Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has driven Sunnis into the arms of ISIS.
Rise of ISIS Downfall of Maliki
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sunni
The Sunni Caliphate’s Little-Known Counterpart — the Shiite Imamate
Is either a true option for Muslims and, if so, which is preferable?
A Quick Resolution to the ISIS Offensive Not Likely
It could bog down like the Iran-Iraq War.
The Real Causes of Iraq’s Problems
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki isn’t the only one responsible for Iraq’s woes — history, U.S. foreign policy, and meddling neighbors are also to blame.
U.S. Still Friends With Gulf States Despite Sunni Slaughter of Shia
If Sunnis had been attacking Western targets in large numbers instead of Shia Muslims, it might be a different story.
Iran and Post-Withdrawal Iraq
With the United States formally ending its military operations in Iraq, many analysts are beginning to examine Iran’s deep influence in the country. In light of of Iran’s growing tensions with the Westover its burgeoning nuclear program, Tehran’s maneuvers in Iraq carry tremendous strategic implications.
Failed Sanctions on Iran
During his State of the Union address President Obama trumpeted the supposed success of tougher sanctions on Iran. U.S. policymakers seem to believe that stronger measures will deny the regime’s nuclear capability and force it to cry uncle. Although sanctions are indeed causing serious harm to the Iranian economy, they have not forced the government to comply with U.S. demands. Greater pressure seems only to have hardened the regime’s determination to press ahead with the nuclear program, while weakening the position of the country’s beleaguered civil society opposition.
Principled Intervention in Africa
The recent indictment of four Kenyan leaders by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes represents the culmination of a remarkable process of local and international peacemaking. It also stands in stark contrast to Western military invasions in Ivory Coast and Libya last year. The ICC indicted four Kenyan leaders on January 23 for their role in the orgy of political violence that followed the disputed December 2007 election and left 1,200 dead and 250,000 displaced.
The Surge: Illusion & Reality
Iraq: The Failures of Democratization
The failures of Iraqi democratization as advocated by the Bush administration should not be blamed primarily on the Iraqis. Nor should they be used to reinforce racist notions that Arabs or Muslims are somehow incapable of building democratic institutions and living in a democratic society. Rather, democracy from the outset has been more of a self-serving rationalization for American strategic and economic interests in the region than a genuine concern for the right of the Iraq people to democratic self-governance.