🌎The Brief #28
U.S. Smuggles Starlink Terminals into Iran, WHO Criticizes U.S.-Funded Vaccine Trial, Blackwater Founder Provided Congo with Military Support, Russia WhatsApp Ban Pushes State-Backed App
What We’re Watching
📍U.S. Smuggles Starlink Terminals Into Iran Amid Blackout
Facts: On Feb. 12, U.S. officials revealed that the Trump administration smuggled roughly 6,000 illicit Starlink terminals into Iran in the wake of anti-regime protests and a weeks-long internet blackout. Senior administration appointees diverted funds from Iranian freedom-based initiatives to purchase satellite receiver kits, which allow users to bypass state censorship and connect to the internet from virtually anywhere. Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of fomenting public dissent in Iran, which the U.S. has denied. Though officials claim President Trump knew about the deliveries, it is unclear whether he approved them directly. Notably, this is not the first instance of the U.S. militarizing Starlink– the technology has also played a prominent role in Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
Analysis: This development reveals a pointed approach by the Trump administration to undermine Iranian authority. It contradicts the U.S. narrative of not fueling anti-regime protesters, lending undeniable merit to Tehran’s accusations. Most importantly, it lays bare Starlink’s accelerating transformation from a commercial product into an instrument of American foreign policy– deployed on the Ukrainian battlefield and as a regime destabilizer in Iran. This emphasizes that internet access has become a key strategic asset and central battleground in modern conflict: Iran subdues its citizens by shutting off internet access, the U.S. retaliates by providing the means to obtain it. As technology evolves, internet access will play a mounting role in weaponizing connectivity.
📍WHO Denounces U.S.-Funded Newborn Vaccine Trial in Guinea-Bissau
Facts: In late January, the Guinean-Bissauan government suspended a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded trial that planned to delay the vaccination of 7,000 newborns for Hepatitis B by six to fourteen weeks. U.S. officials framed the trial as an opportunity to study potential effects of the vaccine, even though its efficacy against Hepatitis B is well-established. On Feb. 13, the World Health Organization condemned the trial as “unethical,” highlighting that the Hepatitis B birth dose prevents 70–95% of mother-to-child transmissions and has been included in national schedules in over 115 countries for decades.
Analysis: Critics claim the trial perpetuated historical patterns in which African countries are used for experiments that would not be acceptable in wealthier nations, while reinforcing mistrust of vaccination campaigns worldwide. The proposal to delay vaccine administration, made under the leadership of HHS Secretary and vaccine-sceptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., signals a willingness by the U.S. to elevate domestic health policies over ethical research practices. By funding a trial that delays a credible vaccine abroad, the U.S. risks legitimizing global vaccine skepticism, triggering preventable outbreaks and higher healthcare costs at home.
📍Private U.S. Contractor Deployed Drones to Help Congo Secure Mineral Revenue
Facts: Under a 2025-26 contract, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hired Erik Prince, Trump ally and founder of the private security firm Blackwater, to assert Congolese control over mining areas and revenue controlled by Rwanda-backed militia March 23 Movement (M23). Reportedly, Prince deployed drones and coordinated with Israeli personnel to assist Kinshasa in capturing the M23-controlled city of Uvira. While the U.S. State Department denied holding any contracts with Prince, the U.S. maintains involvement in the Rwanda-DRC dispute, brokering a largely symbolic peace deal in 2025 despite ongoing conflict. The private security industry has shown significant growth, valued at $260 billion in 2024 and expected to reach $451 billion by 2034.
Analysis: As the U.S. mediates between DRC and Rwanda to calm regional instability, Prince is operating in the middle of this conflict, tightening tax collection and providing military support. However, Prince is a private agent and not an official liaison for the U.S. government, blurring the line between official U.S. statecraft and private business. Historically, Washington has faced a fork in the road: either lean into military support where conventional military activity is not realistic, or stay away from it. Prince’s presence in DRC suggests a shift towards an alternative strategy: using private, unaffiliated actors to further U.S. interests abroad.
