A Free Syrian Army fighter feeds a cat in the old city of Aleppo. (Credit: REUTERS/Muzaffar Salman)

By the Editors

Which Way Did the Taliban Go?
By Luke Mogelson
New York Times Magazine

A week in the life of an Afghan National Army battalion. The war looks very different with no Americans around.

Mutiny in Kabul
By Adam Zagorin
Foreign Policy

Current and former guards at the embassy in Kabul have voiced their concerns about security at the embassy for quite some time, asserting that security vulnerabilities leave it open to attack. But what’s the history of this troubled security team at one of America’s most important embassies?

Barak’s Last Battle
By Jonathan Tepperman
Foreign Affairs

Ehud Barak may have announced his coming exit from politics, but he may just be preparing for his future comeback. Chances are he has no intention of simply fading away.

The Party Faithful
By David Remnick
The New Yorker

Israeli settlers aren’t just pushing to annex the West Bank. They’re gunning for political presence as well. With Israeli elections coming up, what will the popularity of this new right-wing party, Habayit Hayehudi, do for the Israeli political climate?

The Moor Strategy
By Roger Kaplan
The Weekly Standard

Until last year, Mali may have been the poster-child for liberal democracy in West Africa. Mauritania’s president, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, speaks about Islamists and troubles facing the Sahel.