English

With the Islamic State dominating headlines in 2015, Afghanistan went back to being America’s forgotten war. That made it easier to ignore the fact that the Taliban now control more territory than at any time since 2001.

Cameroon President Paul Biya welcomed the engagement of U.S. troops in his country's fight against Boko Haram insurgents. But many Cameroonians do not yet understand the role of the troops in the war.

On Tuesday, Army Col. Steve Warren, a U.S. Defense Department spokesman in Baghdad, said the Iraqi army used a floating bridge given to them by the United States to cross a branch of the Euphrates River, allowing them to make their push into the Ramadi city center

The United States has long depended on a worldwide network of military bases to project power, reassure allies, contain enemies, and fight terrorism. Indeed, as the Islamic State has metastasized, the Pentagon is considering expanding the U.S. basing network in the developing world, particularly in Africa. Renanah Miles and Brian Blankenship of Columbia University describe how China and other countries are joining this quest for bases. They argue the resulting competition is creating a market, and a dysfunctional one, for access. To woo locals, the United States uses commercial ties – often with unforeseen results.