David Ignatius's Blog, page 115

Can Xi Jinping control China’s wave of change?

Facing historic uncertainty, China’s leader loosens his grip with one hand while tightening the other.

The tougher U.S. stance in the South China Sea could make it a crisis zone

The United States and China should agree on clearer rules for dealing with incidents at sea.

Team Russia: World Police

Valdimir Putin angles to become Syria and Europe’s protector against the Islamic State.

The United States’ surprise allies in Syria

Kurds and Arabs step up as U.S. training of rebels to fight the Islamic State falters.

A cyclone brews over Saudi Arabia

Two contenders for the throne look to take the kingdom in opposite directions.

With 16 months left in office, here’s what Obama should do in Syria

The question now is how the U.S. can tie down its Syria policy to a more realistic set of objectives.

The U.S. cannot afford to forget Afghanistan and Pakistan

The need for aggressive diplomacy remains.

Russia and the “facts on the ground” in Syria

Russia’s expanded role in the Middle East has been hiding in plain sight for months and doesn’t look so benign.

The U.S. cannot pass Syria on to Putin

Despite his boasts, the Russians can’t defeat the Islamic State.

The paradox of Pope Francis’s power

Unlike Xi Jinping or Vladi­mir Putin, Francis is popular because he disdains the trappings of his position.