All Policy Analysis by James Jeffrey

Moscow's lack of easy retaliatory options and Ankara's longstanding fear of Russia should forestall any showdown requiring NATO intervention, and the recent shootdown incident will help bring Ankara closer to the alliance in the long term.

Experts weigh in on key questions regarding the perpetrators of the Paris attacks and the proper response, including counterterror and military measures in Syria and Iraq.

A traditional military operation is eluding serious attention for many reasons, but none hold up against the devastation experienced in Syria and Iraq.

The solidarity expressed at the latest regional gathering of senior U.S., European, and Middle Eastern defense officials, diplomats, journalists, and analysts was encouraging, though some aspects of Washington's policies in Syria and elsewhere still need clarification.

Two former U.S. ambassadors explain why a more aggressive campaign against ISIS is necessary to preserving a unified, pro-American Iraq.

Without stronger American military efforts to hurt ISIS and help the rebels, the Vienna summit has little chance of preventing Moscow from taking the driver's seat in Syria.

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

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).

Although the president's speech correctly diagnosed the latest grave challenges to the international order, he has yet to acknowledge that belligerent actors will not respond to U.S. diplomatic signals unless they are backed by U.S. military power.

A former U.S. Army commander and a distinguished diplomat discuss how the nuclear deal could compromise longstanding U.S. interests in the Middle East if Washington does not do a better job of countering Iran's destabilizing ambitions.

If the president's bet on Iran's transformation does not prove to be immediately and demonstrably right, his larger project could suffer the same fate as Bush's in the hands of his successor.

As bold reform efforts and political deadlines roil Baghdad and Erbil, Washington should help resolve the crises as soon as possible so that Iraq can turn back to the urgent fight against ISIS.