Policy
Hillary Clinton Fails to Offer a Foreign-Policy Vision
At a candidate’s forum on Wednesday night, the Democratic nominee served up loads of specifics—but no positive story to weave them together.
Policy
No, Rubio, ISIS Attacks Are Not About 'Hating Freedom’
If they were, Turkey wouldn’t be a target.
Threats
What Trump Got Right About Brussels
Trump’s diagnosis of the attack makes sense. But the proposals he and Ted Cruz offered in response do not.
Policy
The Republican Conflation of ISIS and Immigration
Politically, this serves a purpose. But as public policy, it makes little sense.
Policy
When It Comes to Iran, Bernie Sanders Is Less Naive Than You Might Think
In his call to end America’s cold war with Iran, Sanders is challenging the bipartisan foreign-policy consensus in the same way Obama did in 2008.
Policy
Swooning for Saudi Arabia
What the Middle East needs is not intensified conflict, as some 2016 contenders advocate, but a series of political compromises to help end the civil wars traumatizing the region.
Policy
On Terrorism, Obama's Break from Bush-Era Thinking Unsettles GOP
Republicans believe defeating ISIS requires some dramatic, if vaguely defined, new military and ideological battle. Obama, by contrast, thinks America simply needs to not screw up.
Policy
Why Obama Is Standing by the Syrian Refugees
The president isn’t speaking to his opponents—he’s talking to history.
Policy
Do the Democrats Have a Strategy Against ISIS?
In the next presidential debates, Democrats should try laying out a plan to defeat the terrorist group instead of changing the subject or issuing vague platitudes.
Policy
The Mindless Logic of Republican Foreign Policy
A country’s strength isn’t measured by how many bombs it drops, or how many armies it funds.
Policy
Jeb Bush’s ‘Serious’ Foreign Policy Is Not Serious
The Bush campaign offered what it said were well-thought-out, serious foreign-policy views on Monday. And they were insane.
Ideas
Trump Is Right About 9/11
Given that Bush’s advisors still dominate the GOP foreign-policy establishment, his record both before and after 9/11 remains relevant to the terrorism debate.
Policy
What Dick Cheney Has Learned From History
The former vice president has proposed an alternative to Obama’s Iran deal. It sounds an awful lot like war.
Ideas
Don't Be Led Astray by the Legend of the Surge
Having misunderstood the lessons of the Iraq War, Republicans are taking a dangerously hawkish turn.
Ideas
Before You Listen To Pundits on Iran, See What They Said On Iraq
To a degree that will baffle historians, the political-intellectual complex that made the Iraq War possible remains intact and powerful.
Policy
The Real Reason Critics Hate the Iran Deal
The agreement highlights the limits of American power—something President Obama’s political opponents won’t accept.
Policy
Why Won't the GOP Declare War on ISIS?
Republican presidential candidates delight in slamming Obama's strategy, but won't vote on legislation to define the scope of the struggle.
Policy
One of the Most Damaging Myths of American Foreign Policy
U.S. leaders should bear in mind that imposing sanctions and threatening war rarely strengthen human rights. Oftentimes, it's the reverse.
Policy
Where Are the Anti-War Democrats on Iran?
Can liberal doves find the right candidates to bring Congress's national security policies in line with the desires of the American people?
Policy
These Are the Alternatives to an Iran Deal
Israel’s prime minister says more sanctions will produce a better nuclear agreement. But the evidence suggests otherwise.
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