News Analysis
So Much for the Pivot
Fukuyama: Obama Fixates on ISIS, Neglects Threat of Russia and China

President Obama’s fixation on ISIS and terrorism in general is leading his administration to prioritize the wrong threats. The rise of Russia and, especially, China presents far graver threats.

Iraq Disintegrates
Kurds See Silver Lining in Iraq Cataclysm

Turkey moved to subdue its long-running ethnic conflict on Thursday, and Israel joined it in reaching out to Iraqi Kurdistan. There may be at least one potential beneficiary from the chaos in Iraq.

Conference on Democracy Promotion
Panel: "The Authoritarian Threat"

Andrew Nathan, Zainab al-Suwaj, Ruth Wedgwood, and David J. Kramer spoke on a panel entitled “The Authoritarian Threat” as part of a recent conference on “Re-thinking Democracy Promotion Amid Rising Authoritarianism.” The conference was jointly sponsored by The American Interest, Freedom House, and Johns Hopkins-SAIS.

Shale Goes Global
US Inches Toward Exporting Crude Oil

The Commerce Department permitted two companies to start exporting oil from Texas’s Eagle Ford shale formation this week, and the firms could begin sending what is essentially unrefined oil abroad in August, the first time in nearly forty years.

Ukraine Signs The Association Agreement As Civil War Simmers On

The signing of the Association Agreement brings to a close the process which precipitated the standoff between Russia and the West. But the standoff itself is far from over.

Karbala all over again
25,000 Indian Shi’a Declare Readiness to Fight in Iraq

As ISIS continues to gain ground, the Shi’a are getting worried. Now, 25,000 Indian Shi’a have signed up to go defend Shi’i holy sites in Iraq.

Uber Alles
Taxi Protests Hit DC

Yesterday taxi drivers angry over Uber held up traffic over D.C. The result? Paying customers trying to hail taxis had a harder time finding them.

Online Assets
Will Terror Victims Own the Iranian Internet?

In an effort that may not succeed, U.S. and Israeli victims of Iranian, Syrian, and N. Korean terror have gained permission from a U.S. court to take control of those countries’ domain names. Will this give rise to another outcry against U.S. oversight of the internet?

The World Ignites
Kerry Strikes Out in Iraq, Egypt

Egypt and Iraq both ignored Secretary of State John Kerry this week. This was not a freak occurrence, but the foreseeable fruit of a deliberate American policy.

Human Wrongs
Move to Rename Chinese Embassy’s Street Is a Pointless Gesture

An amendment to a State Department budget bill would rename the street of China’s U.S. embassy after a Chinese dissident. This is exactly the kind of reckless, feel-good gesture that makes the work of promoting human rights around the world even harder.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
© The American Interest LLC 2005-2026
About Us Privacy
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.