Unfinished Business
Donald Trump is fond of claiming that his predecessor mismanaged America's role in the world. "And I have to just say that the world is a mess. I inherited a mess," the president noted durin...
Raqqa
Erdogan Mentions New Start With Trump, but Warns Turkey Will Attack Syrian Kurds
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared both confrontational and conciliatory Friday, saying his scheduled talks next week with President Donald Trump could mark a “new beginn...
Op-eds
Deso Dogg, the rapper who cheated death, humiliated the Pentagon and seduced an FBI translator
A B-list German rapper who found stardom when he joined ISIS, cheated death and embarrassed the Pentagon topped himself when he got the girl – an FBI translator who set out to catch him and...
Op-eds
Turkish Airstrikes Complicate Campaign against IS
Turkish jets carried out airstrikes Tuesday and...
Policy Briefs
Trump Faces Dilemma in Battle Against ISIS: Turkey or the Kurds
Last July, in the midst of the presidential election campaign, Donald Trump declared in an interview that he was "a big fan of the Kurds." Speaking about the fight against ISIS on the ground in S...
Op-eds
Mahmoud Abbas, the winner…
One man, one vote, one time: In 2005, Mahmoud Abbas was elected to a four-year term as president of the Palestinian Authority. He hasn’t bothered to run for re-election since. He a...
Op-eds
How Will Jihadist Strategy Evolve as the Islamic State Declines?
Co-written by Colin Clarke Jihadist strategy has always been dynamic and opportunistic. Milita...
Op-eds
Pentagon Walks Back Promise to Attack ISIS Capital ASAP
Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s claim last week that the assault on Raqqa, the capital of the so-called Islamic State, was “within weeks” was a surprise to the commanders plannin...
Op-eds
Muslims in America
One of the most striking features of the British cemetery at Gallipoli is the attention given to honoring the diversity of the dead. Final farewells from loved ones carved upon stone plaques line...
Op-eds
The Battle of Mosul
Ayman al-Zawahiri was correct. Believed to be ensconced in the tribal lands of Pakistan, the leader of what’s sometimes called al Qaeda Central has dedicated his life to a ji...
Op-eds
A grim anniversary: 15 years after 9/11, the war against radical Islamist terrorism is not good
Imagine it's 15 years ago, immediately after the 9/11 attacks. You are told that in September 2016, a couple of major counterterrorism victories would be just around the corner. These impend...
Op-eds
How the world has changed since 9/11
The 15th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 should be a time for mourning, commemoration, reflection — and strategic planning. But many people prefer to avoid thinking to...
Op-eds
Rebranding Terror
On July 28, Abu Muhammad al-Julani, heretofore the emir of al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, ...
Op-eds
Bogus foreign-policy debates: How we’re helping our enemies fool us
World news has become complicated lately. Or has it? Consider these headlines: Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the leader of the Syrian al Qaeda affiliate group known as Jabhat al-Nusra...
Op-eds
Bloody Ramadan: How The Islamic State Coordinated A Global Terrorist Campaign
In late May 2016, the Islamic State (ISIL) ...
Op-eds
Istanbul Attack Must Prompt Tougher Turkish IS Policy
Three suicide bombers attacked the Istanbul Ataturk international airport Tuesday night, killing 43 people, including...
Policy Briefs
French fried peace process
The French government last week initiated a new “peace process.” Ignoring the butchery underway in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, as well as the threat Iran now poses to the Middle Eas...
Op-eds
It’s the Proliferation, Stupid
As the world prepares for a possible fifth nuclear weapons...
Op-eds
Despite Coalition Military Gains, No End in Sight in Anti-IS Campaign
The Kurdish Peshmerga commander sat on a couch at his headquarters in Sulaymaniyah. On a nearby table there was a bowl of dried fruit and nuts. Two large sniper rifles lay on the floor by his des...
Op-eds
In Race to Capture Syria’s Raqqa, Assad May Have Edge
Islamic State-controlled territory in Syria has shrunk by nearly a quarter in the past few months, but Kurds, Syrian rebels and forces loyal to embattled President Bashar al-Assad have all grabbe...