| The Daily Star The raw Sunni recruits in crisp camouflage uniforms, popping off rounds at the firing range at a U.S. training camp here, illustrate the dilemma for the U.S. as it seeks to form a strong military force to drive Daesh (ISIS) from its capital, Raqqa. The U.S. could try to build the… اقرأ المزيد
The power struggle in Tehran between moderates and hard-liners is heading toward a showdown in next month’s elections, which could shape the political balance in Iran for years to come. The Feb. 26 elections will select 285 members of the Iranian parliament, or Majlis, and 88 members of the so-called Assembly of Experts, which will… اقرأ المزيد
| The Daily Star Do Western nations think that Muslim lives matter less? Most of us would resist any such characterization of callousness. But Western outrage about the carnage in Paris, coupled with near-indifference to similar killings in the Arab world, suggests to many Muslims that a double standard exists – and they find it… اقرأ المزيد
President Obama says he doesn’t want to turn the Syria conflict into a proxy war. Unfortunately, that’s already happening, as combatants join the battle against ISIS with radically differing agendas that could collide. Let’s look at the confusing order of battle: The United States has decided that its strongest partner against the ISIS is a… اقرأ المزيد
“He acknowledged the truth, he gives [allegiance], the order has been given, his heart beats, he accepts, butterflies kick in … The target is given, the anticipation is over, a sense of relief.” With this stream-of-consciousness narrative, an ISIS fighter using the name of Abu Abdullah Britani posted this call May 10 on Twitter to… اقرأ المزيد
Secretaries of state have had private contacts since the job was created, so it’s a mistake to get too indignant about Hillary Clinton’s email exchanges about Libya with her longtime friend, Sidney Blumenthal. Still, these messages offer some useful insights about the court politics of Washington, and the way policymaking can be overwhelmed by trivia… اقرأ المزيد