What ails Libya’s peace process?

While the UN is seeking a step away from foreign interference in Libya, focusing on transforming the unofficial ceasefire into

From the Wires

The Paradox of America’s Endless Wars

There is no significant anti-war movement in America because there’s no war to protest

Neocons in the Age of Trump? The Case of the FDD and Iran’s “Fake Opposition”

Neoconservatives and like-minded hawks have sought to burnish their public images in the wake of President Trump’s bumbling

From the Wires

The American Chaos Machine: U.S. Foreign Policy Goes Off the Rails

What if this administration’s chaos-sowing proves an end in itself, one that coheres with the millenarian fantasies of

A Pause in the Rush to War

President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, not because it was failing but because it was working. It

Trump Faces Swift Backlash for Killing Soleimani as Iraqi Parliament Votes to Expel U.S. Troops

The assassination of Qassem Soleimani reveals that what threatens the Trump administration is not war with Iran. It’s peace

After 12 Years, LobeLog Bids Farewell

After more than 12 years of operation, LobeLog.com is shutting down and shifting operations to ResponsibleStatecraft.org, an internet

Mending Gulf fences could weaken support for U.S. sanctions against Iran

Saudi efforts to negotiate an end to the Yemen war in a bid to open a dialogue with Iran could

Turkey in the Gulf: Between Regional Aspirations and Setbacks

(Lobelog) In recent years there has been remarkable upheaval between

Pompeo Casts International Law Aside On Israeli Settlement Policy

Trump and Pompeo’s rogue-state behavior--announcing that the US no longer considers Israel settlements in the West Bank

Presidential Candidates Open to Leveraging American Support for Israel

Republicans and Democratics have tried leveraging support to change Israeli behaviour, despite Congress. Shifts in public opinion mean that a

Apocalypse Approach Update

One writer's effort to keep track of Donald Trump’s contributions to the coming of the apocalypse

The New Middle East That’s Coming

After years of bitter rivalry, the Saudis and the Iranians are considering how they can dial down their mutual animosity

U.S. Maximum Pressure Meets Iranian Maximum Pressure

Tehran seems convinced that nuclear non-compliance and regional escalation are more fruitful than compliance and restraint in the face

How ‘Israel Hayom’ became Trump’s mouthpiece in the Middle East

Israel Hayom, the most widely-read newspaper in Israel which is financed by casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, has consistently supported

How the Judiciary is Chipping Away at the War on Terror

Lower courts are slowly but steadily eroding the legal basis for some of the most reactionary war on terror policies

Savior Admirals And Generals, Civilian-Military Relations, And The Presidency

We easily forget a fundamental tenet of strategy: that war serves a coherent political objective is not an end in

A New “Coalition of the Willing”?

Despite treating the U.N. with contempt, the Trump administration is now seeking U.N. help in confronting Iran in

Trump On Going To War With Iran: ‘We May Have To’

(Lobelog) President Trump said this week that he may have to

Israel Is Trying To Hide Its Arms Sales To Duterte’s Philippines

(Lobelog) An Israeli court imposed a media blackout on hearings held

Trying to Exploit Iran’s Diverse Ethnic Population to Advance a War Agenda

The United Against Nuclear Iran, a controversial U.S. pressure group that reportedly receives funding from Saudi Arabia and UAE

Syrian Withdrawal a Dangerous Regional Gambit

Could the Syria debacle finally force some Middle Eastern regimes to begin exploring the possibility of rapprochement with their neighbors

Who, and What, Identifies a Threat?

U.S. foreign policy have been subordinated to a quest to dig up dirt on domestic political opponents

Iran’s View on Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring

The Islamic Republic’s ability to maintain friendly relations with Turkey while standing by its ally in Damascus will be

The Real Cover-Up

“Trump’s shambolic presidency somehow seems less unsavory" when considering the fact that his critics refuse “to admit how massively

The Pentagon Is Pledging to Reform Itself. Again. It Won’t.

