Argument
A Sea Change on Campus
A wave of protests across the United States has brought over 1 million mostly young people to the streets. It signals to some observers that U.S. support for Israel has become anathema to a new generation, which sees the struggle in Palestine as akin to past fights against U.S. support for South Africa and the Vietnam War.
Sri Lanka’s Disappeared
Over three decades, more than 30 mass graves have been found in Sri Lanka, believed to be of those who disappeared during the civil war and armed communist rebellions. But efforts to uncover the truth are continually obstructed by the authorities, making families — seeking closure — live and die without answers.
The Fiasco of Iranian Diaspora Politics
Amid new crackdowns and the threat of war, Iranians, both in Iran and across the diaspora, are asking why the Woman, Life, Freedom movement failed and the Islamic Republic endures. Their hopes for change depend on an organized and effectively led political alternative that has yet to emerge.
Ramadan and Eid’s Crescent Wars
Controversy over how to determine the dates of Ramadan and Eid has long been framed as being about the science of astronomical calculation versus religious traditionalism. Yet this fails to capture the legal heart of the question, and obscures the politics of what I like to call the “Crescent Wars.”
How Henry Kissinger Bungled the Arab Oil Embargo
Most public debate about Kissinger’s legacy has concerned the morality of his “realism.” Yet examining his approach to U.S.-Saudi relations at a key moment reveals little strategic thinking and more of an ad hoc style, influenced by deep ideological values and a naive understanding of the Middle East.
A Last Gasp for the Peace Process in Turkey
While political repression and violent conflict have intensified since 2015, the 2023 general election and the departure of Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, were a turning point. The retreat of Turkey’s Kurds from formal politics portends an intensification of the conflict in the months ahead.
The Statements We’re Obliged To Make Tend To Be False
If something has to be said, and said in public, there’s a decent chance that it’s a lie. Think of history’s favorite shibboleths: separate but equal; the war to end all wars; we value your privacy. Yet when these pronouncements are made, they also offer a shortcut to the truth.