Author Archive
Threats
Yemen's War Is Nearly Lost in the Din of Surrounding Conflicts
With another ceasefire ended and nearly 3,000 already dead, Yemenis are stuck in a Saudi-Iranian proxy war that has no end in sight.
Policy
Who Wins, Who Loses, and Who’s in Between After the Iran Deal
Hint: the US isn’t in the first two categories.
Threats
To Beat Boko Haram, Nigeria Must Craft a Future for Its Child Soldiers
Boko Haram has anywhere between 7,000 and 10,000 regular fighters, and no military campaign against them can—or should—envisage killing them all.
Ideas
Why the New Arab Military Pact Isn't Worth The Ink It Was Written In
The plan drawn up yesterday by the Arab world’s military chiefs is unlikely to go any farther than the Cairo conference room where it was concocted.
Science & Tech
How the Islamic State Is Disrupting Online Jihad
The Islamic State group’s use of social media for messaging has drawn plenty of attention. But their use of the web to mount terrorist attacks is just as revolutionary.
Threats
These Groups Were Also Celebrating the Iran Deal
Iranian-backed governments and organizations across the Middle East have reason to cheer on the framework agreement.
Policy
The Alternative to an Iran Deal Isn't Inevitable War
Pro-deal advocates are resorting to name calling and hyperboles to make their argument.
Policy
A Nuclear Deal Won't Help Iran's Reformers
Despite what many liberal Iranians think, it could spur the regime to put hardliners in power instead.
Policy
Why the Gulf States Won’t Save Yemen
The Gulf Cooperation Council's joint military force is not built for war, but to protect authoritarian regimes from unarmed civilian uprisings.
Threats
The Tikrit Offensive May in Fact Be Bad News for Iraq's Future
If the Iraqi forces are to defeat ISIS in Tikrit, they need local residents to rise up against the terrorists. But increasing Iranian influence is casting doubt on that outcome.
Threats
Why Arab Ground Troops Won't Defeat ISIS
It is one thing for the Egyptian air force to bomb ISIS from the air. But the ability of Arab militaries to fight an organized, motivated enemy is highly suspect.
Featured eBooks
Threats
Yemen’s Houthis Are a Reminder of Iran’s Sectarian Agenda
The Houthi insurgents who have run amok in the Yemeni capital have been backed with weapons, money and training by Iran. To what end? By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
ISIS, al-Qaeda and Why It Doesn't Matter to Would-Be Jihadists
Despite divergent personal and political aims, the real differences between al-Qaeda and ISIS are often irrelevant to aspiring jihadis like the Paris attackers. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
Why Sanctions on Iran Are Not at All Like the Embargo on Cuba
Havana and Tehran are very, very different—and here's why the Obama administration’s approach to U.S. sanctions should be, too. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
Lebanon Says It Detained a Wife and Child of ISIL’s Leader
Security officials from Lebanon say they apprehended the two at the Lebanese-Syrian border 10 days ago. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
In the War Against ISIS, Iran Is Not – and Will Not Be – a Friend to the US
In the fight against the Islamic State, your enemy’s enemy is not automatically your friend. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
Here’s What Arab Militaries Bring to the Fight Against the Islamic State
How useful would Gulf Arab contributions be? In purely military terms, not very. Here’s why. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
The Islamic State Fight Now Hinges on Arab Leaders
The Islamic State cannot be defeated without the broad support of ordinary citizens of the Middle East. On its face, this shouldn't be difficult. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats
Is Obama's Caution on the Islamic State Paying Off?
From a steep rise in support from the American public to an assertive Arab League and a new Baghdad government, there are some good signs in the fight against the Islamic State. By Bobby Ghosh
Threats