Topic: Southwest Asia

Backchannels Why Israel is even less likely to strike Iran now

Obama appears to be hemming in Israel at every turn. Case in point: A report in which unnamed US officials allege that Israel has obtained access to bases in Azerbaijan, on Iran's border.

Price of August naps: history's rudest awakenings

Stay alert, stay alive – especially in August, when Washington and much of Europe are on autopilot.

Opinion: Why US and Pakistan must draw closer

Nuclear-armed Pakistan is too critical for Washington to abandon again as it moves to withdraw from Afghanistan. The tragic flooding in Pakistan gives the United States a rare opportunity to demonstrate goodwill and break the cynical cycle of its relationship with Islamabad.

Opinion: Price for a potential Israeli strike on Iran? A Palestinian state.

Israel may attack Iran's nuclear facilities soon. The Obama administration must insist that any strike be part of a grand bargain that finally breaks the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Opinion: Bold move to save Afghanistan: Bring back a king

If the United States values stability more than democracy, it will recognize that restoring Afghanistan’s constitutional monarchy is the only thing that will prevent Taliban rule and victory in the war.

Beyond Iraq and Afghanistan, does Washington see the lurking threats against America?

Though focused on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US must mind other trouble spots.

The Castro-Chávez link: What are 30,000 Cuban advisers doing in Venezuela?

The Obama administration has dismissed Venezuela's Hugo Chávez as a pesky loudmouth. But he imperils regional security and freedom.

USA

Opinion: Stop picking on Jimmy Carter

He suffers from an egregiously unfair reputation. His record, though, shows he was quite a good president.

NATO extends Afghanistan tours

Britain and the Netherlands agree to longer tours, delaying a bigger US role in the mission.