Genuine reform of the Pentagon’s budget is urgently needed, but Secretary of Defense Esper’s claims aboutmaking reforms to

Getting the Afghanistan Peace Process Back on Track

A U.S.-Taliban agreement that paves the way for an Afghan peace process is the path more likely than

How the Saudi Oil Field Attack Overturned America’s Apple Cart

The rules of the game have changed: Americans have overwhelming military power in the Middle East, but using it might

Applying Kissinger’s Lessons to Transformational Diplomacy with Iran

The U.S. should support regional governments’ efforts to limit Iran’s power projection as well as Iranian political elements

Iran and the Middle East Amid Shifting Alliances

A security collaboration between Riyadh and Tehran is necessary for the long-term security of the Gulf. If President Trump

The Threat of Bolton Has Receded–But Not the Threat of War

Although John Bolton is out, his bellicose worldview remains the basic operating system of the Trump administration

Advice to US: When You’re Going to a Gunfight, Bring all Your Friends with Guns

The Trump administration is apparently trying to raise a “coalition of the willing” – as did the administration of President George

The Stubborn Persistence of Failed Maximum Pressure Against Iran

Israel’s recent escalation of armed attacks across the Middle East is in large part designed to provoke Iranian retaliation

Israeli Strikes Seek to Bait Iran and Scuttle U.S.-Iran Diplomacy

A new conflagration involving Israel and Iran and its regional allies would tank prospects for U.S.-Iran negotiations and

From the Wires

Taking The U.S. And Iran Off Collision Course

A series of escalations in both word and deed have raised fears of U.S.-Iranian military confrontation, either direct

From the Wires

Russia And The Iran Crisis

Vladimir Putin excels at taking advantage of mistakes made by Russia’s adversaries to further his country’s interests. Donald

From the Wires

The Media’s Shameful Handling Of Bolton’s Iran Threat Claims Recalls The Run-Up To The Iraq War

The Trump administration’s claims about purported Iranian threats have been repeated by credulous reporters and TV news programs far

Trump’s Dogs Of War

This is the cartoon that the international edition of the New York Times should have run, at least as regards

From the Wires

Haftar’s Attempted Coup and Trump’s Collusion over Libya

The assault on Tripoli by Khalifa Haftar, Libya’s renegade general and leader of the self-anointed Libyan National Army

From the Wires

Bolton and the Troika of Tyranny

With all eyes focused these days on Donald Trump and his myriad crimes, John Bolton’s speeches are a reminder

From the Wires

U.S. Aid to Israel: What You Need to Know

Advocates of cutting U.S. aid to Israel rather than using it as leverage must understand how this aid works

From the Wires

Takeaways From The Israeli Election

The new government will, once again, be the most right wing in Israel’s history. But this time, the length

From the Wires

Resolving The North Korea Crisis Through The Iran Deal

Given such a dismal U.S. record on non-proliferation, why should North Korea trust U.S. promises of future

From the Wires

Hawks Clamoring To Attack Iran

As Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

From the Wires

Trump’s Golan Declaration: Foolish And Dangerous

President Trump's announcement that he would recognise Israeli sovereignty over the western part of the Golan Heights destroys the

From the Wires

Senate Takes First Step To End Yemen War, Reorient Foreign Policy

The Senate on Wednesday passed a measure mandating the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the Saudi/UAE-led war

From the Wires

Iran, North Korea, And The Pitfalls Of “Maximum Pressur

The Trump administration's failed “maximum pressure” approach to Iran and North Korea begs the question what the US president

From the Wires

Ilhan Omar: Anatomy of A Smear

In the United States, it’s possible to debate any and every policy, domestic and foreign, except for unquestioning support

From the Wires

Kashmir: A Deadly Enough Crisis To Forget MAGA For A Moment?

