David Ignatius's Blog, page 75

The Saudi engine of repression continues to run at full speed

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is far from altering his impulsive behavior.

How will the erratic Trump presidency function without Jim Mattis?

Life without Jim Mattis in the Trump administration is the scary reality of this new year.

Trump’s Syria withdrawal snatches defeat from the jaws of victory

The reasons for the president’s decision remain a mystery to some of his subordinates.

A look into the crystal ball for Jan. 1, 2020

For this quiz, your guesses are as good as mine.

Can Trump revive his deal with North Korea?

The promise of the Singapore summit could be a chance to upgrade the peninsula’s security.

What Trump’s Syria decision means on the front lines of the fight against the Islamic State

A Kurdish commander says the sudden U.S. pullout “was something we never expected.”

The loyal Marine reached his limit

On Thursday night, something snapped, and the unflappable Mattis did something that’s rare and precious in Washington: He resigned on principle.

Trump’s abrupt decision to pull American troops from Syria is riskier than it looks

What’s truly distressing is that until now, the United States had something of a virtuous cycle going in the region.

How Russia used the Internet to perfect its dark arts

The West’s open, democratic culture makes it an easy online target.

China’s hybrid warfare against Taiwan

A daily campaign to undermine Taiwan’s democracy and promote fealty to Beijing.