David Ignatius
Monday, August 1, 2016 - 15:06
As the U.S.-led coalition has begun to gain ground against the Islamic State in Syria, officials have begun focusing attention on another jihadist group they fear may pose a more dangerous long-run threat there, the al-Qaeda affiliate known as Jabhat al-Nusra.
Monday, May 23, 2016 - 06:13
The raw Sunni recruits in crisp camouflage uniforms, popping off rounds at the firing range at a U.S. training camp here, illustrate the dilemma for the United States as it seeks to form a strong military force to drive the Islamic State from its capital, Raqqah.
Friday, February 27, 2015 - 07:22
The Obama administration’s decision to engage Egypt is “a case of realpolitik over idealism,” concedes one official. But it’s also the right policy choice.
Thursday, February 12, 2015 - 12:19
From the heights here, you have a panoramic view of the strategic territory west of Mosul that Kurdish peshmerga fighters, supported by U.S. warplanes, have won back from the Islamic State over the past month. The main road linking Mosul with the Syrian border has been cut and nearly 100 square miles have been liberated.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 - 07:51
What went wrong for the U.S.-backed government in Yemen, and what are the consequences for counterterrorism operations there against al-Qaeda’s most dangerous affiliate? Both questions have disturbing answers.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015 - 05:37
What happened in Yemen is not very different from the stories of other Arab nations shaken by the “Arab Spring” revolutions. U.S. military intervention hasn’t checked the disintegration, nor has American retreat. This history is being written by the Arabs, not outsiders. Foreign assistance can help strong, broadly based governments but not fragile, polarized ones.
Friday, November 21, 2014 - 06:26
A centerpiece of President Obama’s strategy for defeating the Islamic State is mobilizing tribal fighters to join the Iraqi military in retaking Anbar province and others dominated by Sunnis. But new research shows that the jihadists have been working since 2009 to gut the very Sunni tribal leadership on which Obama’s rollback depends — making the U.S. campaign much more difficult.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - 06:50
Here’s a national-security riddle: How can President Obama provide limited military support on the ground to help “degrade and ultimately destroy” the Islamic State without formally violating his pledge not to send U.S. combat troops? The answer may lie in the legal alchemy known as “Title 50.”
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 07:22
If Obama wants to send a signal that he’s serious about helping a new Iraqi government, he should consider sending retired Gen. David Petraeus and former ambassador Ryan Crocker — the two Americans who probably know Iraq best — to Baghdad as his special envoys.
Friday, July 11, 2014 - 10:39
Obama's counterterrorism framework has some obvious conceptual holes: It assumes that countries such as Libya and Yemen can be put back together and turned into functioning allies after near-death experiences. It extends partner status to countries such as Egypt and Turkey, which are perilously close to being autocratic dictatorships despite their long history of friendship with the United States. And it ignores altogether the role, positive or negative, of Iran.