Spotlight on the Islamic State

by Wayne White The extraordinarily gruesome execution of the Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh generated intense regional backlash against the self-anointed Islamic State (ISIS or IS). However, aside from Jordan, this affair may not translate into a major increase in military… Continue Reading →

Saudi Arabia’s Controversial Death Sentence

by Giorgio Cafiero Last October, Saudi Arabia’s Special Criminal Court sentenced Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr—a popular Shi’ite cleric and outspoken political dissident—to death. This was not an ordinary criminal trial, even considering Saudi Arabia’s liberal use of capital punishment. Among… Continue Reading →

Why Does ISIS Hate Shi’a?

by Graham E. Fuller ISIS has particularly targeted Shi’a as a key part of their brutal onslaught against any practice of Islam that does not conform to their narrow ahistorical interpretation view of their religion. We hear a lot from… 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 →

The ISIS Phenomenon: How Does It End?

by Graham E. Fuller The ISIS Phenomenon continues to astonish—to notch up innovative new features in Islamist politics that suggest a deepening ability to exploit and feed off long-term accumulated Muslim grievances. What are the logical end-points of extremism at… Continue Reading →