Fareed Zakaria Commentary

Why America Needs Allies

We can't do everything alone. The Latvian ambassador explains why American military aid to NATO members is essential to winning the Afghan War.

Our Friend Pakistan

The recent talks went pretty well, but Washington and Islamabad have a long way to go in improving their relationship.

A New Dictator?

Nouri al-Maliki is exhibiting worrying authoritarian tendencies.

A False Awakening

Afghanistan is not Iraq. Cutting deals with “the tribes” will backfire.

The Folly of Nation Building

The United States doesn’t really know how to build nations anywhere, even when security conditions are relatively good. How can we expect to succeed in Afghanistan?

Afghanization

More troops won’t fix Afghanistan. Our best bet is to create Afghan partners who can fight terrorists on their own.

Losing Friends

America is close to losing some of its key allies. A rift has formed with Germany over Afghanistan, and Europe is searching for an exit strategy. Will Obama do the same?

A Meaningless Election

The winner of the Afghan presidential elections won't matter. To stabilize the country, we should instead talk to the most important political force in Pashtun areas—the Taliban.

Obama's Sins of Omission

A scathing domestic dispute over health care is no reason for Obama to abandon his foreign-policy responsibilities. If he doesn't make hard choices soon—on everything from immigration to Iran—he may be a one-term president.

Loose Nukes

An arms race more unstable than the U.S.-USSR standoff during the cold war is fast becoming the reality in the Israel-Iran atomic confrontation.

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May 26, 2012