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