“Empty political space will be filled by extremists unless the United States and its allies build strong local forces that can suppress terrorist groups and warlords both. When the U.S. creates such local forces, it must be persistent. If it withdraws from these efforts, as America did in Iraq in 2011, it invites mayhem.”

American journalist and novelist

David Reynolds Ignatius is an American journalist and novelist. He is an associate editor and columnist for The Washington Post, and his career has also included teaching and fellowship work at Harvard University. He was born in 1950, and 93 quotes on this site are attributed to him. Ignatius has written eleven novels. Among them is Body of Lies, which was adapted for film by Ridley Scott. His work spans journalism and fiction, with writing that often reflects politics, intelligence, and public affairs.