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Does U. S. Policy Hurt or Help Al Qaeda?

March 2010

by Haviland Smith A long time observer of Middle Eastern affairs proposes a radical change in American policy in the region with the goal of “helping Al Qaeda die.” Would this change have unintended consequences? The suggestion itself is sure … Read more

Hanged as a Sheep

July 2009

by David T. Jones American inconsistency in our approach to other countries’ human rights violations has again been illustrated, according to this essay, by the Obama administration’s reaction to the Iranian election. – Ed. The dramatic aftermath of the 12 … Read more

Countering Iranian Malign Influence

April 2009

The Need for a Regional Response by William Wunderle and Gabriel Lajeunesse While global attention has been focused mostly on Iran’s developing nuclear capability, the Iranian regime has also been very active in extending its malign influence throughout the Middle … Read more

Success in Irregular Warfare

January 2008

Structures and Strategies Needed by Sam Holliday   Defense Secretary Gates recently called for a build-up of American “soft power” instruments in order to better combat the long-term threats we face from Islamic extremists. In this essay, a frequent American … Read more

National Sovereignty through Decentralization

January 2008

A Community Level Approach to Development, Reconciliation, and Stability in Conflict Areas in the Middle-East and North Africa by Yossef Ben-Meir “Participatory decentralized development” has proved to be a successful strategy for fighting poverty and strengthening communities throughout the world. … Read more

The Syrian Turn

August 2007

Israeli-Syrian Peace and the New Moment In U.S. Grand Strategy
by Jason Brookhyser

Will the West—and the United States—Go the Distance?

June 2007

by James L. Abrahamson The following commentary by a seasoned observer of the international scene raises a fundamental question that calls for consideration by all interested parties, whether or not they find much merit in Osama bin Laden’s thesis that … Read more

Iraq in the Balance

April 2007

In Washington, panic. In Baghdad, cautious optimism
by Fouad Ajami