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The Islamic State May Have Hit the Point of Diminishing Returns
As Iraqi security forces regain their footing, the Islamic State's use of terror is not enough to relieve the pressure they face on the battlefield. By Col. Clint Hinote
Science & Tech
What Made Obama's Spy Chief Suddenly Support NSA Reform?
In a remarkable shift, James Clapper has come out in support of legislation that would effectively end the bulk collection of U.S. citizens' phone records. By Dustin Volz
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Will Russia Compel NATO to Spend More on Defense?
For two decades, the U.S. has been nagging allies to pay their share of NATO costs. Now, thanks to Russia, that could change. By George E. Condon, Jr.
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Obama Just Used the Most Forceful Language Against Russia Since Reagan
No U.S. president since Ronald Reagan has used such forceful language against Russia. By David Frum
Threats
At the NATO Summit, Afghanistan Takes a Back Seat
As the war in Iraq showed, the durability of NATO’s commitment to Afghanistan must not be overshadowed by crises in Europe or elsewhere. By Janine Davidson and Emerson Brooking
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How a Famous Soviet Dissident Foreshadowed Putin's Plan—in 1990
If the Kremlin is taking its cues from Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Eastern Ukraine is only a first step to 'rebuilding Russia.' By Robert Coalson
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US Sends Another 350 Troops to Iraq
The State Department asked for additional U.S. troops to Iraq to beef up security around the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. By Kaveh Waddell
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Obama Outlines Expanded US Troop Plan for the Baltics
President Obama wants U.S. troops to continuously rotate through Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania as a hedge against continued Russian aggression. By Marina Koren
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At Last, Some Good News in the Fight Against the Islamic State
Iraqi security forces, with U.S. air support, appear to be making modest gains against the Islamic State. By Bobby Ghosh
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US Strike Against Al-Shabab Leader Reflects Obama’s Counterterrorism Strategy
A targeted U.S. air strike against al-Shabab’s leader in Somalia is exactly how the Pentagon wants it to work in Africa and the Middle East. By Stephanie Gaskell
Threats
Against the 24-Step Plan for Peace in Ukraine
The days when Russia and the U.S. decide 'the fate of other independent countries' are over, a group of more than 100 experts and ambassadors say. By Uri Friedman
Policy
The Summer of Obama's Caution and America's Discontent
Americans don't seem to like a hawkish president, but they definitely don't like a weak one, either. By Ron Fournier
Threats
Islamic State Militant Beheads U.S. Journalist Steven Sotloff in Video, Group Says
As they warned they would, Islamic State fighters beheaded American Steven Sotloff, says intel group. By Kevin Baron
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Why Russia Loves a 'Frozen Conflict'
What's happening in Ukraine has happened before in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The rest of the world just wasn't paying attention. By Brian Whitmore
Threats
The Invasion of Ukraine in Maps, Satellite Photos and Video
Your guide to what's taking place on the ground in Ukraine. By Jason Karaian and Heather Timmons
Threats
The Fierce Minimalism of Barack Obama
Obama’s critics often claim he doesn’t have a strategy in the greater Middle East. That’s wrong. To understand it, we must go back 7 summers. By Peter Beinart
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Is There a Plan to Attack in Syria or Not?
White House and Pentagon spokesmen spent Friday explaining that the president and the Joint Chiefs have some plans to strike in Syria, but there is no plan. By Kevin Baron
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NATO's Moment of Truth Arrives
NATO's summit in Wales might just be the last, best hope the alliance has to face down Putin. By Stewart M. Patrick and Daniel Chardell
Threats
Does Boko Haram Really Have Control Over a New Caliphate?
With international attention spread thin in recent weeks, it's hard to know whether or not Boko Haram's newly-announced caliphate even really exists. By John Campbell
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