Erdogan vs. Gulen

by Umar Farooq For more than thirteen years, Turkey has made a slow but steady transition towards a free and democratic society, despite the occasional pang of apprehension among some about where that road might lead. The men at the helm… Continue Reading

Obama’s Interesting Fourth Quarter

by Paul R. Pillar “My presidency is entering the fourth quarter. Interesting stuff happens in the fourth quarter, and I’m looking forward to it.” — Barack Obama, December 19, 2014 One should be careful about drawing conclusions concerning the intentions… Continue Reading

Ex-IAEA Chief Warns on Using Unverified Intel to Pressure Iran

by Gareth Porter In a critique of the handling of the Iran file by the International Atomic Energy Agency, former IAEA Director General Han Blix has called for greater skepticism about the intelligence documents and reports alleging Iranian nuclear weapons… Continue Reading

Will Putin Lash Out?

by Mark N. Katz What a difference a few months make. During much of 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin was riding high. Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine quickly and relatively bloodlessly. Putin was also able to help pro-Russian forces in… Continue Reading

State Department Delays Release of Iran History

by Steven Aftergood The U.S. Department of State has blocked the publication of a long-awaited documentary history of U.S. covert action in Iran in the 1950s out of concern that its release could adversely affect ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear… Continue Reading