Ideas
How ISIS Spread in the Middle East
Tracing the roots of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria—and how to stop it.
Ideas
Don’t Call Warlord Territory an ‘Ungoverned Space'
If we are to restore the rule of law to areas held by non-government groups, we must consider the sort of order they provide.
Threats
A Who's Who Guide to the Syrian Civil War
The Syrian war looks different depending on which protagonists you focus on. Here are just a few ways to look at it.
Threats
Iran Joins Syrian Peace Talks as Assad's Profile Rises
Tehran’s foreign minister will join his counterparts from the U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia to forge a path ahead for Syria’s political future.
Policy
Dunford: US Will Rethink Its Iraq Presence If Russia Goes In
Russia’s actions in the Middle East have U.S. lawmakers launching heated questions at top Pentagon officials. The answers so far have been less than reassuring.
Ideas
The History of No-Fly Zones Doesn’t Bode Well for Syria
Tough-talking presidential candidates want a no-fly zone to save Syrians. But nothing in the historical record shows a NFZ would work this time.
Ideas
1.3 Billion People Are the Real Losers of India, Pakistan Extremism
More than 70 years of violence has consistently left the citizens of each nation out to dry.
Business
Meet the New Army General in Charge of the ISIS War
Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland is now commanding the counter-ISIS campaign; Officials name Nagata’s successor at SOCOM Central.
Policy
The Benghazi Committee's Missed Chance at Clinton's Real Record
Both sides pledged they wouldn’t. Both went after each other anyway.
Ideas
As Jihadis Gather in Libya, Tunisia Struggles To Fend Them Off
Libyan militants are aggressively recruiting Tunisians, promising a closer fight than Syria — and threatening a Mideast ‘beacon.’
Threats
Gates: Come Up With A Syria Strategy, Then Tell Putin ‘Stay Out of the Way’
In his return to Washington, the former defense secretary says the Russian chief knows just what he’s doing.
Business
A-10s Are Heading Back to War, This Time In Syria
Pentagon confirms Hawgs’ arrival in Turkey; details new deconfliction deal with Russia.
Ideas
A Spate of Violence in Israel, and Then What?
The uptick in tensions between Israelis and Palestinians show that neither the one-state nor two-state solutions are viable.
Threats
How Many ISIS Fighters Has the US Actually Killed?
The U.S. Defense Department cautions against using 'body counts' as a metric of success in its campaign against the Islamic State. But it continues to advertise them anyway.
Policy
America’s Longest War Just Got Longer: Obama Extends Afghanistan Mission
Obama halts Afghanistan withdrawal with plans to keep 9,800 troops there through 2016.
Policy
Hillary Clinton Defends Hawkish Record in First Democratic Debate
But the expected “she voted for the Iraq War” line of attack didn't stick to the former secretary of state's superlative national security credentials.
Ideas
Turkey’s 10-Sided War With Itself
The unfortunate reality is a Turkish society now made up of mutually distrustful — and sometimes violent — camps.
Policy
As Syria Heats Up, Obama Defends Mideast Policy
In a confrontational interview on 60 Minutes, the president fired back at critics of his response to Russian moves in Syria.
Policy
Lawmakers Push US To Admit More Syrians as FBI Underscores ‘Risk’
The National Counterterrorism Center and FBI are concerned over holes in Syrian security screenings; 84 lawmakers are concerned over redundancies.
Threats