News Abroad

ISIS Rampages, the Middle East Shakes

by Daniel Pipes

This is the most important event in the Middle East since the Arab upheavals began in 2010.

The Fall of Mosul and the False Promises of Modern History

by Juan Cole

The fall of Mosul to the radical, extremist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a set of historical indictments.

Why I Can't Let the Boko Haram Kidnappings Be Forgotten

by Martin Goldsmith

There are moments in our history when we have to act as if we really believe that we are indeed our brothers’ and our sisters’ keeper.  This is one of them. 

Our Stale, Unimaginative, and Wrong-Headed Approach to Russia Has Finally Caught Up with Us

by Walter Moss

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 our Russia policy has been one of attempting to capitalize on Russian weakness by strengthening our strategic position at its expense.

Not All that Different: George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama at West Point

by Matt Jacobs

The president spoke of the need for multilateral action and argued that military power is not always the answer. The president?  George H.W. Bush. 

Obama’s West Point Rejection of American Foreign Policy History

by Timothy R. Furnish

Obama believes the U.S. is neither a Promised Land nor a Crusader State.

Does War Have a Future?

by Lawrence S. Wittner

There are some reasons why war might actually be on the way out.

Oh No, Not Again! The Pentagon’s Plan to Train Up and Coming Leaders in Countries Facing Threats

by William R. Polk

So far allocated to this effort is $70 million, and the initial efforts will be in Libya, Niger, Mali and Mauritania.

What’s Next? The Ukrainian Crisis 2.0

by Walter Moss

With Petro Poroshenko being elected as president on May 25, the first phase of the Ukrainian Crisis is over.

What Does Economic History Tell Us About the Upcoming Scottish Vote?

by S.J. Garland

In looking at the upcoming Referendum for Scottish Independence in September, I cannot help thinking of my grandmother and how she would be weighing her bank balance as much as her heart when it came to the polls.

Why the Second World War Never Ended for Ukraine

by Juliane Fuerst

Acknowledgement of imperfect pasts on both sides of Ukraine might generate a bit more understanding for the complexity of individual motivations.

What Would George Kennan Say About Ukraine?

by Geoffrey Roberts

“We must be gardeners and not mechanics in our approach to world affairs” -- George F. Kennan

Why Colombian Peasants Are Again in Revolt -- And What's Different this Time

by Jason McGraw

Juan Valdez is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore.

When Do Leaders Fearmonger?

by John Mearsheimer

Leaders engage in fearmongering when they think they recognize a serious threat to national security that the public does not see.

Why the Revival of Nationalist Myths in Ukraine Should Alarm Us

by Tarik Cyril Amar and Per Anders Rudling

It is crucial to understand that propaganda campaigns are not simply about spreading lies.

Why We're Only Now Paying Attention to Boko Haram Is a Disgrace

by Timothy R. Furnish

Nigeria’s position on the fault-line between Christian and Muslim civilization appears not just increasingly precarious, but dangerously unsustainable.

No Israeli-Palestinian Peace Deal? What Went Wrong.

by Dr. Alon Ben-Meir

The failure of the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians and the causes behind it were absolutely predictable.

Whose Advice Should You Trust on Ukraine?

by Walter Moss

Beware of the unwise know-it-alls.

What Putin Chooses Not to Know About Russian History

by Patricia Herlihy

KGB agents are apparently not taught history, or so it would seem from Vladimir Putin’s recent statement that only “God knows” how a part of southeastern Ukraine ever became part of that country.

Is the Fall of Homs a Turning Point in the Regime’s Quest to Retake Syria?

by Juan Cole

The regime’s retaking of Homs is a hands-down strategic victory for the ruling Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad.