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

Malarkey on the Potomac

Five Bedrock Washington Assumptions That Are Hot Air by Andrew J. Bacevich “Iraq no longer exists.” My young friend M, sipping a cappuccino, is deadly serious. We are sitting in a scruffy restaurant across the street from the Cathedral of St.… Continue Reading

Tales from the Vienna Woods

by Robert E. Hunter It’s too early to tell all there is to be told about the negotiations in Vienna between the so-called P5+1 and Iran on the latter’s nuclear program. The “telling” by each and every participant of what… Continue Reading

Bahrain’s Sham Election Ignores Calls for Reform

by Emile Nakhleh Bahrain’s national election planned for this Saturday portends no change in the al-Khalifa regime’s anti-Shi’a stance and is yet another futile exercise in sham democracy. The mainstream al-Wefaq Shi’a opposition party has decided to boycott the election… 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US Troops Would Have Withdrawn from Iraq With or Without Obama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