The Archive

The questions. The debates. The verdicts.

Explore every session of The Long Council.

15 of 163 sessions
  1. 17 July 2026

    How to negotiate successfully with current Iranian leaders?

    Verdict

    Front-load enough relief to give Khamenei something to defend at home, but sequence each tranche so breaking the deal costs more than keeping it.

  2. 29 June 2026

    What conditions and actions would resolve the conflict between Iran and the USA?

    Verdict

    A deal is possible, but only if both governments can frame concessions as victories at home.

    USWar
  3. 23 June 2026

    Should the USA reduce its role as the world's security guarantor?

    Verdict

    No: not now, not without a named substitute force and a realistic timeline to build it.

    USWar
  4. 19 June 2026

    During wartime, should a nation's political discourse give greater prominence to protecting cultural and democratic institutions alongside military defense, rather than letting military priorities dominate the conversation?

    Verdict

    Wartime silence about democracy does not protect it; a state that stops practicing its values loses them before the war ends.

    GovernanceDemocracyWar
  5. 14 June 2026

    Should the EU build a unified military force?

    Verdict

    Build European military capability within NATO structures, not as replacement.

    EUGeopoliticsWar
  6. 13 June 2026

    How can we create long term peace in Libanon

    Verdict

    Lebanon needs international partners who can fund state rebuilding while deterring Iranian interference.

    EconomyWarClimate
  7. 4 June 2026

    Why do Israelis perceive Palestinian suffering differently than most Western countries do?

    Verdict

    Israelis live under existential threat while Western observers debate from safety. Both see the same deaths through different survival calculations.

    War
  8. 28 May 2026

    Does Israel have the right to build settlements in the West Bank?

    Verdict

    Israel has no legal right to build settlements, but the council splits on whether security threats override international law.

    GeopoliticsWar
  9. 27 May 2026

    Is it useful for the US to have military bases on every continent?

    Verdict

    America's 750 bases work when they serve host nations facing regional threats but become liabilities when they serve only global positioning.

    USWar
  10. 27 May 2026

    What conditions would make a Ukraine ceasefire durable and acceptable?

    Verdict

    Ukraine must choose between accepting territorial losses now for institutional protections, or fighting longer to build independent deterrent capacity.

    War
  11. 13 May 2026

    When China invades Taiwan, should the US protect Taiwan's democratic regime?

    Verdict

    America faces an impossible choice between abandoning a democratic ally and risking war with a nuclear power.

    USChinaGovernanceDemocracy
  12. 3 May 2026

    Should the EU impose sanctions on Israel for its attacks on Lebanon?

    Verdict

    EU sanctions would isolate Europe without changing Israeli behavior or protecting Lebanese civilians.

    EUEconomyGeopoliticsWar
  13. 30 April 2026

    What's in the best interest of the US: maintain current military presence in Europe, or redeploy troops to other regions?

    Verdict

    America gains credibility from visible commitment but loses flexibility from fixed deployment patterns.

    USEUWar
  14. 30 April 2026

    Should the US pull its military troops out of Europe?

    Verdict

    American troops in Europe solve different problems for different strategic priorities.

    USEUWar
  15. 28 April 2026

    Should China take control of Taiwan by military force?

    Verdict

    Military force would be strategically catastrophic for China, destroying decades of economic development while failing to achieve sustainable control over Taiwan.

    ChinaWar