Michael Hollister

Michael Hollister

  • Joined: 20. October 2025
  • Articles: 595

The Realignment – Part 2

The Iran war is fundamentally reshaping the Middle East. Washington is losing its role as a reliable security guarantor, while regional powers are beginning to construct an order of their own. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan have forged a new defense alliance through the Mecca Pact. Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are consolidating a rival axis. Military tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem are intensifying, while even Netanyahu is preparing for a future without American military assistance.
What is emerging is not a stable new order, but a dangerous web of competing interests, military alliances, and strategic dependencies. Ironically, Washington's attempt to retain control over the arteries of the global economy may undermine the very power structures that sustained Western dominance for decades.
The decisive question is no longer who controls the Middle East - but what happens when no one is capable of controlling it anymore.

TerraFab – Part 5: The Militarization of Orbit

Space is no longer a peaceful sanctuary. It is becoming the next military battleground - with private technology corporations at the center of it.
On September 14, 2026, the U.S. government publicly confirmed for the first time that American weapons were already deployed in orbit. While Washington declares military superiority in space a strategic objective, China and Russia are advancing their own counterspace capabilities. Meanwhile, a once-familiar distinction is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain: the boundary between civilian infrastructure and military systems.
Elon Musk's Starlink has already become part of modern warfare. Starshield and multibillion-dollar Pentagon contracts reveal how deeply commercial satellite technology is becoming intertwined with military operations. Terafab could eventually extend this transformation to computing power itself.
But this raises a question with consequences far beyond the technology industry: When civilian data centers support military operations, can they become legitimate military targets? And who bears responsibility when an attack simultaneously disrupts services for millions of civilians?
Part five of the Terafab series examines the accelerating arms race in orbit, the convergence of private infrastructure and military power, and the unresolved legal questions that could define the next frontier of warfare.

WEEKLY CONFLICT UPDATE No. 9 – November 08, 2026

While Qatar mediates between Washington and Tehran, the United States strikes Qeshm again, disables a commercial vessel and expands its blockade to Iran’s land routes. Meanwhile, the Mecca Alliance becomes operational, the energy war escalates ahead of the Abu Dhabi talks, and a new confrontation takes shape in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Voluntary, Uncertified, Unlawful: Germany’s Illegal Wallet Before Launch

Voluntary, uncertified, unlawful - yet Germany is moving ahead anyway. On January 2, 2027, Germany plans to launch its digital identity wallet, “d-you.” But a privacy protection explicitly required under EU law will be missing. While the government promises a modern, convenient identity system, a little-noticed experimental clause grants the Digital Ministry far-reaching powers: automated decisions affecting digital identities, AI-assisted procedures, interconnected government processes, and the involvement of private companies. Meanwhile, a fundamental question emerges: How voluntary can digital identity remain when physical alternatives gradually disappear? Austria already provides a revealing example. Michael Hollister examines the legal foundations, technical vulnerabilities, and one crucial question: Who will ultimately control our digital identities - citizens themselves or the state?

the HOLLISTER – November 2026

The world is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional alliances are coming under pressure, geopolitical power blocs are realigning, and international conflicts are reshaping the global balance of power. From Washington to Moscow, Tehran to Beijing, today's decisions are defining tomorrow's world order. "the HOLLISTER" – November 2026 examines the underlying forces, analyzes geopolitical interests, and reveals connections often overlooked in daily news coverage. Independent, critical, and focused on the bigger picture. For just $5.

“Not Officially”

German federal prosecutors allege that Ukrainian state authorities commissioned the Nord Stream sabotage, while Germany's Federal Court of Justice considers foreign state involvement highly probable. Yet Zelenskyy insists Ukraine was never "officially" involved. Why that single word matters, why the refusal to cooperate with an investigation does not necessarily establish personal guilt, and what responsibility a commander-in-chief bears regardless of prior knowledge. An analysis of state responsibility, political interests, and the remarkable silence of the German government.

Public Office and Personal Networks

Political offices control appointments, public contracts, and government funding. But how often do people with personal ties to officeholders benefit from these structures? From the Graichen affair to relatives employed in government ministries, publicly funded organizations, and parliamentary offices, documented cases span political parties, German states, and decades. Meanwhile, Germany's public sector has expanded continuously since 2010, adding approximately 794,000 employees to reach 5.38 million. Annual personnel costs now amount to roughly €357 billion. "Office and Connections" examines the relationships between political power, personal networks, and public money. Not every documented case involves unlawful conduct. Yet a fundamental question remains: Where does legitimate public administration end, and where does favoritism toward personal associates begin?

The Third Operating System of Power – Part 3B: The Sovereign Shell

Germany is paying a premium for digital sovereignty without leaving Microsoft’s technological ecosystem. The Delos Cloud promises German data centers, vetted personnel, and protection from foreign access - yet the application layer remains proprietary US software, the CLOUD Act remains relevant, and even German authorities concede that complete sovereignty cannot be guaranteed. Is this genuine independence, or merely a more expensive shell around the same dependency?

WEEKLY CONFLICT UPDATE No. 8 – November 01, 2026

As the United States positions additional carrier groups and Marines against Iran, negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz remain open. Meanwhile, the Mecca defense alliance is expanding, Turkey is strengthening Syria’s military capabilities, and new tensions are emerging across the eastern Mediterranean, Ukraine, the occupied West Bank, and Asia’s contested waters.

The Third Operating System of Power – Part 3A: The Foundational Layer

BlackRock's Aladdin underpins the global financial system, while Palantir's Gotham connects data across government security agencies. But whose machines actually run these systems? The answer leads to Microsoft, Amazon, and Google - three American corporations that together control roughly 70 percent of Europe's cloud market. Whoever provides the computing infrastructure determines the technical conditions under which others operate. And under the US CLOUD Act, American legal authority can extend far beyond national borders. Part 3A of "The Third Operating System of Power" examines the invisible infrastructure upon which financial markets, security agencies, and increasingly entire governments are building their digital futures. The decisive question is: Who owns the foundation of digital sovereignty?