Who Will Fight the Islamic State?

by Peter Van Buren In the many strategies proposed to defeat the Islamic State (IS) by presidential candidates, policymakers, and media pundits alike across the American political spectrum, one common element stands out: someone else should really do it. The… Continue Reading

The Triple Fear of Gulf Elites

by Eldar Mamedov One advantage of inter-parliamentary exchanges is that MPs have much more leeway than diplomats to speak their minds. When MPs represent authoritarian states, they can be counted on to candidly reflect the official position—otherwise they would not… Continue Reading

The ISIS Phenomenon: How Does It End?

by Graham E. Fuller The ISIS Phenomenon continues to astonish—to notch up innovative new features in Islamist politics that suggest a deepening ability to exploit and feed off long-term accumulated Muslim grievances. What are the logical end-points of extremism at… Continue Reading

The Roots of Recurring Iranian-Pakistani Tensions

by Shireen T. Hunter In the past two weeks, relations between Tehran and Islamabad appear to have deteriorated again over border clashes and terrorist attacks in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province located close to the Pakistani-Iranian border. Unlike past tensions,… Continue Reading

On Iraq, Petraeus Still Marketing a Myth

by Wayne White In his Oct. 29 Foreign Policy article, “How We Won in Iraq”, General David Petraeus characterizes the 2003 US invasion and departure of US troops in 2011 as an American victory. This triumphant — though distorted —… Continue Reading