
The Negotiators Podcast: How A Finish Diplomat Negotiated the Release of Mothers and Children from Syria
Jussi Tanner spent nearly two years bargaining with the Kurdish-led autonomous government.

After Afghanistan Collapse, Iraqis Fear They Could Be Next
The parallels are easy to list.

The Women Who Helped Topple the Caliphate
“The Daughters of Kobani” chronicles the female Kurdish fighters who battled terrorists, fought for equality, and then got stabbed in the back.

Iraqi Kurds Turn Against the PKK
Now that it’s beaten back the Islamic State, the Kurdistan Regional Government is focusing its attention on a group it has long tolerated.

The United States Can Counter Putin and Assad With a Light Footprint in Syria
Washington can reduce Moscow’s influence and support Kurdish allies without a large troop presence in the region.

Foreign ISIS Children Deserve a Home
Western governments have shirked their responsibilities for far too long.

The U.S.-Iraqi Relationship Is Coming to a Head—and That’s a Good Thing
After 17 years, there is little love left between Washington and Baghdad. Upcoming talks may be the last opportunity to save their dysfunctional partnership.

Who Exactly Is Turkey Resettling in Syria?
Ankara claims it’s helping displaced Syrians return home. Kurds and international observers accuse Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government of demographic engineering.

The Fight for ISIS’s Old Territory Is Just Beginning
A host of forces including Turkish and Iranian proxies to Russian troops and Syrian government forces are jockeying for control of the lands that once were held by the Islamic State.

The United States Can’t Have It All
The debacle over Syria shows that neither party understands the country’s real goals in the Middle East—or what it would take to achieve them.

Israel’s Occupation of Lebanon Failed. Turkey’s Invasion of Syria Probably Will, Too.
Safe zones rarely bring security benefits, and the Turkish incursion in northern Syria risks ending the same way as Israel’s disastrous occupation of southern Lebanon.

The Kurds Are the Nation-State’s Latest Victims
The global order has been stuck with states since 1648. It’s time to move on.

Russia Is the Only Winner in Syria
With Washington’s policy in chaos and Erdogan moving into Putin’s orbit, Moscow has come out on top.

Putin and Erdogan’s Deal for Syria Can’t Last
Since neither leader can enforce the terms, the country’s war will wear on.

Turkey’s Crackdown on Kurdish Mayors Could Backfire
The country’s offensive in northern Syria was preceded by the suppression of the Kurdish political movement at home.

America’s Syria Debacle Is Not Trump’s Alone
By going along with the myth that the president is pulling out of the Middle East, his critics are helping make U.S. wars there worse.

Trump Can Forget Burden Sharing Now
By abandoning the Kurds in Syria, Trump has undermined one of his central foreign policies.

Fighting Continues in Syria Despite Cease-Fire Agreement
The tentative agreement negotiated by the United States was seen as a major victory for Ankara.