Ideas

U.S. Power and the Future of Arab Democracy

From the Aspen Ideas Festival, how can we get to a political solution in the Middle East without the credible use of force? By J.J. Gould

Threats

Obama Sends Another 300 U.S. Troops to Iraq

Increasingly worried about the unraveling security situation in Iraq, President Obama puts more boots on the ground. By Stephanie Gaskell

Ideas

Taking the Long View on Iraq

Three experts at the Aspen Ideas Festival discuss why it may take decades before the Middle East stabilizes from the current crisis in Iraq. By Uri Friedman

Threats

Obama’s Going To Have To Get His Hands Dirty To Save Iraq

For a president who has made winding down conflicts a key element of his foreign policy, Obama may have to choose an uncomfortable way forward to help stabilize Iraq. By James Oliphant

Policy

What Stands in the Way of an Independent Kurdistan?

Iraq's northeastern Kurdish region is anxious to assert its independence and protect key cities while provinces around it descend into sectarian chaos. But Kurdish leaders may be trying to do too much too soon. By Steven A. Cook

Ideas

How Nonviolent Action Could Thwart ISIL’s Advance in Iraq

ISIL fighters are making gains in Iraq. But this does not mean that their violence is decisive. By Maria J. Stephan

Threats

China Has a Lot to Lose in Iraq

Beijing is Baghdad’s biggest customer for oil exports. Now, with Iraq on the brink of all-out war, China may have the most to lose. By Lily Kuo

Threats

Islamic Extremists Are Stepping Up Their Recruiting Efforts

Extremists are leveraging recent military gains in Iraq and Syria to get new recruits from Western countries and elsewhere. By Global Security Newswire

Ideas

Iraq Is Spending $1 Billion To Build a New Parliament

Take a look at the plans for a new parliamentary building in Baghdad, designed by the well-known London-based, Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid. By Michael Siverberg

Ideas

Crowd-Sourcing the Future of Iraq

A scenario experiment points to the next phase of the new Mesopotamia. By Jeffrey Itell

Policy

Iraq Is the First Major Test of Obama's Revamped Foreign Policy

Obama's May speech at the National Defense University updated the world on America's post-9/11 battle space. The recent crisis in Iraq is putting those words to the test. By Major Garrett

Policy

Important But Not Worth It, Americans All Over the Map on Iraq

Poll finds Americans don't like Obama's approach in Iraq, but don't know what else to do either. By Matt Berman

Threats

'Iraq's Problems Cannot Be Solved By Robots' and Other Lessons in Humility

Most critics assume that the U.S. government and military have more power, skills and knowledge than what recent experience has repeatedly demonstrated. By Moisés Naím

Threats

How Iraq's Insurgency Could Mean the Return of Iraq's Baathists

A possible resurgence of former Saddam Hussein loyalists could translate to a diminished role for ISIL extremists than their violent land grabs would have you believe. By Steve LeVine

Threats

More Than 1,000 Iraqis Killed in Past Two Weeks Alone

As Beltway pols watch Tuesday’s U.S. primaries, Secretary Kerry is in Iraq where politics actually are deadly. Molly O’Toole

Ideas

It's Time Obama Lowered the Bar for Success in Iraq

President Obama might be wise to follow a ‘less is more’ strategy in Iraq. By Tara Sonenshine

Policy

Rand Paul’s Iraq Plan: More Obama, Less Cheney

Rand Paul’s noninterventionism toward Iraq may be the Republicans' best chance to retake security supremacy -- and the White House. By Molly O’Toole

Threats

A Political Solution to Iraq Crisis Won’t Come Easy

Secretary of State John Kerry is urging Iraq to create a new government – but that’s going to take time as ISIL fighters continue to advance. By Stephanie Gaskell

Policy

Iraq Was the Last Thing Obama Needed

Team Obama's next generation worldview -- and national security policy -- have missed time and again. By James Oliphant

Ideas

Maliki Isn’t The Problem. Oil Is.

Oil states are almost always autocracies and rarely politically inclusive, and it’s easy to understand why. By Nora Bensahel