adaptation.

In this episode of FO Podcasts, Atul Singh and Kent Jenkins Jr. examine why Americans support strict border control but oppose mass deportations. While Trump’s policies sharply reduced illegal crossings, public opinion turned as enforcement targeted individuals in local communities. The discussion highlights a deeper divide between abstract fears of immigration and empathy for people encountered in everyday life.

In this episode of FO Live, Atul Singh and several Fair Observer editors trace the US–Israel war on Iran back to 1948, 1953 and 1979. The conflict reflects historic grievances and present-day fears about Iranian power, Israeli security and American strategy. Even if Iran appears weakened, a prolonged war could be destabilizing and economically disastrous, posing risks for global energy.Check out our comment feature!

Oil-rich Guyana is now more secure from Venezuelan aggression and can profit from higher energy prices thanks to the US/Israel–Iran War.

The Ottomans, better known as Oghuz Turks at the time, attempt to claim land, starting with the unsuccessful conquest of Karacahisar

America turns 250 today. In 1776, America was anxious and divided as it is now. Despite massive problems, there are reasons for hope.