While Michael Cohen mesmerized the House of Representatives and President Trump resumed his love affair with North Korea’s Kim

From the Wires

Zarif’s Resignation: Foreign Betrayal, Domestic Infighting

The Trump administration's irresponsible withdrawal from the landmark Iran nuclear agreement undermined Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif

From the Wires

The INF Affair And Nuclear Arms Control Prospects

Europe can play an important role in rebuilding confidence in the non-proliferation regime in the wake of the demise

From the Wires

Policing Democrats For Israel

The decline in Israel’s appeal to Democrats is directly related to the wider awareness of the country’s increasingly

From the Wires

Pompeo: The Real Threat To U.S. National Security

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's dramatic incompetence as the number-one U.S. diplomat is killing this country, session

From the Wires

Europe Is Determined to Save the Iran Deal

François Nicoullaud, the former French ambassador to Iran, discusses the ups and downs of Iran-France relations and the

From the Wires

Trump’s Doomed Quest for a Middle East Strategic Alliance

Effective alliances require that powerful states shoulder a far larger share of the alliance maintenance costs than other states, a

From the Wires

Goodbye, INF Treaty. Hello, New Arms Race?

The new imbroglio over the INF treaty does not mean a revival of the old Cold War practice of nuclear

From the Wires

Has The Arms Industry Captured Trump’s Pentagon?

As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump appeared to recognize the obvious problem of the revolving door. But as the appointment

From the Wires

War Against Iran Becoming Ever More Likely

Domestic troubles, declining popularity, and a decidedly hawkish anti-Iran foreign policy team may combine to make the perfect storm

From the Wires

The Iran Nuclear Deal At Three

The same calculus that brought Iran and world powers to make a deal and has led remaining JCPOA signatories to

From the Wires

Trump Punts on Syria

With Bolton and Pompeo by his side and Mattis departed, Trump may well go with his gut and attack Iran

From the Wires

The Middle East After Pompeo’s Cairo Speech

When will Mike Pompeo realize that his ideological proclivities against Iran and disregard for people’s desire to live freely

From the Wires

Republicans Play “Israel Card” and Fail

As this past week began, with the shutdown of parts of the US government entering its third week, Republicans, desperate

From the Wires

Bolton Counters Syria Withdrawal, Hires Iran Hawk

National Security Advisor John Bolton is bringing reinforcements into the White House to bolster his push for war with Iran

From the Wires

Iran’s Hardliners and Reformists and the Syria Gambit

President Donald Trump’s sudden decision to pull troops out of Syria has given hardliners reason to celebrate, even as

From the Wires

Reviving the Nuclear Disarmament Movement: A Practical Proposal

Although a widespread movement has developed to fight climate change, no counterpart has emerged to take on the rising danger

From the Wires

The Danger of Trump’s Hasty Exit from Syria

Had Washington made an effort after the last time President Trump promised to quit Syria to pursue diplomatic and military

From the Wires

Turning A Corner In Public Opinion Toward Israeli Occupation

U.S. supporters of Israel are in a bind: public opinion is changing; there are more actors publicly challenging Israel

From the Wires

GOP Purse Strings Held By Saudi Lobbyist

As the civilian death toll from Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen grows and the backlash against Saudi Crown Prince

From the Wires

Turkey Vs. Saudi Arabia: Will The U.S. Have To Pick A Side?

Increasingly, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are positioned as rivals, each with pretensions to Middle Eastern influence or even hegemony. It

From the Wires

Our Man in Riyadh

What does President Trump’s recent nomination of retired Army General John Abizaid to become the next U.S. ambassador

From the Wires

A Saudi Bomb?

The Donald Trump administration’s handling of nuclear negotiations with Saudi Arabia promises to lay bare some realities about security

From the Wires

Review: Walt’s Hell Of Good Intentions

Eminent U.S. foreign policy expert Stephen Walt’s new book critique’s the “liberal hegemony” grand strategy that has

From the Wires

Dershowitz Remains On Board Of Mercer-Funded Anti-Muslim Group

(Lobelog)  Retired Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz told LobeLog he

From the Wires

Jobs Are No Excuse For Arming A Murderous Regime

Jobs should not be an excuse to arm a murderous regime that not only appears to be behind the assassination

From the Wires

Trump’s Unprincipled “Principled Realism” Benefits Trump, Not The World

The contradictions in Donald Trump’s foreign policy create opportunities for both rivals and long-standing (if irritated) US allies

From the Wires

Criticism Of Israeli Policy Is Not Anti-Semitic

While the notion that criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic is decades old, it has been bolstered in recent years

