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
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
Ideas
Intimidation, Cronyism, Repression: The Unfortunate Legacy of Iraq's Nouri al-Maliki
Maliki’s personal history shaped his winner-take-all view of Iraqi politics. Years of bloody civil war followed immediately by the Arab Spring have only made matters worse. By Mohamad Bazzi
Threats
This Is Why Many of Iraq's Forces Dropped Their Weapons
Inside the rapid disintegration of a security force the U.S. spent more than $25 billion to build. By James Kitfield
Ideas
The Difficult and Probably Only Answer to Iraq and Syria's Problems
Former State and Defense Department official Leslie Gelb sees a way to counter the ISIL wedge that's prying Iraq and the region apart at its seams. It's not easy, but it just might be the most realistic way forward. Interview by Bernard Gwertzman
Ideas
The New Map of the Middle East
Seven years ago, I wrote it was time to redraw the post-World War I borders of the Middle East. ISIS is right, that map that has no future. By Jeffrey Goldberg
Threats
Chaos in Iraq's Oil Fields Is Shifting the World's Attention Back to Saudi Arabia
Gains made by marauding extremists in Iraq's north are already shaking up the global energy market. Here's what it could mean for Saudi Arabia's importance to the world. By Steve LeVine
Ideas
What Bosnia Can Tell Us About Iraq
Like in the Balkans, the U.S. should get Iraq’s warring sides to the table at all costs. By Nick Dowling
Ideas
Why the Persian Gulf Isn’t Ready for Joint Security
Stop pretending, U.S. partners in the Persian Gulf don’t trust each other or agree on Iran. By Bilal Y. Saab
Policy
There’s Little the U.S. Could Have Done for Iraq, Hagel and Dempsey Say
Despite pleas for action, military leaders say more intelligence is needed for the president to intervene in Iraq. By Kevin Baron and Molly O’Toole
Threats
Iraq Isn’t Ours To Save
The government in Baghdad is not an American friend, and action against ISIS will not advance U.S. interests. By David Frum
Threats
A Guide to ISIS, the Group That's Tearing Up Iraq
ISIS began its life as Al Qaeda in Iraq after the U.S. invasion, but have morphed into an extremely dangerous force. By Zachary Laub and Jonathan Masters
Threats
The Unraveling of Iraq
As militants vow to seize Baghdad, the country is facing a crisis that has been building for years. By Nicholas Slayton
Ideas
Don’t Be Sucked Into War With Iraq, Again
We should not be bullied back to Baghdad by politics, ideology or short-term thinking that this wrong war never should have ended. By Joe Cirincione
Threats
Pentagon Officials Cautious on Iraq, Point to Maliki
At the Pentagon where so many spent years fighting in Iraq, the sense is that this is Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki’s mess to clean up. By Stephanie Gaskell
Policy
McCain Calls for Obama’s National Security Team to Resign Over Iraq
Fuming Republican senators blast the administration for abandoning Iraq as Sen. John McCain says Obama’s national security team should resign. By Kevin Baron
Threats
Where Will CENTCOM’s Post-War Funding Come From?
U.S. Central Command won’t be able to rely on the Pentagon’s war budget anymore to pay for counterterrorism operations around the world, a new report warns. By Stephanie Gaskell
Threats
Hagel Wants Gulf States to Combine Missile Defense Systems
It’s a tall order, but uniting air and missile defense from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates could deter an attack from Iran. By Rachel Oswald
Threats
Iran and Saudi Arabia Edge Closer to Talks
After growing distrust and almost a year of silence, the Saudi foreign minister kickstarts discussions with Iran's top diplomat. By Global Security Newswire
Threats