Syria’s refugee crisis worsens, the Thai government agrees to hold peace talks with southern Muslim rebels and Shell Oil pauses drilling in Arctic seas
U.S.
Ground War: Syria’s Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad
It was pomegranate season when the battle for Wadi Deif began in mid-October. Like so many rebel offensives, the fight for the Syrian military base, just east of the devastated city of Maaret Numan and one of the last major …
France Recognizes Syria’s Opposition—Will the West Follow Suit?
French President François Hollande becomes the first Western leader to recognize the newly-formed coalition leadership of Syrian rebel forces, and ups pressure on other nations to follow his lead.
How Latin America May Lead the World in Decriminalizing Drug Use
Even as Latin American countries are at the forefront of the war against narcotraffickers, they are also pushing alternative strategies — including the legalization of drugs, particularly marijuana
Can the U.S. Leave Behind “Afghan-Sustainable” Military Bases?
As one outpost is prepared for a handover, a report raises the risks attendant upon the departure of American forces
Apocalyptic Talk Aside, Israel Has Dialed Down Its Threat to Bomb Iran — for Now
Netanyahu says at present rates of enrichment, Iran’s nuclear program will cross Israel’s red line for military action next spring or summer
Afghans Without Americans: A Preview of Soldiering When the U.S. Withdraws
The curtailment of U.S.-Afghan patrols because of so-called “green on blue” killings focuses attention on how ready local troops are
Is the Regional Showdown in Syria Rekindling Iraq’s Civil War?
It may have been checked off President Obama’s to-do list, but the Iraq war is far from over.
Five Reasons Why the Assad Regime Survives
Syria’s conflict has morphed into a civil war whose fault lines and consequences are quite different from other Arab rebellions
Why Afghanistan Isn’t a Campaign Issue: Neither Obama nor Romney Have a Solution
The ‘systemic problem’ of uniformed Afghans attacking their American mentors raises questions about the viability of a bipartisan exit plan
India Seeing Red over Costly Mission to Mars
The country’s planned mission to Mars has prompted strong reactions, particularly among those concerned about domestic issues on the ground
The CIA and ISI: Are Pakistan and the U.S.’s Spy Agencies Starting to Get Along?
Though the domestic environment in either country is hardly suitable for rapprochement, there are signs of a thaw between the U.S. and Pakistan, particularly in the dealings of their influential spy agencies
Why Syria and the World Will Miss Kofi Annan’s Peace Plan
The former U.N. Secretary-General embarked on a mission that was bound to fail. But its end is unlikely to help Syria avert a chaotic bloodbath