ARTICLES
Turkey Could Turn the Battle for Mosul into a Sectarian Bloodbath
We are now ten days into the Iraqi–led, U.S.–backed fight to retake Mosul, ISIS’s remaining stronghold in Iraq. Assuming a victory, will it look much different than a defeat? The most consequential aftermath is the political, diplomatic, and battlefield mess Turkish…
The Filipino President Just Set Off a Diplomatic Earthquake
Rodrigo Duterte’s tilt toward China is a fundamental shift in the Western Pacific power balance. It is one thing for a leader such as Vladimir Putin to send all of Washington and the media clerks serving it into a dither—as…
Obama Is Making Two Huge Mistakes in the War on ISIS in Mosul
The long-anticipated battle to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city, is the biggest test to date for President Obama’s strategy against ISIS and other terrorist groups active in the Middle East. The chances of success are decidedly mixed. Paradoxically, the forces…
Obama Has Just Turned Yemen into Another Middle East Quagmire
When a U.S. vessel off the coast of Yemen fired on Houthi rebels Thursday, it sent another of the Obama administration’s delicate balancing acts in the Middle East off the rails. Is the president who says he’s dedicated to getting…
Meet the Man Who Should Be the Next Secretary of State
Former ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chas Freeman is that rare thing, an honest and wise diplomat—which is why he’ll probably never be appointed. Late this past summer, when I mentioned to Andrew Bacevich that I had interviewed Chas Freeman and…
Britain’s Tarnished Sterling: A Global Warning for Theresa May on Brexit
At 7:07 last Friday in Hong Kong, the British pound suddenly plummeted: In the next two minutes it fell 6.1 percent, to $1.18, its lowest level since 1985. In the next half hour, it regained most of the loss, ending…
As Ties With Russia Grow Hostile, Three Dangers to Watch For
Now that Washington’s efforts to resolve the Syria crisis jointly with Moscow are a complete debacle, what else can get worse before President Obama cedes the White House to his successor? The answer could not be grimmer: U.S.–Russian relations across…
The Russian Blitzkrieg on Aleppo Is a Direct Challenge to Washington
The Syrian cease-fire was already in tatters. But the new offensive is also early preparation for a hawkish Clinton presidency. What are we to make of events in Syria now that Secretary of State Kerry’s latest (and very possibly last)…
The Failed Ceasefire in Syria Now Leave Russia in Charge
Now that Secretary of State Kerry’s latest effort to forge a ceasefire in Syria is in ruins, he was right about at least one thing: That was the Obama administration’s last, best hope to lead warring sides toward a settlement….
The Failed Syria Ceasefire Pushes US-Russia Relations to the Brink
Unless there’s a quick and drastic turn for the better in Syria, the US may reach its moment of truth with Russia. If Washington is simply unable or unwilling to work with Moscow to resolve the conflict, it’s likely that…
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