1. Russia's Energy Ambitions in the Middle East through the Prism of Great Power Competition.- 2. Iran's Defense Policy.- 3. Prelude to Showdown: China-Russia Alliance and Great Leap Backward for Future Power Competition in the Middle East.- 4. Competition for Influence in the Middle East.- 5. Brothers in Jihad: Pakistan's Strategic Depth, the Taliban, Afghan Arabs and the Global Jihad.- 6. How America Advances in the Great Power Competition.- 7. The Rise of Malign Actors in the Globalized, Digital Age.- 8. Entrepreneurship and Counter Extremism.- 9. Population Dynamics: Unrest and Violent Extremism.- 10. Conflict Interrupted: Understanding Population Dynamics and Interrupting the Process of Influencing, Mobilizing and Weaponizing People into Violent Extremism.- 11. Population Dynamics: Unrest and Violent Extremism.- 12. Russia views Central Asia/South Asia-the primary threat and longer-term opportunity.- 13. Competition for Influence: Information Environment.