US Opinion and Commentary

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Refugees Another Casualty of Paris Attacks

Posted November 18th, 2015 at 3:54 pm (UTC-4)
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A group of American governors has declared it will not settle any of the 10,000 Syrian refugees the U.S. government has pledged to accept. But that position only amounts to an empty threat. State governors cannot make such decisions legally.The attempt to refuse refugees, which President Barack Obama described as a “dark impulse,” reflects a sense of fear following the devastating attacks by Islamic State militants across Paris. And it cuts to the heart of America’s historic identity: to be a country that welcomes those in great need whose lives are threatened. Despite the president’s vow to continue that tradition, others are pointing to shocking terrorist attacks at a soccer match, a concert and Parisian cafes as reason to tighten up America’s borders, lest just one terrorist slip by.

The Islamic State Paradox

Posted November 18th, 2015 at 11:44 am (UTC-4)
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[ISIS] is partly a totalitarian state and partly a transnational terrorist organization. As a state it can be attacked and defeated, at least temporarily. And yet, paradoxically, the more we in the West attack the state, the more its appeal as a terrorist organization will grow among those who see the West as an enemy.

What Paris Taught Us About the Islamic State

Posted November 17th, 2015 at 4:20 pm (UTC-4)
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The few remaining senior leaders of al Qaeda must be scratching their heads. Their complex hijackings and bombings required months or years of planning … ISIL has figured out how to strike at the heart of its adversaries … It’s repeatable, cheap, and effective

America’s Politicians are Feeding the Islamic State Narrative

Posted November 17th, 2015 at 3:27 pm (UTC-4)
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[I]f U.S. politicians define Islam as the problem and cast aspersions on Muslim populations in the West, they are feeding the Islamic State narrative. They are materially undermining the war against terrorism and complicating the United States’ (already complicated) task in the Middle East.

Dissecting Obama’s Islamic State Policy

Posted November 17th, 2015 at 3:20 pm (UTC-4)
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Just days after the shocking attacks by Islamic State fighters in Paris, a video allegedly by the group appeared online, declaring that Washington D.C. was its next target. Anxiety rippled through the capital city, prompting yet another round of questions about President Barack Obama’s strategy in Syria. Some pointed to Paris as an example of why the president should order ground troops to Syria: the Islamic State has not yet been defeated, observers argued, and it has proven ability to export its terrorism far away from its base in Syria and Iraq. Obama objected – again, again and, then, yet again during a press conference. From Obama’s standpoint, this fight is not solely America’s – and history shows that U.S. engagement in messy conflicts abroad haven’t done much but bring more suffering to Americans. Still the questions linger, driven by worries of an attack on U.S. soil.

Obama on Paris Attacks, U.S. Strategy vs. IS and Syrian Refugees

Posted November 16th, 2015 at 4:57 pm (UTC-4)
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President Obama defended U.S. strategy against the so-called Islamic State at a news conference following the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey.

A Multinational, Multidimensional Strategy Against the Islamic State

Posted November 16th, 2015 at 12:51 pm (UTC-4)
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By Barbara Slavin Among the most unhelpful suggestions in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris was Republican Mike Huckabee’s proposal that President Barack Obama cancel the recently signed nuclear agreement with Iran. Huckabee’s reasoning: “Radical Islamists, whether Sunni or Shia, are a clear and present danger to civilization.” Never mind that Iran is […]

After Paris, a Global Resolve to Dispel Islamic State’s Darkness

Posted November 16th, 2015 at 11:07 am (UTC-4)
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It is easy to agree on the darkness of the militant ideology that drives IS, and to try to protect against its reach … But it also requires hard work to agree on the light that should replace that darkness and to end the IS threat for good – with something sustainably good.

The Barbarians Are Inside, And There Are No Gates

Posted November 16th, 2015 at 9:30 am (UTC-4)
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When the Allahu Akbar boys opened fire, Paris was talking about the climate-change conference due to start later this month, when the world’s leaders will fly in to “solve” a “problem” that doesn’t exist rather than to address the one that does. But don’t worry: we already have a hashtag (#PrayForParis)

Why Paris? The Answer Can Be Found in Syria and Iraq

Posted November 16th, 2015 at 8:27 am (UTC-4)
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There, since September 2014, ISIS has lost significant territory and faces the near-term prospect of losing to a multiprong offensive by the international coalition that could decisively cripple the terrorist group. With these daunting prospects, ISIS is lashing out, much like a cornered animal, and the Paris attacks are part of this.

Kerry: “We are on the right track” in Syria

Posted November 13th, 2015 at 5:33 pm (UTC-4)
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Secretary of State John Kerry gave an impassioned defense of the Obama administration’s strategy regarding Syria and the fight against the Islamic State. Kerry made his remarks at the United States Institute for Peace on November 11, 2015.

Going After ‘Jihadi John’

Posted November 13th, 2015 at 3:47 pm (UTC-4)
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News that a U.S. airstrike may have killed the most recognizable, if covered, face of the Islamic State in the heart of its stronghold in Syria says it all: the Obama administration, with the help of select Kurdish fighters, is taking the fight to ISIS, right in its own backyard. After months of withering criticism, the president announced last month that he was sending 50 military advisers to the region to bolster its air campaign. According to Secretary of State John Kerry more than 8,000 airstrikes have been carried out at IS targets over the past year, and it’s paying off. The Islamic State has been forced from 20 to 25% of territory it controlled a year ago, Kerry said. If the death of Mohammed Emwazi, the British knife-wielding masked man who has starred in IS videos of beheadings is confirmed, it will go a long way towards convincing the world that the United States isn’t prevaricating about Syria anymore.

The History and Meaning of Veterans Day

Posted November 11th, 2015 at 2:57 pm (UTC-4)
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Our veterans are stationed around the globe, providing disaster relief, defending democratic institutions, fighting ISIS and enhancing security in Afghanistan. On this day, and every day, let us be thankful for their service and pray for their safety and eventual return home.

Syria: More Men, More Money

Posted November 3rd, 2015 at 4:58 pm (UTC-4)
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Friday brought the announcement by the White House that fewer than 50 Special Operations troops would deploy to Syria to provide “some training, some advice and some assistance.” Saturday, the White House anted up another $100-million ($500-million since 2012) for moderate Syrian opposition groups to keep schools open, restoring access to electricity and clean water and supporting an independent media. Monday, White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes asserted the mission of the Special Forces is to be a force multiplier to help those fighting the Islamic State, not to take part in raids or combat. But he did say those troops “may have to engage the enemy.” The U.S. strategy in Syria has been questioned and criticized for nearly four years, and the latest moves have only raised more of the same.

Partition Syria to Crush the Islamic State

Posted November 2nd, 2015 at 12:32 pm (UTC-4)
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… [R]epresentatives of all the Syrian factions should assemble under United Nations auspices to design the future Syrian state. Given the differences among these factions, this process could take years. In the interim, each faction should govern the territory it holds …