The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has been the focus of most media attention since its series of military victories in Iraq, but it is not the greatest threat to the Iraqi state, says Amb. Robert Ford. Rather, the success of the organization is a symptom of a deeper problem: the unresolved issue of the Sunni Arab community's future in Iraq.

Religious pluralism has been under threat and sectarianism on the rise during the ten-year (2004-2014) tenure of outgoing president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Carool Kersten explains how local and regional authorities condone (and sometimes even stimulate) intimidation and hate crimes.

Westerners who have joined the ranks of radical groups fighting in Syria have been likened to time bombs—and in May one of them exploded in Brussels. Jamie Dettmer explains the importance of balancing preventive measures and the rights of domestic Muslim communities.

Nadine Abdalla explains why the establishment of new trade unions that are truly representative of the labor force would reduce the proliferation of protests and allow labor to bargain more successfully.

With the Syrian civil war raging and the ISIS offensive in northern Iraq creating a fresh crisis, Turkey is dealing with new security, political, and economic challenges. Gonul Tol answers questions about how Turkey is responding to its predicament.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is suddenly fighting for his political life and the country of Iraq. Maliki has been a solid friend of Iran, but rapidly shifting realities inside Iraq can turn him into an expendable ally. Alex Vatanka examines the responses of Iranian moderates and hawks to Iraq's ISIS crisis.

The 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, in which Israel intercepted the Turkish ship bound for Gaza carrying aid, killing ten activists, soured relations between the two countries for several years. With those ties now on the mend, Geoffrey Aronson explores the potential for trade agreements, particularly between Turkey and the West Bank and Gaza.

A digital replica of King Tut’s tomb recently opened in Luxor's Valley of the Kings, putting Egypt at the heart of new technologies aimed to encourage tourism while preserving original heritage sites. Maria Golia discusses the project, plans for more replicas, and how such initiatives can help Egypt's flagging tourism industry.