The gruesome beheadings of Americans in captivity by IS militants last year prompted sharp and very public criticism by their families over the long-standing strict US stance of no concessions to hostage-takers. Today, the White House announced new guidelines, which will allow families to negotiate and privately pay ransom to win their loved one’s freedom without the threat of prosecution.
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The Islamic State’s Je Ne Sais Quoi
Posted June 18th, 2015 at 11:25 am (UTC-5)
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The problem with much of the earlier outreach in the Middle East and Muslim world is that it’s hard to persuade folks by just changing the wrapping paper on the box if the contents of that box, in this case U.S. policies that alienate Arabs and Muslims, remain essentially the same.
The Iran-ISIS Connection
Posted June 12th, 2015 at 5:58 pm (UTC-5)
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The president decided that a deal with Iran is the be-all and end-all of his second term in office. And to reach that deal, he would have to make nice with the clerical regime in Tehran, subordinating all other regional issues that might get in the way.
Obama’s Tacit Alliance with Iran Against ISIS Is Doomed to Failure
Posted June 9th, 2015 at 12:20 pm (UTC-5)
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Rather than revamp a failed strategy, U.S. officials now appear ready to rely (at least tacitly) on Iran to help roll back the jihadis.
No Easy Fix for the Middle East
Posted June 8th, 2015 at 2:19 pm (UTC-5)
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The Islamic State. Iraq. Syria. The words speak for themselves: the Middle East is unraveling. US policy has been faulted – from conservatives and liberals alike – for allowing the chaos – and failing to secure a deal between Israel and the Palestinians. But there’s another narrative gaining steam, one that says Obama isn’t to blame. There’s no easy fix.
Bypass Iraqi Government
Posted May 21st, 2015 at 3:54 pm (UTC-5)
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The United States should move to directly support Sunni tribes against ISIS, outside of the Iraqi government if necessary, much as the U.S. did to support the Kurdish peshmerga last year.