In The News

How Fear Won the GOP Debate

Michael Grunwald December 16, 2015
Republican US presidential candidates insist they are ready to attack Islamic State extremists with full force. Some suggest banning refugees, and others go suggest a broader ban on Muslims, extreme measures considering the world has more than a billion Muslims and the CIA estimates that the Islamic State extremists total no more than 50,000. Moderators of the fifth debate bear blame for avoiding...

Call for US Ban on Muslims and Business Deals: IBT

Sarah Berger and David Sirota December 9, 2015
Bans of any sort are not good for business, perhaps especially so when a leading Republican presidential candidate calls for a blanket travel ban for Muslims seeking to enter the United States. One out of seven people in the world are Muslim, and simply uttering the broad and unworkable proposal could disrupt investment plans for Donald Trump’s business. “His company's on-the-ground dealings...

The World Reacts to Candidate’s Proposed Ban on Muslims Entering US

Annie Gowen December 8, 2015
The leading Republican candidate for US president handed the Islamic State terrorists a new recruiting message by proposing a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Other candidates, both Democrats and Republicans, swiftly condemned the proposal as “unhinged” and “unconstitutional.” The billionaire, a former reality television star known for extemporaneous and shocking comments, called for “a...

San Bernardino Redefines Obama's Remaining Time in Office

Susan Page December 7, 2015
US President Barack Obama entered office charged with ending war in Iraq. His final year in office will center on defeating Islamic State extremists that have emerged amid power vacuums in the same region, in the wake of civil war leaving 200,000 dead in Syria and millions displaced. The new push on terrorism comes as the Islamic State uses social media to incite sympathizers in launching attacks...

Egypt's Islamist Surprise

Mohamed El Dahshan August 21, 2012
Concerns emerged after the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Mohamed Morsi, prevailed in Egypt’s presidential election – about rigid Islamist ways, rejection of the peace treaty with Israel, distancing with the US and inadequate leadership in general. In less than two months, he has surprised many with a moderate stance while neutralizing the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which has controlled...

Democrats Push Obama for Smaller Tax Cut in Stimulus Package

Peter Nicholas January 10, 2009
President Barack Obama faces pressure from his own party to adjust a government economic stimulus plan of $775 billion, reducing tax cuts and spending more on road, bridge and infrastructure construction. The US politicians anticipate that some combination of spending and tax cuts could increase US confidence and improve the overall economy. But tax cuts and spending will also add to the US debt...

From Great Game to Grand Bargain

Barnett R. Rubin December 4, 2008
Afghanistan and Pakistan are major trouble spots and a key source of terrorism, largely because of poverty, minimal education and economic opportunities, and training camps that blame the US, Israel and India for local problems. Yet sending more combat troops to the region won’t improve security, argue authors Barnett Rubin and Ahmed Rashid in an essay for Foreign Affairs. “U.S. diplomacy has...