Ideas

A Chance to Drive a Wedge Between Jihadists and Sunnis

ISIL’s overreach into Iraq is Washington’s opportunity to shift Sunni allegiances for good. By Dave Miller

Threats

When Millennials Intifada: The New Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Today's young adults see the fighting -- and chance for peace -- much differently than their elders. By Jeff Moskowitz

Threats

Hagel Declares ISIL Clear and 'Imminent Threat’ To U.S.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warns Americans – and skeptical lawmakers – that the extremists carving up Iraq and Syria threaten ‘every stabilized country on Earth.’ By Ben Watson

Threats

Former Bush Advisers Push Old Candidate Chalabi for New Iraq

Bush insiders think the man who gave U.S. officials false intelligence on Iraq more than a decade ago just might be the man to bring order to the political instability that plagues the country now. By Clara Ritger

Threats

Al-Qaeda's New Bomb Might Make It Through Airport Security

U.S. intelligence officials believe al-Qaeda's Yemeni branch has created a way to move explosives past airport security -- and foreign airports should take note. By Global Security Newswire

Ideas

‘You Have to Kill Them’ Says Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq

America can ‘twiddle our thumbs’ no longer, say former U.S. ambassadors in the region. By Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Threats

Dempsey Says Iraq Can’t Beat ISIL, Won’t Rule Out More U.S. Troops

Don’t call it ‘mission creep’ in Iraq, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dempsey says, call it ‘mission match.’ By Stephanie Gaskell

Threats

Why the U.N. Is Likely Underestimating the Iraq Death Toll

Before we can prevent deaths in Iraq, we first have to learn to count them correctly. By Patrick Tucker

Threats

The Rise and Fall of Our Man in Baghdad

How Washington made Nouri al-Maliki, then lost control of it's Middle East strongman. By David Rohde, Warren Strobel, Missy Ryan and Ned Parker

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

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

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

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

Ideas

The U.S. Must Deny Russian Influence in Egypt

Washington can hit two birds with one stone by re-engaging Cairo: combat Moscow's influence and fight terrorism. By Melissa Hersh

Threats

Are the Saudis to Blame for Iraq?

U.S. lawmakers encouraged officials in Riyadh to arm Syrian rebels. Now that strategy may have created a monster in the Middle East. By Steve Clemons

Threats

The Last of Assad's Known Chemical Weapons Are Now Out of Syria

After multiple missed deadlines, some 1,300 tons of declared chemical weapons have finally been removed from the deeply troubled nation, but questions remain about whether that was really all of it. By Diane Barnes