Policy Analysis

The missile strikes on targets in Syria showed unprecedented cooperation between Russia and Iran, but they also serve as a wakeup call to Tehran about Moscow's expanding military profile in the Caspian.

The Iranian president has taken steps to limit his vulnerability to a plodding recovery, but over time a failure of sanctions relief to bring about dramatic economic improvements could harm his political outlook.

The new governing board has fewer young members, fewer women, and more old-guard members with close ties to President Erdogan, who is betting that this alignment will help the party regain its legislative majority next month.

Israel may feel abandoned by Washington, but Moscow is not the antidote.

Putin's latest Middle Eastern moves are aimed not so much at expanding his front line of tensions with the West, but rather at making a deal by proving that he has acquired a lot of cards in the region.

The PYD will not hesitate to cooperate with Damascus and Moscow in the north if Turkey and the United States continue prohibiting the unification of Kurdish enclaves.

The resurgence of the Shiite axis was made possible in part by the absence of a credible U.S. policy in Syria, and it will only be bolstered if Washington embraces Russia and Iran as regional security partners.

The initial box-office success of "The Martian," following on the hits "Gravity" in 2013 and "Interstellar" in 2014, reflects the extent to which space exploration continues to captivate public imagination. Polling suggests that more than 50% of Americans favor sending an astronaut to Mars. In 2010, Pew found that 63%

The province that Putin's jets buzzed this weekend holds special demographic and historical significance, raising questions about the incident's potential significance as a warning to Ankara.

The bold military gamble in Syria surprised and confused the international community, but Putin has given the United States and Turkey a reason to more assertively counter Russia's ambitions in its own backyard.

The president dismissed his critics on Syria for offering half-baked policy advice, but maybe the real problem is in the White House.

For all the praise (and relief) Moscow's deployment is eliciting in Tehran, continued Russian involvement will likely cut into Iran's influence.

The country has seen periods of turmoil before, but this time may be different.

An uninterrupted regional carrier presence would be preferable, given the host of threats, but these heavily used warships must undergo maintenance now to stay effective.

The Labor Party has an opportunity to alter Israel's security discourse and open the door to improving the image of Palestinians and the two-state solution.

As Russia, Iran, and Assad fight to carve out their future spheres of influence in Syria, Washington needs to help its Sunni allies establish their own spheres and retake eastern territory from ISIS and al-Qaeda.

U.S. policy in Syria is failing because the Obama administration is prioritizing the urgent (rolling back ISIS) over the truly important (preventing Iran and Russia from rearranging Middle East security to their benefit).

General Toufik's departure could end the contest of wills between the intelligence and political leadership, but Algeria's democratic transition will likely remain on the back burner amid dire economic and security concerns.

Given the reluctance of Western powers to intervene in today's Middle East crises, hopes and fears regarding a new grand resolution may be overblown.

Whether Iraqi Kurdistan becomes a de facto or de jure nation, it will face the same challenge that all oil-dependent states face: the need to diversify its economy, create good jobs, and live within its means as a hedge against fluctuating oil prices.