The US and Iran have been holding quiet talks. That is good news for Afghanistan, I explain here.
Trump
India, Russia, and the S-400 Deal
My new article, available here, considers the political ramifications of the S-400 missile deal between India and Russia.
The Crisis in US-Saudi Relations
I have a new piece up at TRT World on the escalating crisis in US-Saudi relations, and the possibility that Riyadh will get closer to Russia and China as a result.
Imran Khan is Not Pakistan’s Donald Trump
Pakistan’s next prime minister, Imran Khan, is often compared to the US President, Donald Trump. But there are various differences between the two politicians, as I explain in my latest piece.
Trump’s Afghan Quagmire
Read my long essay on Afghanistan in this month’s issue of Pakistan Politico, which argues that Trump’s new strategy for the war has largely failed to achieve results.
New Writing on Iran & Afghanistan
In a rare double-whammy, I have two new articles out today, the first examining the durability of the Russia-Iran alliance (at Prospect Magazine), the second looking at the surprising drop in civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year (at National Review).
Trump’s Risky Pakistan Strategy
Last week the Trump administration announced it would be suspending all US security assistance to Pakistan. Here is my new piece at Prospect Magazine arguing why that is a risky move.
New Memoir on Guantanamo & Torture
My latest, in today’s Mail on Sunday, takes an exclusive look at a new memoir about Guantanamo and torture by Mark Fallon, who oversaw interrogations there after 9/11.
Why Pressuring Pakistan Will Not Be Easy
Read my latest, which argues that Pakistan has gravitated away from the US and its allies, cultivating stronger ties with China and other countries outside the western bloc. This deprives the US of leverage and might undermine President Trump’s desire to pressurize Pakistan into changing its policies. (Thanks to the Center for Research & Security Studies in Islamabad, which also ran the piece on their website here).
Trump’s “New Strategy” for Afghanistan
Read my long essay responding to President Trump’s not-so-new strategy for the war in Afghanistan.