Argument
A Time for Dialogue
The U.S. is right to be engaging in dialogue with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group currently dominant in Syria. Engagement, not isolation, is the way to ensure that a new Syrian government is inclusive for all Syrians and provides the country with services and security.
Venerating Violence
The killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione has revealed a willingness to excuse violence directed at the powerful on the part of certain sections of the public and the press. This situation is not new, and its historical precursors help to demonstrate its danger.
Liberation in Syria Is a Victory Worth Embracing
For some Arab skeptics, the idea that people from these lands could free themselves from despotism seems so implausible it’s dismissed outright — like prisoners hesitating to walk out of an open cell door. Perhaps, as Arabs, we’ve grown so accustomed to tragedy and humiliation that the concept of victory feels like pure fantasy.
Assad Was Disengaging From Iran, but His Next Steps Are Unclear
No one expected the swift rebel takeover of Aleppo, but during my visit to Damascus last month almost everyone felt that change was in the air. It appeared that Assad might finally be ready to disentangle himself from Iran, but it’s unclear how he might react to the changing situation.
How Democrats Lost Minority Voters
The results of the presidential election reflect a painful reality for the Democrats, as working-class immigrant and minority voters continue to shift toward the Republicans. Absent a shift in its cultural politics, the party could be heading into an electoral death spiral.
Trump’s Plans for the Intelligence Agencies Chart a Dangerous Course
The incoming Trump administration wants to subordinate and remake America’s intelligence agencies. Without these organizations operating as objective windows on reality, decision-making in the White House will suffer, and the checks and balances on both executive power and the reach of the agencies may be tested.
Hezbollah’s Bureaucrat-in-Chief
Naim Qassem, the face Hezbollah chose to put on to address the world in the wake of the killing of its leader, is a frightened face. It sweats. It is uncharismatic and clumsy. It is boring to listen to and painful to watch.