What Was the War About?

by James A. Russell The sight of Afghans lining up in droves on April 5 to cast their ballots braving threats of violence offers us some heartening images in a world that seems awash in bad news with Russia’s destructive… Continue Reading →

The CIA-SSCI Feud and US Capacity for Self-Reflection in the “War on Terror”

by Derek Davison The CIA and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) have been embroiled for several weeks in a dispute over the declassification of a sweeping Senate report, the product of an investigation into the George W. Bush-era CIA’s so-called “enhanced interrogation” program. The SSCI’s… Continue Reading →

Dealing with Defeat in Afghanistan

by Charles Naas President Barack Obama and the United Nations have again warned President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan that, unless he signs a bilateral security agreement, which gives all foreign troops complete immunity from Afghan law, these troops will be withdrawn at… Continue Reading →

Drone Strikes on the Decline?

by Tyler Cullis The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports that January was the first month without a U.S. drone strike in the Pakistani tribal areas since 2011. The Washington Post argues that this is the result of a request from Pakistan’s government after ongoing… Continue Reading →

Drones Aplenty

How the White House Flung the Door Wide Open by Tyler Cullis It is a trope among foreign policy elites that the Obama administration lacks a coherent strategy for dealing with conflict and chaos in the Middle East and South… Continue Reading →