Middle East Studies Online Journal

In this opinion piece Jawad Al Bolani, the interior minister of Iraq, writes that the June 30th withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq’s major cities is the start of a highly uncertain period for Iraqi democracy rather than a historical endpoint to be celebrated.

. . . → Read More: WashPost: Iraq: Mission Not Yet Accomplished

Peter Savodnik writes that Russia, after years of unsuccessfully trying to reclaim superpower status, is rethinking the way it engages with the United States.

. . . → Read More: FP: New Russians

Amel Boubekeur writes that the controversy surrounding Nicolas Sarkozy’s comments on the full-face veil in France has excluded the people it most concerns – the women who wear it.

. . . → Read More: Guardian: France’s Burka Barrier

Eight former Secretaries of State jointly argue that national security requires more sufficient personnel in this article on funding for development and diplomacy.

. . . → Read More: Politico: U.S. Must Deloy More Foreign Diplomacy Personnel

The UN Secretary General’s report looks at the situation in Afghanistan in terms of security, development, governance, and human rights.

. . . → Read More: UN Report of the Secretary General: The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security

This article and interactive timeline highlights the events that made 1979 a seminal year in world history with reverberations still felt, from Iran’s Islamic revolution to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

. . . → Read More: FP: 1979: The Great Backlash