Threats

John Kerry: The Cold War Was 'Easy' Compared to Today

The Secretary of State says more economically powerful countries make today's political landscape more complex than it was 50 years ago. By Kaveh Waddell

Policy

Susan Rice: There's No Crisis in U.S.-Israel Relations

The national security advisor responds to reports that the U.S. relationship with Israel is at an all-time low. By Kathy Gilsinan

Threats

DOD Says Midterm Elections Will Not Alter the Defense Budget

Instead, DOD Comptroller Mike McCord sees lawmakers striking some kind of short or long-term budget deal next spring. By Marcus Weisgerber

Policy

The US-Israel Relationship Has Hit a New Low

The gloves are off on both sides, and profound changes could be coming in the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem. By Jeffrey Goldberg

Threats

ISIS Shifts Its Propaganda Tactics

The group's newest propaganda videos seem intended to directly counter Western media reports and spin them in a different light. By Polly Mosendz

Threats

Iran's 'Boots on the Ground' in Iraq Could Backfire on US Interests

As the saying goes, politics makes strange bedfellows. Most forget, however, that wars can produce even more perverse partners. By Graham Allison

Science & Tech

Will This Video Game Raise Awareness About the Syrian Civil War?

The video game "1000 Days of Syria" lets its players navigate the first two years of the Syrian uprising as a Syrian mother, a rebel fighter or an American journalist. By Zach Goldhammer

Threats

Iraq Accuses ISIS of Using Chemical Weapons

Iraq claims the Islamic State used chlorine gas in at least three attacks since the group's summer offensive. By Adam Chandler

Threats

This Is the Roadmap for Closing a Nuclear Deal With Iran

Iran will likely wait out the clock on the Nov. 24 nuclear agreement while telling everyone it's no big deal. Here's what the U.S. can do in the meantime. By Steve LeVine

Threats

Does the US Need a Task Force To Negotiate With Terrorists?

Diane and John Foley want to start a conversation on the U.S. policy that they say led to their son's execution by ISIS. By Matt Vasilogambros

Threats

The World's Wealthiest Terrorists

ISIS has made at least $20 million in ransom this year and millions more in oil revenues, the Treasury Department said Thursday. By Russell Berman

Threats

What the Colorado Teens Headed for Syria Tell Us About ISIS

Now more than ever, the Islamic State group's online recruitment efforts appear to be attracting more young people from far outside the Middle East. By Polly Mosendz

Threats

How 500,000 Iraqi Refugees Are Surviving Under the Shadow of ISIS

How northern Iraqi Kurdistan's displaced people are coping with war and want. By Alice Su

Threats

Iran Could Be Complying With the Interim Nuclear Deal

Depending on whom you ask, the country is taking steps to ensure transparency as international inspectors investigate. By Adam Chandler

Threats

Beyond the Houthi Takeover of Yemen

Will the rise of a new power in Sana'a usher in an era of improved security for Yemen -- or will it bring the country to its knees? By Nasim al Sanani

Threats

Turkey Allows Iraqi Kurds To Join the Fight Against ISIS

The shift in policy—and alliances—underscores the importance of saving Kobani from the Islamic State. By Polly Mosendz

Threats

Executions Could Be Iraq's Real Challenge to Unity

The UN warns that the rising number of death sentences in the country's courts fuels sectarian violence—and empowers ISIS. By Allen McDuffee

Threats

The Pentagon Can't Say If It Stopped the Khorasan Terror Threat

Early reports that Mohsin al-Fadhli, one of the group's leaders, was killed during still can’t be confirmed. By Jordain Carney

Ideas

Even Containment Needs Boots on the Ground

Even to keep ISIL at bay, U.S. or Iraqi forces would need to reclaim some cities – and that requires combat ground troops. By Jerry Meyerle

Threats

America's Awkward Alliance With Turkey Just Got More Awkward

The State Department said Thursday that it held talks about ISIS with a Syrian Kurdish party with links to a group on the U.S. terror list. By Adam Chandler