The Islamic State is Losing: Now Comes the Hard Part

by Paul R. Pillar A major deficiency in America’s history of involvement with armed conflict overseas has been inattention to whatever would follow defeat of the bête noire of the moment. The outstanding example is, of course, the U.S. invasion… Continue Reading

The Saudi Problem

by Paul R. Pillar Saudi King Salman visits Washington this week amid disagreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia on a broad range of issues. Moreover, the disagreements are rooted in fundamental characteristics of the anachronistic Saudi regime. Many… Continue Reading

The Iran Agreement and the Meaning of Risk

by Paul R. Pillar The first few days of argumentation about the recently completed agreement to restrict Iran’s nuclear program have taken predictable directions—predictable not only because the shape of the deal was known well before all the drafting was… Continue Reading

With Iranian “Windfall,” Perfect is the Enemy of the Good

by Ali Gharib What will Iran do with the money it gets as a result of an expected nuclear deal? That’s a big question swirling around Washington these days. There’s going to be a good of money involved, likely north… Continue Reading