From the U.S. to the U.K. to Turkey, it is a hallmark of right-wing populists to make a preposterous policy and then be forced to retreat.
The Art of the Back-Pedal
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Syria
Trump’s Endless Wars
Trump’s not bringing the troops home. He’s been haphazardly deploying more troops, drones, and dollars abroad, while waging a shadow foreign policy for his own benefit.
The View from Syria’s Peace Talks
After 13 rounds of talks in Kazakhstan, the parties are aiming small. Still, that’s a lot better than nothing.
The Alarming Rise of Civilian Deaths in the War On Terror
New reports show an escalation in civilian casualties from U.S. operations in Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia — and a pattern of U.S. denial about the scale of the problem.
Baghdadi Is Alive — and so is the ISIS Narrative
The group’s caliphate may be crumbled, but the political conditions that gave rise to it haven’t improved at all.
Trump Is Expanding America’s Wars, Not Ending Them
He’s failed to deliver his promised withdrawals from Afghanistan and Syria, vetoed an order to get out of Yemen, and expanded the U.S. bombing of Somalia, all while eyeing Iran.
Ayatollah Trump: The Global Rise of the Christian Right
Islamic extremism gets all the press, but Trump is just one of a growing number of Christian extremists in positions of political power.
Trump Punts on Syria
The forever war in the Middle East is far from over.
There Is Still Hope for Rojava
Kurds have established a democratic state in Syria. Can the United States help it survive?
Despite Everything, U.S. Troops Should Leave Syria
A small detachment of U.S. troops won’t protect the Kurds from Turkish aggression, but putting conditions on arms transfers might.