Profile

Tarnishing the Iron Lady of Africa

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf may be the best president Liberia has ever had. But now even she faces criticism for failing to crack down on corruption.

BY DINO MAHTANI | MAY 28, 2010

Mikey Weinstein's Crusade

Meet the man who's trying to purge evangelical Christianity from the Pentagon.

BY STEPHEN GLAIN | MAY 25, 2010

President Spandex?

The man who once mooned an auditorium of students, dressed up as a superhero to teach civics lessons, and cleaned up Bogotá while he was at it just might become Colombia's next president. 

BY MICHAEL SHIFTER | MAY 4, 2010

Can South Africa's Bungling Ex-President Save Darfur?

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki tries to rewrite the history of his diplomatic career.

BY KATE PRENGEL | FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Keynes: The Return of the Master

Keynesian economics made a brilliant comeback in 2009. It's little wonder why.

BY ROBERT SKIDELSKY | DECEMBER 4, 2009

Al Qaeda's Dissident

How the prison writings of Sayyid Imam al-Sharif, one of al Qaeda's founders now labeled a turn coat, are doing more to expose the terrorist group's hypocrisy than anyone else.

BY JARRET BRACHMAN | DECEMBER 2009

My Nights With Hamid

The world is hounding the Afghan president to crack down on corruption and kick out entrenched warlords. I don't think he's going to do it, and I should know: I’m the man who wrote his autobiography.

BY NICK B. MILLS | NOVEMBER 19, 2009

The Other Vaclav

How the Czech president became Europe's public enemy number one.

BY JIRI PEHE | OCTOBER 12, 2009

Sarkozy's Better Half

If the French president has a hope of getting things done at the G-20, it's because of his philosophic finance minister, Christine Lagarde.

BY ANNIE LOWREY | SEPTEMBER 24, 2009

Was Irving Kristol a Neoconservative?

The "godfather" of neoconservatism started a movement that moved away from him.

BY JUSTIN VAÏSSE | SEPTEMBER 23, 2009

Obama's Eminence Grise

For decades, George Mitchell has worked, quietly and diligently, on Washington's most intractable political problems. This week, he shows his cards on Middle East peace.

BY BRIAN WINTER | SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

Fogh of War

Is the new secretary-general of NATO a slippery opportunist or just a good negotiator?

BY CAMERON ABADI | SEPTEMBER 1, 2009

The Real Winner of Afghanistan's Election

Meet Mohammad Qasim Fahim, the unsavory Tajik warlord whose grip on Afghanistan just got a whole lot tighter.

BY HILLARY MANN LEVERETT | AUGUST 31, 2009

Japan's New Shadow Shogun

A mercurial longtime powerbroker, now disgraced, is behind the rise of Japan's opposition party.

BY TOBIAS HARRIS | AUGUST 27, 2009

Ain't No Sunshine

Kim Dae-jung may have been a democrat, but the late South Korean president was no saint. His true legacy will be one of utter failure in dealing with his northern neighbor.

BY SUNG-YOON LEE | AUGUST 24, 2009

Egypt's Next Strongman

Meet the two men most likely to succeed Egypt’s aging president: His son, Gamal Mubarak, and his spy chief, Omar Suleiman. But does either one really represent desperately needed change?

BY ISSANDR AMRANI | AUGUST 17, 2009

Why a Jailed Dissident Is Palestine's Best Hope

Despite being imprisoned in Israel, Marwan Barghouti proved his popularity at the Fatah party congress. Here's why the politician holds promise for his party and Hamas -- as well as Palestine and Israel in general. 

BY JO-ANN MORT | AUGUST 14, 2009

Meet Afghanistan's Biggest Blogger

How 26-year-old Nasim Fekrat helped create Afghanistan's blogosphere out of thin air.

BY ANNIE LOWREY | AUGUST 12, 2009

Bildt to Last?

He's the diplomat Europe loves to hate. And he's only got five months left.

BY CAMERON ABADI | JULY 30, 2009

The Inept Captain of a Sinking Ship

The rise and fall of Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, and his party.

BY TOBIAS HARRIS | JULY 9, 2009

Commander of the Faithful

Meet the man who is Islamabad and Washington's new Public Enemy No. 1.

BY IMTIAZ ALI | JULY 9, 2009

Uribe Falls to Earth

Colombia's president is used to being wildly popular. But now, his flirtation with a third term may be getting him into trouble.

BY ADAM ISACSON | JULY 3, 2009