Terrorism

U.S. military deployments create the strong alliances and local partnerships that the president said he wants.

The senior KH member now leads a new political movement that is competing with other Iran-backed militia factions for votes in the coming election.

As Washington recalibrates its costly strategy against violent extremists, its goal should be to reduce terrorism to a low-level threat that law enforcement can handle.

To avoid the worst outcomes, Washington needs to assiduously enforce any deals with the new Afghan leadership, cooperate effectively with other world powers, and explain to a domestic audience how the withdrawal will facilitate a focus on different priorities.

Although Pakistan will be playing its own games in Afghanistan (and against India), planners in the Pentagon will still need to work with Islamabad to preserve future overflight options.

The legal details of recent preliminary rulings presage the difficulties that the ICC will likely encounter while investigating the Israeli-Palestinian scene, highlighting the broader dilemma of importing political conflicts into the courtroom.

Much ink has been spilled about a potential al-Qaeda comeback, but the Taliban’s return could also send insurgents and refugees streaming toward China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.

Since the fall of Kabul—and well beforehand—Iranian officials have signaled how they might use a Taliban victory to further their goals in the Middle East, though they remain concerned about the fate of Afghan Shia.

To make UNIFIL more effective and prevent dangerous destabilization in the south, the Security Council should review the force’s mandate more frequently, reallocate its resources to better fit its mission, make reporting more transparent and accurate, and hold the government and LAF accountable for their obstruction.