From the Wires

Blowback From U.S. Policy In The Greater Middle East

Short-term thinking, expedience, and a lack of strategic caution has led Washington to train, fund, and support group after

From the Wires

The Donald In The Rearview Mirror

Trump is not the problem. Think of him instead as a summons to address the real problem, which in a

From the Wires

The Coming U.S.-Iran Showdown At UN

The United Nations has once again turn into a battleground between the United States and Iran, which are experiencing one

From the Wires

Neoconservative Comeback? They Never Left

In many ways, Donald Trump’s bellicosity, his militarism, his hectoring cant about American exceptionalism and national greatness, his bullying

From the Wires

Congress, White House Reaching Breaking Point On Yemen?

Soon after a Saudi-led coalition strike on a bus killed 40 children on August 9, a CENTCOM spokesperson stated

From the Wires

Donald Trump: Gunrunner for Hire

The Trump administration's massive sales of tanks, helicopters, and fighter aircraft are indeed a grim wonder of the modern

From the Wires

The Energizer Bunny Goes To China

For the past few decades the vast majority of private security companies like Blackwater and DynCorp operating internationally have come

From the Wires

China, The Language Of Virtue, And The Global Order

The West has dominated the post-war narrative with its doctrine of liberal values, arguing that not only were they

From the Wires

American Islamophobia’s Fake Facts

Falsely demonizing all Muslims, their beliefs, and their institutions is exactly the wrong way to make Americans safer, because the

From the Wires

The War Before the Iran War

Division in the ranks of the conservative movement is a critical sign that a war with Iran isn't inevitable

From the Wires

It’s Time for NATO to Go the Way of the Warsaw Pact

Donald Trump stole the headlines, but the declaration from the recent NATO summit suggests the odds of an unnecessary conflict

From the Wires

Will The Trump Administration Attack Iran?

War with Iran may not be imminent, but neither was war with Iraq in late 2001

From the Wires

The Multiple Facets Of The Russia Problem

Donald Trump was one of the many bets the Russians routinely place, recognizing that while most such bets will never

From the Wires

Making Sense Of U.S. Moves In The Middle East

With President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talking openly about a possible “escalation between us and the

From the Wires

Pompeo, Religion, And Regime Change In Iran

The former Kansas congressman and now Secretary of State in the Trump administration once told his constituents in Wichita, “The

From the Wires

Trump’s Latin America Policy: Send in the Troops

President Trump reporteldy has spent a considerable amount of time advocating a U.S. invasion of Venezuela. If Trump and

From the Wires

What’s Behind Trump’s Assault on Europe

Contrary to popular opinion, President Trump is attacking Europe and siding with Russia for political — not just personal — reasons. If

From the Wires

Fear Of An Irish Settlement Boycott

The Irish Senate passed a bill last week that would criminalize doing any business, in goods or services, with Israeli

From the Wires

Mattis, Pompeo, Kelly, Bolton, Coats: Resign Now

Since the secretary of defense, secretary of state, White House chief of staff, national security advisor, and director of national

From the Wires

Trump Goes To Europe: Performing Triage

Backing away from US global responsibilities, shared with other countries, would require not just that President Trump use the powers

From the Wires

The Middle East In Trump’s Wake

The Trumpian new regional order in the Middle East is predicated on strongman rule, disregard for human rights, Sunni primacy

From the Wires

Nuclear Diplomacy With North Korea And Iran: Let The Comparisons Begin

A comparison of U.S. nuclear diplomacy with Iran and the current version with North Korea puts the former in

From the Wires

Promoting Islamophobia In America

Numerous high profile Trump administration officials maintain close ties with anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists. In today’s America, disparaging Islam

From the Wires

Pompeo Digs A Deeper Hole For US Iran Policy

The Trump administration’s nuclear proliferation policy is now in meltdown, one which no threat of “steely resolve”—in Secretary

From the Wires

Infinite War

Congressional midterm elections are just months away and another presidential election already looms. Who will be the political leader with

