Messy Realities and the Unhelpful Debate on U.S. Foreign Policy

by Paul Pillar Much current debate in the United States about foreign policy can be boiled down—at the risk of the sort of oversimplification that too often characterizes the debate itself—to the following. On one side are calls for the… Continue Reading

Iraq: Maliki Goes Rogue

by Wayne White Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki resorted to a bare-knuckle power play on Aug. 10 in a frantic attempt to forestall his unfolding political defeat. Leaders recognizing the importance of a fresh new government appeared to overwhelm him.… Continue Reading

Washington’s Sketchy Pro-Israel/Anti-Iran Camp

by Ali Gharib My colleague Eli Clifton has a new piece up at Salon about the pro-sanctions group United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI) and its somewhat murky links to a billionaire precious-metals investor named Thomas Kaplan. I suggest everyone check it… Continue Reading

UANI, Silver Futures, and Confrontation with Iran

Thomas S. Kaplan (Credit: YouTube/The Economist)

by Jim Lobe Along with AIPAC and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), one of the most active groups that have promoted a policy of confrontation with Iran has been United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), headed by a former Bush administration representative… Continue Reading

Islamic State in Iraq: Confronting the Threat

by Emile Nakhleh The Islamic State’s territorial expansion and barbaric executions in Iraq and Syria are a gathering threat and must be confronted. American air bombardment, however, is the wrong course of action, and will not necessarily weaken ISIS or… Continue Reading