Fall 2009

Editor's Introduction

Writing in World Affairs last year, George Packer noted that, on the home front, the Iraq War was “an abstraction that routinely shades into caricature” and that “the image of Iraq is flickering and formless.” The indictment here was largely, and justifiably in my view, directed at press coverage of the war. I recall a discussion in 2006 with an Army officer, who charged that the media were ... Read More

Talibanistan: The Talibs at Home

Nicholas Schmidle

If you think the Talibs aren't the rainmakers in AfPak these days, try to collect a measly debt—much less win a war—without them. Our correspondent did. (And he still hasn't heard from Western Union.)

Dear Mr. President . . . Read Your Kipling

P. J. O'Rourke

Rudyard Kipling was the voice of British imperialism. Perhaps President Obama should read a few of his poems, lest he forget how well things went in Afghanistan 100 years ago.

The Big Story: Our Embattled Media Marcus Wilford News coverage of the Iraq War will be studied by future journalists and officers alike. ABC's Marcus Wilford offers an initial assessment of what worked—and what didn't.	The Ugly American: A Rhodes Scholar Goes South James Kirchick The New Republic's James Kirchick chronicles the misadventures of a bobo abroad.
Mullahs on the Verge: Iran's People, Iran's Pulpits Abbas Milani Despite the tension mounting between Iran's leaders and practically everyone else—at home and abroad—Abbas Milani argues that the West should address the problem with smart diplomacy, not smart bombs.	Restraining Order: For Strategic Modesty Harvey Sapolsky, Benjamin H. Friedman, Eugene Gholz and Daryl G. Press The world may still need a lot of help, but as Harvey Sapolsky and his colleagues argue, it's time that we divvy up some of the work among our allies.
Spoilers: The End of the Peace Process Elliott Abrams and Michael Singh Elliott Abrams and Michael Singh show how the Middle East peace process has been fatally misguided—and what should be done to fix it.	The Cosmopolitan Tongue: The Universality of English John McWhorter This century promises the death of most of the world's languages, but John McWhorter assures us we probably won't miss them.
Feeble Critiques: Capitalism's Petty Detractors Jagdish Bhagwati Last year's financial crisis has been touted as a cataclysm akin to the fall of Communism, but Jagdish Bhagwati argues that such comparisons exaggerate the problem—and free marketers need not apologize for liberal policies.	American Brethren: Hebrews and Puritans Jim Sleeper From the first Thanksgiving to The Scarlet Letter, the Puritans are well known to most Americans. But as Jim Sleeper reminds us, Cotton Mather and his tribe took more than one of their strokes from the ancient Hebrews—and the influence lives on.

Eurasia Uncovered Hannah Thoburn	Dispatches Michael J. Totten
Spotlight on Russia Vladimir Kara-Murza	Millennial Letters

Fall 2009

Editor's Introduction

Talibanistan: The Talibs at Home

Dear Mr. President . . . Read Your Kipling

The Big Story: Our Embattled Media

The Ugly American: A Rhodes Scholar Goes South

Mullahs on the Verge: Iran's People, Iran's Pulpits

Restraining Order: For Strategic Modesty

Spoilers: The End of the Peace Process

The Cosmopolitan Tongue: The Universality of English

Feeble Critiques: Capitalism's Petty Detractors

American Brethren: Hebrews and Puritans

Regions In Depth

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Fall 2009

Editor's Introduction

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Regions In Depth

Recommended Reading