Democracy & Reform

Two years after the declaration of a caliphate by the Islamic State, the world has become well acquainted with the group's brutality, territorial expansion, apocalyptic narrative, and ability to stage large-scale terrorist attacks inside and outside the Middle East. Less discussed are IS textbooks and book-publishing activities. Our knowledge of

Three experts discuss the trove of documentation behind Syrian war crimes, U.S. pursuit of transitional justice for the Assad regime, and how prosecutions might proceed.

The post-coup fallout spells trouble for NATO, Europe, and the Turkish president's foes.

Given Erdogan's crucial role against the Islamic State, Washington should be careful not to alienate him, in particular by avoiding critical public statements that won't change his behavior anyway.

Erdogan may appear victorious today, but he cannot hold onto power in the long run if the country's internal security falls prey to rampant domestic extremism.

While Erdogan's harsh response to the coup may complicate his relations with the West and sideline any plans for intervention in Syria, Russian observers believe it could bring Turkey closer to Moscow.

Empowered by surviving a coup, Erdogan may be tempted to encourage an Islamist counterrevolution.

If the Muslim Brotherhood gets another chance at power, it will work even harder and faster to exclude its competitors and pursue an Islamic state.

The nuclear deal and the negotiations leading up to it have been a significant source of factional confrontation inside Iran over the past few years, and this trend will continue for the foreseeable future.