📍Russia’s WhatsApp Ban Shifts Scale and Literature of Censorship
Facts: On Feb. 12, Russia banned WhatsApp due to alleged threats to national security and “harmful information” about the war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov encouraged users to shift to the platform MAX, a state-sponsored “super-app” which combines messaging with government services and digital payments. Unlike WhatsApp, MAX does not use end-to-end encryption, meaning messaging can be accessed by the platform and the state. Amnesty International condemned the ban as a “blunt instrument” of digital repression, arguing the Kremlin is obstructing communication under the pretext of protecting citizens’ rights and interests. MAX is designed to integrate directly with official digital ID and public service systems, making it part of Russia’s broader “sovereign internet” strategy.
Analysis: Russia is recalculating its approach to speech censorship in a broader authoritarian strategy to redesign digital ecosystems to automate surveillance. In China, WeChat, an “everything app” that enables unprecedented data collection and behavioral control, illustrates this strategy. Russia’s promotion of MAX follows a similar path by replacing encrypted, private messaging with a state-aligned alternative. The ban also reflects soft power concerns: WhatsApp, a Western platform, represents foreign influence and privacy norms. For Americans, this warns that free speech may be constrained through design, not outright bans.
📍U.S. Exit from Al-Tanf Shifts Syria’s Security Burden
Facts: On Feb. 12, U.S. Central Command confirmed the departure of American forces from Al-Tanf Garrison in southern Syria. U.S. Forces have used the military base, which sits near the Syria-Iraq-Jordan border, under Operation Inherent Resolve since 2016 to assist the fight against the Islamic State. This action follows the Pentagon’s 2025 declaration of U.S. troop consolidation in Syria after ISIS’s territorial defeat. Though troop levels have since declined to about 900 from more than 2,000 after Oct. 7, 2023, CENTCOM recently stated that U.S. forces conducted 100 strikes against ISIS targets in the last two months. Syrian officials announced that border guards will secure the base.
Analysis: While the Al-Tanf base held up Iran-backed militia movement along the Baghdad-Damascus corridor via U.S. surveillance, it allowed Washington to maintain leverage over Syria’s territorial order without taking responsibility for stabilizing the region. The removal of troops forces a clearer alignment: either Damascus assumes responsibility for suppressing ISIS activity, or the regional instability appears to be their failure rather than an unfinished American war. However, the drawdown also reduces the probability of confrontation between U.S. forces and Iran-backed groups, lowering the American military footprint in the region. Washington must weigh the short-term benefit of fewer American targets against the risk that renewed ISIS activity or militia expansion could cause a return to higher financial and human costs.
📍Somalia and Kenyan Border Reopening Signals Strategic Opportunity for U.S. Counterterrorism Policy in East Africa
Our View: On Feb. 12, Kenya announced that it will open its 680-kilometer border with Somalia in April. They closed the border in 2011 following a series of attacks by the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group, al-Shabaab, that were carried out in response to Kenyan Defense Forces invading southern Somalia. Additional security personnel from Kenya and Somalia will be deployed to key border crossing points. The agreement demonstrates improved political and security coordination between the two nations. Increased Somalia-Kenya cooperation offers an opportunity for the US to reinforce defense frameworks in the region, improving patrol capacity and reducing the operational space of militant networks along state frontiers.
💡Bangladesh’s first election after the 2024 Gen-Z uprising against authoritarian rule delivered a win for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, signaling a return to the old political guard.
💡Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched naval drills called “Smart Control of Hormuz Strait” to test the readiness of operational forces in the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 16.
💡Syrian authorities re-imprisoned the last 34 Australian relatives of ISIL fighters held in detention since 2019 due to “technical” and coordination problems with officials in Damascus after releasing them just hours prior.
The segment about Russia's WhatsApp ban is fascinating! It really underscores the growing notion of "internet sovereignty," a concept also seen in China's information control strategy. Great connection between MAX and WeChat as well.