Argument
An expert’s point of view on a current event.
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Protesters rally outside the headquarters of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Washington on Feb. 5. America Can’t Lead in AI by Firing All the Experts
Sacking specialists and cutting federal funding only helps adversaries and competitors.
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A man rides a horse next to the remains of an Iranian missile near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa in the occupied West Bank, on June 29. Iran and the Logic of Limited Wars
No one wants a long war, and doing nothing was no longer an option.
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An illustration shows Donald Trump's face on a historical drawing of Andrew Jackson astride a horse. A hand tips a hat. Trump's face smirks and looks to the side. If Trump Is Neither Hawk nor Dove, What Is He?
The president’s recent moves don’t fit the usual binary of U.S. foreign policy—but there is a historical precedent.
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A bearded man in a hoodie holds up a smartphone. On the screen is a selfie photo of himself, younger, posing next to a uniformed U.S. soldier. How to Lose Friends and Alienate Partners
Dismantling Afghan immigration policies and CARE undermines U.S. security.
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Empress Farah Pahlavi in coronation attire with crown and robe, followed by attendants, during a royal ceremony in an ornate palace. Empress Farah Pahlavi and the Myth of the Secular Shah
Both admirers and critics see Iran’s Pahlavi dynasty as the embodiment of pro-Western modernization. But was it?
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Nehru leands back to consult with another seated delegate in a crowd of people sitting in rows. Bring Back the Spirit of Bandung
The 1955 conference’s value-based approach to international affairs offers a model for middle powers today.
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Police and demonstrators confront one another outside London's High Court on July 4. Britain’s Palestine Action Ban Is a Dangerous Overreach
Draconian steps used against activists risk weakening real anti-terrorism measures.
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Demonstrators raise their phones showing images of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a protest against cartoons depicting Khamenei published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, outside the French embassy in Iran's capital Tehran on January 11, 2023. Iran Policy Has Gone Postmodern
The Trump administration’s analysis of the war with Iran is an exercise in pure narrative.
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An Israeli vehicle drives through Syria's Quneitra province. Israel and Syria Should Prioritize Security Cooperation
Pushing too hard for a peace deal could come at the expense of more pragmatic action against shared threats.
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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte inspects an unmanned undersea vehicle at the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's Yokosuka Base on April 8. Closing NATO’s Indo-Pacific Gap
European allies should strengthen NATO’s Indo-Pacific ties as Washington wavers.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend the Victory Day military parade in Red Square in central Moscow on May 9. China Should Invite Trump to Its Military Parade
The 80th anniversary of the global victory over fascism offers a chance to change narratives.
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Participants place radiation signs during a simulated nuclear emergency drill in Tehran on November 5, 2015. Iran’s Collapse Could Cause a Nuclear Security Nightmare
Washington would struggle to secure dangerous materials, technologies, and expertise.
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Israeli army vehicles inside the Gaza Strip on July 6. Israel Is Sowing Chaos to Secure Displacement in Gaza
By making Gaza unlivable, Netanyahu has laid the groundwork for ethnic cleansing.
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Children are cramped together as they hold out bowls for food with anguished expressions. The News Cycle Is No Excuse for Ignoring Gaza
Don’t let the attention economy distract you from recognizing the catastrophe in Gaza.
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An exterior view of the U.S. State Department building in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood in Washington on April 15. The State Department Overhaul Is Long Overdue
Severe mission creep has distracted U.S. diplomacy from its core purpose in an era of great-power competition.
