Terrorism
Rumours of a Turkish invasion of northern Syria
There is heightened speculation in Turkey about a long-debated military intervention in northern Syria, where Kurdish forces are battling militants from ISIS.
Both pro- and anti…
Attribution is key to broader ISIS strategy
The suicide bombing of a Shia mosque in Kuwait, shooting of Western tourists in Tunisia, and a beheading and attempt to blow up a chemical factory in France.
Three continents,…
Who are you calling radical, radical?
Fear of ISIS, faltering economies and resentment over rising immigration from war-torn Iraq and Syria has resulted in a surge in right-wing populism in Europe and the UK.
Here in…
Assad's regime is brittle, and it may fall fast
It is not yet possible to say whether, when and how the Syrian regime may fall. But recent military setbacks, and an objective analysis of the challenges the regime faces in the…
Are peace talks in Afghanistan slowly taking shape?
In a positive sign for political reconciliation in Afghanistan, an Afghan Government delegation recently met with Taliban representatives in Qatar – ostensibly for a research…
Countering ISIS online
When you look at the global response to the threat of ISIS, a glaring gap is the cyber domain.
The internet has been critical to the terrorist group's success. It allows it to…
Jihadi recruitment: The Taliban moves to the bottom of the class
On 4 April 2015 the Afghan Taliban made an interesting move: it released a biography of its leader Mullah Omar in order to commemorate the 19th anniversary of his leadership. For…
Just how absurd is the Middle East at the moment?
Even for long-time watchers of the Middle East like myself, the region's enmities and alliances have become very difficult to keep track of.
This has just been taken to a mind…
Are the Khmer Rouge and ISIS similar?
Elliot Brennan's comparison between the Khmer Rouge and ISIS raises a number of questions.
No one is more aware than I of the terrible cost of Khmer Rouge rule in Cambodia…
The shrinking space for piety without violence
The deliberate recruitment of women by ISIS certainly brings a new twist to radicalism. It is something that al Qaeda never quite got the hang of. It is worrisome, because it…