Defeating IS would involve a long-term, comprehensive strategy. Here is how to do it. By: Zalmay Khalilzad More so than encompassing narratives, such as Pan-Arabism and Islamism, local identities have gained in recent years in the Middle East, politicizing and militarizing the conflict between Shiites and Sunnis in Syria and Iraq. These trends have created an opening for the Islamic …
To fight the Islamic State, Kurdish and Iraqi forces need expedited aid
By: Zalmay Khalilzad During the past few days, the extremist group known as the Islamic State has made significant advances. After consolidating its gains since the fall of Mosul and other Sunni areas, the group sought to move toward Baghdad. For now, that advance has been blocked by Shiite militias, what remains of the Iraqi forces and assistance from Iran …