Geopolitical Jihad

Ximena Ortiz, the executive editor of The National Interest journal, has an excellent piece of political analysis over at NationalInterest.org. The piece, called "Geopolitical Jihad" (link here), outlines a nuanced and realistic picture of the motivations and characteristics of modern Islamic extremists, and also provides important insights into the ideals and thought processes of Arab Muslims. She also expertly describes how cultural conceptions and values common among Arabs form their responses to American foreign policy in unexpected ways.

The article is in a league of its own as compared to the mindless blather that passes as political writing in many newspapers. Ortiz gives a great example of how a deep understanding of foreign culture and motives can inform a more realistic and effective foreign policy stance for the United States.