The Foreign Service Journal, March 2015

16 MARCH 2015 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL SITE OF THE MONTH: The Iran Primer W hen he coined the phrase “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma” in 1939, Winston Churchill was referring to the Soviet Union. But many international relations scholars believe it an apt descrip- tion of present-day Iran, referring to the richness and complexity of the country’s cultural and political heri- tage. After 30 years of estrangement between Washing- ton and Tehran, however, most Americans know very little about the most basic facts concerning Iran and its people. Happily, The Iran Primer (http://iranprimer.usip. org), self-described as “the world’s most comprehen- sive website on Iran,” offers extensive information and insights, food for thought for the expert and layperson alike. Launched in 2010 as a joint project of the U.S. Insti- tute for Peace and the WoodrowWilson International Center for Scholars, The Iran Primer is an ongoing online compendium of essays by 50 of the world’s top Iran scholars, representing 20 foreign policy think-tanks, eight universities and senior foreign policy officials from six U.S. administrations. The site is centered on the book The Iran Primer , edited by journalist, author and USIP Joint Fellow Robin Wright and published by USIP in 2010. The book is available in hard copy, and its individual essays, as well as the new articles featured regularly on the website, are available for download from the site. A “living website,” The Iran Primer gives readers up- to-the-minute analysis of current events that have major implications for Iran, the United States and the world as a whole, such as the ongoing nuclear negotiations, Iran’s position on the Islamic State group, the power dynam- ics of regional elections and what the recent drop in oil prices means for the Iranian economy. In addition, it has archived articles from 2010 onward, making it easy to trace the evolution of both American and Iranian policy. The site brings a wide range of perspectives to the table, and is a great source for background information and a variety of analytical opinions. The site also has sections devoted to U.S. policy, Iranian policy, profiles of important Iranian government officials and religious fig- ures, and interviews with American and Iranian scholars. The Iran Primer is an excellent resource for anyone looking to untangle the complicated American-Iranian diplomatic relationship and to understand Iran as a country in greater depth. —Shannon Mizzi, FSJ Editorial Intern mission is to oversee U.S. programs and operations in Afghanistan, ensuring that American tax dollars are being used effectively. For the full report, go to the SIGAR website ( www.sigar.mil) . —Susan Brady Maitra, Managing Editor Ebola Update: Grand Challenge Winners T hough the rates of new Ebola infec- tions in West Africa have slowed dramatically, the U.S. Agency for Devel- opment’s work to combat the crisis is not finished. In December the agency announced the winners of “Fighting Ebola: A Grand Challenge for Development.” USAID launched the “Fighting Ebola” chal- lenge in early October—in partnership with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Defense—to seek ways