Policy Analysis

The United States should not intervene militarily in Iraq's nascent civil war -- at least not yet.

Why ISIS brags about its brutal sectarian murders in Iraq.

The group's large-scale criminal enterprises make it particularly vulnerable to measures such as Congress's recently introduced Hezbollah International Financing Act of 2014.

An expert on jihadist groups discusses whether ISIS will make more enemies than friends in Iraq as it continues its recent strategy of mixing violent repression with well-funded social work.

ISIS would likely welcome deeper involvement from the IRGC.

Who is ISIS, why has Iraq's army crumbled, and how can the United States help? Three experts discuss these and other issues during a Washington Institute Policy Forum.

The civil war between Assad and his opponents has steadily transformed into a global jihad.

If U.S. policy was to "wait and see" how the Hamas-approved Palestinian reconciliation process would unfold in practice, the test is now.

Washington should use the State Department's upcoming annual "Trafficking in Persons" report to amplify international calls for strategic Persian Gulf partners to reform their expatriate labor practices.

Iran's compartmented nuclear program and fears of sabotage have complicated efforts to address IAEA concerns about the program's suspected military side.

Iran's proxy groups have been working closely with Iraqi government forces for some time and will likely become more important to Baghdad in light of recent events.

The full extent of Salafi jihadist inroads in the kingdom will likely remain unknown until the war in Syria ends, but the current indicators are troubling.

The group's approach to other areas it has seized -- a mix of harsh repression and soft-power outreach -- offers insight into how it might consolidate control in Mosul.

The ISIS invasion of Iraq reflects a wider war between Shiites and Sunnis for control of the Middle East.

The Mosul crisis highlights how ISIS has established a potent cadre of foreign jihadists who freely operate across the rapidly disappearing Iraq-Syria border.

Ambassador Ross discusses how Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other regional states view the resumption of negotiations with Iran, and what Washington can do to assuage their concerns.

As ISIS marches toward Baghdad, can Washington afford to sit on the sidelines?

The former secretary of state's memoirs illustrate how Egypt's misplaced focus on supposed American conspiracies has exacerbated U.S. skepticism regarding Cairo's recent political direction.

Military coordination with Hezbollah may be providing a quick fix, but the country's long-term strength can only be achieved with a reconstituted March 14 coalition.

Despite the Muslim Brotherhood's extrication, fear is still the primary motivator of Egyptian politics, which does not bode well for fostering stability and inclusiveness.