U.S. officials are talking about urban warfare. Here’s what urban warfare really involves. Margarita Konaev and Kirstin J.H. Brathwaite - June 4, 2020 How do you ‘mass and dominate the battlespace’ in a U.S. city?
Northern Syria depends on U.N. aid. Its delivery could end tomorrow. Jesse Marks - January 8, 2020 That includes aid to Idlib, which is under attack.
How Syria’s civil war may end Tanisha Fazal and Benjamin Allard - August 27, 2019 As peace talks stall, the conflict seems to be ending via a slow surrender by a fractured insurgency.
No, Americans don’t support airstrikes that kill civilians, even when they target terrorists. Shannon Golden, James Ron, and Howard Lavine - May 6, 2019 Polls that show Americans support airstrikes against suspected terrorists ignore some very large caveats.
The U.S. military is trying to manage foreign conflicts — not resolve them. Here’s why. Paul Staniland - July 16, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75692" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A U.S. soldier assigned to provide
The Islamic State is more like a street gang than like other terrorist groups Matthew Phillips and Matthew Valasik - November 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_62026" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A member loyal to the Islamic
Islamic State’s next move could be underground criminal networks Aisha Ahmad - August 8, 2017 After months of fierce ground war, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider
Turkish President Erdogan arrives in D.C. tomorrow. Here’s what to watch for. Howard Eissenstat - May 15, 2017 There is a lot on the line for both Turkey
Why are so many Tunisians joining the Islamic State? Luke Waggoner and Geoffrey Macdonald - January 27, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53193" align="aligncenter" width="960"] An Islamic State fighter in Raqqa,
How a new U.N. resolution could — someday — bring justice to Syria Mark Kersten - December 30, 2016 [caption id="attachment_51905" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A Syrian man makes his way
This is what can we learn about ISIS from Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army Eleanor Beevor - October 22, 2016 [caption id="attachment_48328" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In this Nov. 12, 2006 file
This is how Islamist extremists use Western anti-Islam rhetoric to help recruit. Haroro Ingram - August 11, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45169" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A person loyal to the Islamic
Who supports violent extremism in developing countries? Youssouf Kiendrebeogo and Elena Ianchovichina - June 20, 2016 [caption id="attachment_42441" align="aligncenter" width="960"] An Islamic State fighter waves the terrorist group's
Ted Cruz wanted to ‘carpet bomb’ the Islamic State. Does he understand today’s military? Deonna Neal - March 18, 2016 [caption id="attachment_37312" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from
Here’s a paradox: Shutting down the Islamic State on Twitter might help it recruit Stefano Iacus, Luigi Curini, Andrea Ceron, and Andrea Ruggeri - December 10, 2015 [caption id="attachment_33357" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] An undated image posted on a
Here’s why we can only contain the Islamic State, not bomb it back to the Stone Age Stephen Biddle and Jacob Shapiro - December 1, 2015 [caption id="attachment_32401" align="aligncenter" width="908"] U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles
The Paris attacks are just what counterterrorism analysts have feared since Mumbai. Here are three takeaways. Lorenzo Vidino - November 16, 2015 [caption id="attachment_32304" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A guitar reading "Ode to life"
What analysis of the Islamic State’s messaging keeps missing Haroro Ingram - October 14, 2015 [caption id="attachment_30612" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A member of the Islamic State waves
The Islamic State as an ordinary insurgency Reyko Huang - May 14, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24819" align="aligncenter" width="620" class="center"] A flag of the Islamic
The U.S. just leaked its war plan in Iraq. Why? Joshua Rovner and Caitlin Talmadge - February 27, 2015 [caption id="attachment_12228" align="aligncenter" width="908"] The jacket belonging to an Iraqi
How much of a state is the Islamic State? Quinn Mecham - February 5, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20946" align="alignnone" width="620"] Smoke rises behind an Islamic State
Jihadi-Salafi views of the Islamic State Joas Wagemakers - January 27, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20557" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A man walks past a
Turning the lights off on the Islamic State Andrew Shaver - October 16, 2014 The following is a guest post from Princeton University political science
Hot pursuit in Syria and in history Lionel Beehner - September 28, 2014 [caption id="attachment_16272" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Pancho Villa (Smithsonian)[/caption] Secretary of State
How the U.S. fragmented Syria’s rebels Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl - September 22, 2014 [caption id="attachment_16015" align="alignnone" width="620"] Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (left)
How the U.S. fragmented Syria's rebels Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl - September 22, 2014 [caption id="attachment_16015" align="alignnone" width="620"] Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (left)
The Islamic State and the politics of official narratives Laurie Brand - September 8, 2014 [caption id="attachment_15431" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A resident of Tabqa city celebrates
The jihadist governance dilemma Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Amichai Magen - July 18, 2014 [caption id="attachment_13181" align="aligncenter" width="620"] On June 16,demonstrators chant pro-Islamic State
The logic of violence in the Islamic State’s war Stathis Kalyvas - July 7, 2014 [caption id="attachment_12670" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Militants take part in a parade
The logic of violence in the Islamic State's war Stathis Kalyvas - July 7, 2014 [caption id="attachment_12670" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Militants take part in a parade
The Middle East quasi-state system Ariel Ahram - May 27, 2014 [caption id="attachment_10914" align="aligncenter" width="1024" special=""] File: In Hermel, Lebanon, people