US Fight Against Islamic State: Long Haul Ahead

by Wayne White As 2014 draws to a close, there is no shortage of alternative suggestions about how to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS or IS). Most of them involve US escalation, driven by exaggerated notions of IS capabilities. Retaking… Continue Reading →

The US Fight Against Islamic State: Avoiding “Mission Creep”

by Wayne White Hyping the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) threat risks generating flawed policies. The White House probably is a source of frustration, as its critics claim, but others seem too eager to commit US combat troops. Meanwhile, the… Continue Reading →

US Troops Would Have Withdrawn from Iraq With or Without Obama

by Wayne White With the conflict in Iraq yet again dominating news headlines, it might come as a surprise to many Americans that it was Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his cronies who wanted all US troops out of Iraq by the… 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 →

Islamic State on the Move With Baghdad Still Gridlocked

by Wayne White Forces of the Islamic State, formerly known as ISIS, have lunged toward two strategic dams earlier this month, one in the north and the other west of Baghdad. The northern offensive drove Kurdish forces from areas they… Continue Reading →