Islamic State

The First 100 Days: Toward a More Sustainable and Values-Based National Security Approach

An actionable plan for the next administration’s progressive national security agenda.

Interactive: The First 100 Days

This interactive database features nearly 250 recommendations that the next administration can advance, adopt, and implement within the first 100 days to set the country on a path toward a more progressive national security approach.

Putting Diplomacy First

In order to avoid another costly war in the Middle East, the United States must prioritize diplomacy and a more balanced regional stabilization strategy.

The Future of U.S.-Jordanian Counterterrorism Cooperation

As the United States and Jordan enter the next phase of bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, they should work together to continue to strengthen Jordan’s security services.

Losing the War of Ideas

Battlefield victories will prove short-lived without a more focused strategy to tackle terrorist ideology.

Reckless Endangerment: President Trump and the Use of Military Force

President Trump’s impulsive decision-making and reliance on the military as his primary foreign policy tool jeopardizes America’s national security.

Trump’s First 100 Days in the Middle East

While President Trump has so far largely held off on his most reckless policy ideas, his first 100 days show both surprising continuity and troubling shifts that could undercut U.S. interests.

Trump Needs to Understand and Respect These 6 Basic Rules of Counterterrorism

President Trump is ignoring cardinal rules of effective counterterrorism to the detriment of American security and the benefit of the nation’s enemies.

6 Steps the Trump Administration Should Take in Iraq

The Trump administration should quickly take steps to address the damage of the president’s words and policies in his opening weeks in office, and to lay the foundation for an ongoing, sustainable U.S. and international military and diplomatic commitment to help Iraqis avoid a relapse into sectarian conflict or the resurgence of the Islamic State.

Toward a More Perfect Union: The Struggle for Security in Libya

If Libya is to successfully rebuild and become a more stable presence in an unstable and volatile region, the Libyan people must support one government. Just as importantly, the issue of security must be addressed.

Open Questions on National Security for President-Elect Donald Trump

Increasingly serious national security questions face the president-elect amid growing conflicts of interest.

Leveraging U.S. Power in the Middle East

The next U.S. administration should advance a long-term affirmative agenda that deepens engagement with long-standing partners, builds a new framework for regional cooperation, and utilizes America’s unique leverage and assets to advance U.S. interests and values.

Next Steps in Libya

Libya’s problems are legion, but establishing a single government and creating a more secure environment are the first orders of business to build a functioning Libyan state and economy.

After Liberation

If the U.S. investment in military operations in Iraq is to pay lasting dividends and set the scene for long-term success in the region, it must be accompanied by stabilization efforts in areas liberated from the Islamic State.

Emerging Threats and New Trends in Turkish Foreign Policy

Turkey is set to downsize its foreign policy ambitions and reduce its confrontational style in regional politics.

Turkey at the Heart of the Storm

While the European Union grapples with a refugee crisis and the United States leads the charge against the Islamic State, only Turkey is on the front lines of both crises.

The Flow of Foreign Fighters to the Islamic State

Addressing the problem of IS foreign fighters will require an approach that does not prioritize short-term crisis responses over long-term solutions—the foundation of which begins with placing equal urgency on both the source and the destination.

President Obama Is Right to Visit Baltimore Mosque

Anti-Muslim bigotry runs counter to American values and threatens national security.

Anti-Muslim Sentiment Is a Serious Threat to American Security

ISIS is following a clear and determined strategy to provoke an anti-Muslim backlash and ignite a clash of civilizations.

After the Paris Attacks

To turn the tide against ISIS, America needs to step up its military and diplomatic campaign and reject voices calling for the country to turn against refugees and Muslims.

Standing Up Against Islamophobia

Islamophobia is morally wrong and harmful to America’s security.

Confronting the Terror Finance Challenge in Today’s Middle East

The United States must update its terror finance policy framework to meet new challenges and enduring threats from state actors and nonstate groups.

Understanding ISIS

Assessing the Anti-ISIS Campaign After the First Year

Brian Katulis, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Turkish Model

The United States has conceived of Turkey as a model country in successive foreign policy constructs, complicating engagement with this problematic ally.

Confronting ISIS One Year On

A Conversation With Special Presidential Envoy Gen. John Allen

Recalibrating the Anti-ISIS Strategy

The U.S.-led coalition needs to better integrate its political and military efforts.

Exploring Avenues for China-U.S. Cooperation on the Middle East

This September, a major bilateral summit that brings the leaders of both China and the United States together will offer another opening to deepen bilateral ties for the mutual benefit of both countries, as well as the rest of the world.

Turkey Should Welcome Kurdish Gains in Northern Syria

Syrian Kurdish fighters and their allies have taken a key border town from ISIS but have been met with opposition from the Turkish government. This should change.

An Ounce of Prevention

To save lives and blunt the impact of the terror tactics used by ISIS and other militant groups, the United States and other countries must cooperate to stem the flow of improvised explosive device, or IED, components and reinforce global partnership.

Helping Prime Minister Abadi Beat ISIS and Hold Iraq Together

The Iraqi prime minister’s visit offers an important chance to take stock of the anti-ISIS campaign and make important adjustments.

The Plight of Christians in the Middle East

Some of the world's oldest Christian communities are disappearing in the very lands where their faith was born. The status of Christians in the Middle East is an important sign of broader regional trends in religious freedom, pluralism, and tolerance.

New Anchors for U.S.-Egypt Relations

The United States and Egypt need new anchors of economic and diplomatic cooperation to avoid bilateral drift and to respond to recent regional turbulence.

Addressing the Gaps in Syria Policy in the Fight Against ISIS

U.S. military action in Syria must remain focused on degrading the terrorist threat while pushing for a political transition from the Assad regime.

Understanding Authorizations for the Use of Military Force

This issue brief outlines potential sources of authority for lawful military actions and recommendations for a new congressional authorization directed at the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.

Supporting the Syrian Opposition

The Obama administration has an important opportunity to adjust its course in Syria and Iraq, particularly regarding the threat posed by ISIS, and assume a more engaged leadership role.