Strategic Brief: Multipolar Volatility and Systemic Convergence SUBJECT: Global Risk Assessment: Geopolitical Compression and Infrastructure Fragility I. The Geopolitical Tectonic Shift The current global environment is defined by systemic compression, where disparate geopolitical, economic, and technological stressors have collapsed into a singular, high-pressure state. Strategic planning horizons have truncated from decadal projections to 90-day operational windows. The Middle East Kinetic Cycle: Tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran are no longer regional externalities; they are primary drivers of global fiscal policy.