The Taliban is not winning in Afghanistan. But it’s also not losing
The Afghan conflict is — as it has been for years — a stalemate.
Foreign Concept
Foreign Concept provides international affairs coverage by Mark Porubcansky, a foreign correspondent and editor for 30 years, who, until recently, served as foreign editor of the Los Angeles Times.
If the Trump era is about putting America first, those 200,000 Salvadorans should not only stay, they should become citizens
Here’s a thought: Let those who already act like Americans actually be Americans.
No, Iran’s Islamic Republic is not on its last legs
The meaning of the unrest can be easily obscured by wishful thinking and rhetorical nonsense.
Is Trump’s Middle East policy a success — or just a non-disaster?
In an otherwise disturbing year, the collapse of the Islamic State stands as one bright spot.
The #metoo movement is bringing down politicians in Europe, too
As in the U.S., new cases arising in Europe are frequently about abuse of power, and sometimes about outright criminal behavior.
What Trump should do about North Korea: Talk
It would be hard to do. And it’s by no means risk free. But it’s a lot better than the alternatives.
Myanmar and the Rohingya Muslims: There is no quick, morally satisfying solution
More than 600,000 Rohingha have fled to Bangladesh since August. The best option might start with measured international pressure to ensure they can go home.
If the U.S. wants to protect its next elections from Russian interference, it’s going to have to work around Trump
The U.S. is like a homeowner who leaves the front door unlocked after it has been robbed, intelligence experts say.
Why Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption crackdown has little to do with corruption
First, it’s intended to remove any doubt that the crown prince will become king. Second, it’s a message that planned economic reforms won’t be another opportunity for wealthy insiders to get even richer.
The warning signs on Manafort had been there for years. That didn’t stop Trump from hiring him
Over years as a lobbyist in D.C., Manafort’s particular niche became the lucrative foreign market, polishing the images of those with more money than scruples.
No one in China is powerful enough to question Xi Jinping. That’s really dangerous
China needs Xi to recognize his limitations.
Does Labor’s resurgence in the U.K. say anything about U.S. politics?
British politics don’t completely parallel those in the United States. But there have been a lot of similarities in recent years.
Decertifying the Iran deal would be another unforced error by the Trump administration
President Trump is about to show Iran how tough he is – by shooting himself in the foot.
What the Catalonian independence vote and the Las Vegas massacre have in common
Both events fit neatly into Russia’s take on life in the West.
The leader of the free world is a German
There is nobody more central now to preserving the values that define the West — and the network of alliances that maintain it.
The ‘dotard’ and the dictator: How to understand Kim Jong Un’s motives
Let’s just assume for a moment that Kim Jong Un is not unhinged — or engaged in a suicide mission.
For Putin, only one thing matters about Trump: He’s not Hillary Clinton
As far as the Kremlin is concerned, Clinton is the embodiment of meddlesome and wrong-headed ideas that have dominated U.S. foreign policy for a generation.
What’s more poisonous: Brazil’s politics or its toxic sludge?
It’s actually pretty clear now who has been doing what in Brazil. The trickier thing will be punishing them – legally, and politically.
How the American presidential campaign helps understand Putin’s Russia
If millions of Americans are this angry with their lot in life, what should we expect from Russians?
Can a new boss fix the U.N.?
The campaign to find a new leader of the troubled organization is already under way.