From the Wires

Tomorrow’s Terror Today

To bolster the president’s arguments for cutting back immigration, the administration recently released a fear-mongering report about future

From the Wires

Taking The U.S. Commission On International Religious Freedom From Bad To Worse

The recent appointment of purveyors of anti-Muslim rhetoric to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom exposes the

From the Wires

Trump’s Iran Sanctions Are an Obvious Prelude to War

Are new U.S. sanctions designed to produce a "better" Iran nuclear deal or to justify going to war

From the Wires

The Case Against Dismantling The Iran Deal: A View From Israel

Israel, which is not a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, is paradoxically among the principal beneficiaries of the

From the Wires

Pompeo’s Plan B On Iran: An Exercise In Futility

The US is suffering from the delusions of a hegemonic power that can no longer impose its will on other

From the Wires

US And Russia Compete To Privatize Syrian War

Significant numbers of military combat operations across the globe are being outsourced to the private sector with little accountability, including

From the Wires

Religion Corrupting Policy—And Vice Versa

Among the many disturbing images from the ceremony redesignating a U.S. consulate building in Jerusalem as the new U

From the Wires

A Staggeringly Well-Funded Blowback Machine

The costs of America’s "war on terror," still spreading in the Trump era, are incalculable. Just look at photos

From the Wires

Thus Begins The Bolton Administration

President Trump is a very powerful boat with no rudder. Unfortunately, John Bolton is now his rudder. Which effectively means

From the Wires

After The Iran Deal Pullout: Whose Plan B?

Given the chaotic policymaking process in the White House, Iran policy will likely be implemented in an ad hoc fashion

Follow The Money: Three Billionaires Paved Way For Trump’s Iran Deal Withdrawal

Donald Trump and the GOP are deeply indebted to anti-Iran deal billionaires who aren’t afraid to advocate for

From the Wires

Trump Trashes Diplomacy, Opens Path To War With Iran

  Lobelog   President Trump’s decision to violate and withdraw from

From the Wires

Oman: Between Iran And A Hard Place

Oman has been careful to maintain strong relations with Iran despite the escalating anti-Iran rhetoric amongst its Gulf neighbours

From the Wires

War And The Imperial Presidency

Contrary to popular opinion, the Corker-Kaine bill, ostensibly aimed at reining in executive authority to wage war, would rubber

From the Wires

Netanyahu Makes A Case For The JCPOA

The last time that a U.S. administration kicked out of a Middle Eastern country international inspectors who were getting

From the Wires

Shmuley Boteach’s China Hypocrisy

Shmuley Boteach, “celebrity rabbi” and outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, is enamored with his sugar-daddy, Sheldon Adelson, conveniently overlooking

From the Wires

Thinking About The Thinkable

Both in and out of government, there is insufficient “thinking about the thinkable” and no replication of the strategic analyses

From the Wires

The End Of US National Interest

Two weeks ago Donald Trump signalled that he wanted to get U.S. troops out of Syria. Then last week

From the Wires

New Deals, Old Deals, And Non-Deals With Iran

The discussions at the White House with French President Emmanuel Macron about devising, in Macron’s words, a “new deal

What To Do In Syria

Other than the cynical political interests in Moscow and Tehran, there is no conceivable rationale for wanting Bashar al-Assad

Non-Accomplishment In Syria

The reality is that the Assad regime is winning the Syrian civil war, and this matters far less to U

From the Wires

‘Modernization’ Is Media Code for Military Build-Up

An effective rhetorical tool to normalize military build-ups is to characterize spending increases “modernization

The Pentagon Is Planning a Three-Front ‘Long War’ Against China and Russia

The Pentagon has officially announced that that "long war" against terrorism is drawing to a close — even as many counterinsurgency

Erik Prince And Big Data

Revelations that data-consulting firm Cambridge Analytica used ill-gotten personal information from Facebook for the Trump campaign masks the

From the Wires

The Dolls Of Militarism

As the United States enters the second spring of the Trump era, it’s creeping ever closer to more war

From the Wires

Big Brother Isn’t Watching You — You’re Watching Him!

