Neocons Defend Saudi Arabia

by Jim Lobe Much of the West is focused on the latest sectarian provocations by Saudi Arabia, such as the execution of Shiite leader Sheik Nimr Baqr al-Nimr followed by the formal breaking of diplomatic relations with Iran in uber-retaliation… Continue Reading

ISIS and the Take-Out Myth

by Paul R. Pillar The perceptions and the politics in the United States regarding the use of military force against the so-called Islamic State or ISIS are now clear and well-established. The issue has become a classic case of those… Continue Reading

The Mindless Militarism of Max Boot

by Jim Lobe There’s so much hysterical nonsense spewing forth from the neocon/Republican echo chamber in the wake of the Paris massacres that it’s very difficult to know where to begin to focus one’s attention.

Obama in the Middle East: Condominium Or Equilibrium?

by Jim Lobe In the last 48 or so hours, U.S. warplanes began bombing Islamic State (ISIS or IS) targets in and around Tikrit in support of the Iran-backed and Shi’a-led Iraqi government. At the same time, Washington provided unspecified… Continue Reading

Keeping US Troops in Iraq Wouldn’t Have Stopped the Rise of ISIS

by Jim Lobe Just a quick note to cite and link to an important analysis on the three-year-old debate, first raised by Charles Krauthammer, over “Who Lost Iraq.” The article, entitled “Behind the U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq,” was published this… Continue Reading