While ISIS makes war on the world’s vast majority of “moderate Muslims,” hardliners in the West pretend they don’t exist.
Life in the Gray Zone
read more
Middle East & North Africa
We May Look Back at the Islamic State as a Time When Islamic Extremism Was Under Control
Future generations of Islamic extremists may surpass the Islamic State in brutality.
The Five Lamest Excuses for Hillary Clinton’s Vote to Invade Iraq
Clinton supporters want Democratic voters to forgive their candidate’s support for the most disastrous foreign policy decision in decades. They shouldn’t.
No, Trump, We Can’t Just ‘Take Their Oil’
Trump’s signature slogan on how to deal with ISIS is delusional.
States Such as Saudi Arabia Bear as Much Responsibility for Islamic Extremism as Jihadists
The spread of Salafism, thanks to Saudi Arabia, sows the seeds of sympathy for Islamic extremism.
This Month Marks 25 Years the U.S. Has Been at War in Iraq
A region at war, a rash of terrorist attacks, and the worst refugee crisis since World War II: These are the legacies of America’s quarter-century-and-counting war in Iraq.
Were the U.S. Boats Off Course in the Persian Gulf an Actual Example of the Mythical “Rogue Operation”?
How did the U.S. boats and personnel detained by Iran in the Persian Gulf wind up 50 miles off their route?
The U.S. Has an Empire of Bases in the Middle East — and It’s Not Making Anyone Safer
Thirty-six years into the U.S. base build-up in the Greater Middle East, military force has failed as a strategy for controlling the region, no less defeating terrorist organizations.
Iran and the Diplomatic Jackpot
The Middle East is hardly a cheery place these days. But there’s one silver lining: The Iran deal is paying off big.
Excuse the Middle-East for Resenting Tyranny
Democracy might not be for everyone, but, like Americans, the Middle East just wants to be free.