Terrorism & Extremism

Noureen Akhtar It was no normal day in Kabul on the 20th of August 2025. The city, once ravaged by war and suspicion, welcomed an event that could redraw the region’s map, the sixth Pakistan-Afghanistan-China trilateral meeting. For decades, Afghanistan has been considered a theater of disorder, characterized …

Rany Ballout Unifying and deradicalizing Syria’s armed forces will be the regime’s most formidable challenge. The United States has now lifted all sanctions on Syria, except on some individuals and entities associated with the former Assad regime. Additionally, the United States has revoked the foreign terrorist organization designation …

Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday called on UN member states to adopt concrete measures, including targeted sanctions and an arms embargo, to hold Israel accountable for grave violations against Palestinians during a high-level UN conference on Palestine set for July 28–29. The ministerial-level meeting, co-hosted by France …

Eldar Mamedov Russia sees much to gain from engaging with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Earlier this month, in a move that surprised some, Russia formally recognized the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The decision reflected a calculated geopolitical strategy rather than an ideological endorsement. By engaging with the …

Ferial Ara Saeed Saudi Arabia and the UAE have emerged as central components in the Trump administration’s AI strategy. But interdependence carries its risks. Red Cell The Red Cell series is published in collaboration with the Stimson Center. Drawing upon the legacy of the CIA’s Red Cell—established following …

Abdul Haq In a historic decision that reflected worries about a more unstable world, leaders of NATO decided to increase defense spending commitments to 5% of GDP by 2035 at the June 2025 summit. In a time of ‘global competition,’ NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized that ‘Europe and …

Leon Hadar The longtime pro-Israel bipartisan consensus in American politics is fading—precisely at the moment Israel needs it most. It has become a worn trope among anti-Semitic political commentators that the United States regularly sends its soldiers to “die for Israel.” Yet while Israel has relied on generous …

Seth J. Frantzman The June 22 attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus underscores the threat of extremism in Syria even after the fall of Assad. The new government must demonstrate control and protect minorities. An attack on a church on Sunday, June 22, killed 25 people …

Israel’s surprise attack on Friday, June 13, dealt heavy blows to Iran, including the assassination of several top military commanders and nuclear scientists, and the targeting of nuclear and military sites. With Iran’s radar defense systems hacked, the Israeli Air Force effectively dominated Iranian airspace and successfully struck …