Accepting austerity may not lead to political oblivion, Portugal’s elections show. The government of Mariano Rajoy in Spain is resting easy.

The largest audience for Putin’s Syrian concerto isn’t in the Middle East or the U.S. but in Europe.

The Taliban appear to have the momentum, even if they ultimately lose this battle for the city.

President Obama may not have a coherent strategy. But maybe it’s too soon to judge with confidence how the end result of his contradictory, floundering policies might play out—in the Middle East and in the world at large.

As Russia bombs every rebel in Syria except ISIS and Iran and the Saudis square off over dead pilgrims and arms shipments to Yemen, could instability spread to the vital oil producing and shipping areas of the Middle East? Quite possibly.

There are few clearer illustrations of the way that blue institutions crush blue political constituencies.

The U.S. must not let Russia and Iran become Europe’s solution to Syria.

As the fighting bogs down in Syria and passions become ever more bitter, an organized “population exchange” along sectarian lines is taking place.

President Obama got elected promising to always engage with implacable foes of the United States. Putin, for one, has taken advantage of Obama’s outreach every single time.

China—like the rest of the world—doesn’t have to embrace green pessimism and anti-growth economics to make real progress in reducing its carbon footprint.