We meet Donald Trump in the media every hour of every day, which blots out much of the rest of

From the Wires

End Of Hope For Trump’s Middle East Policy

Is the U.S. heading into another Mideast war? While President Trump most likely would like to stop short of

From the Wires

Trump’s Choice Of Bolton Satisfies His Biggest Donor

While Sheldon Adelson may have gotten his wish to have the U.S. embassy moved to Jerusalem, he still hasn

From the Wires

The Iran Deal Is Dead, Long Live The Iran Deal

New NSA John Bolton represents an existential threat to the Iran nuclear deal and any hopes for peace in the

From the Wires

Does The Road To Korean Denuclearization Run Through Tehran?

Hardliners at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies are working overtime to convince the Trump administration to "fix" the nuclear

From the Wires

North Korea Is Not Iran

North Korea and Iran both understand the lesson of Libya: Muammar Qaddafi, a horrifyingly brutal dictator, gave up his nuclear

From the Wires

Europe, Iran Baffled By US Position On Nuclear Deal

Europe loathes having to choose between Tehran and Washington, and thus it will spare no efforts to avoid the choice

From the Wires

How A Persian Gulf Security Agreement Could Serve U.S. Interests

Key members of Trump's cabinet should recognize the realism behind encouraging a Saudi- and Iranian-backed regional security agreement

From the Wires

Israel Could Face A Regional Shiite Army In Lebanon

Given that Israel failed to defeat Hezbollah in its war in Lebanon in 2006, it’s difficult to imagine Israel

From the Wires

Entertaining Our Way Into Falsehoods

Donald Trump should never be excused of responsibility for tearing down the respect for truth, but a foundation for his

From the Wires

How The Pentagon Devours The Budget

It would be a welcome change in twenty-first-century America if the reckless decision to throw yet more unbelievable

From the Wires

A Nuclear Deal With Iran Remains The Least Bad Option

President Trump and his advisers ought to ask themselves whether it is in the U.S. interest to run the

From the Wires

The Privatization Of U.S. Foreign Policy

The unethical blurring of private interests and public business, which increasingly involves U.S. foreign policy, is a hallmark of

From the Wires

Can Russia Succeed Where America Failed In The Middle East?

Just as dissatisfaction with American policy has led many in the Middle East to turn toward Moscow, dissatisfaction with Russian

From the Wires

Neocons Call For War Against Iran In Syria After Israeli Strikes

The usual neocon suspects, including at the American Enterprise Institute and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, are making a

From the Wires

Israeli Annexation And A Silent International Community

Between Israel's looming Annexation Bill, and the much-feared Trump "Peace Plan," the Palestinians are out of option amid

From the Wires

Israel’s New Admirers: The White Nationalist Right

The growing admiration of Israel among white nationalists should be giving all Israelis a lot more pause than it is

From the Wires

Assessing The Afghan War

After 16 years of US war in Afghanistan, the latest report from the Department of Defense indicates there is no

From the Wires

Except For Syria, Middle East Disappeared From Network News In 2017

An annual report on the top news items in the media shows that, except for the ongoing civil war in

From the Wires

Qatar’s Anti-Bullying Narrative

Qatar is working overtime to cast itself as a sympathetic character in its ongoing conflict with Saudi Arabia

From the Wires

Big Surprise: Rich Globalists Love Trump

In Davos, Trump shed his isolationist image and was warmly embraced by the community of wealthy internationalists

From the Wires

UNRWA launches $800 million emergency appeal

With the United States withholding nearly one-third of the funding for the UN Palestinian refugee aid agency, UNRWA appeals

From the Wires

Stoking War with Iran Courts Disaster

President Trump and his Iranophobe supporters are itching for a war with Iran, without any consideration of the disastrous consequences

From the Wires

Donald Trump & Kim Jong-Un Need To Find A Diplomatic Off-Ramp

The war of words and nuclear threats between the United States and North Korea make a peaceful resolution to the

From the Wires

Donald Trump’s Marine Corps Presidency: The Few…The Proud…The Unhinged

The new White House chief of staff, retired Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly, is anything but non-partisan or apolitical

From the Wires

The Fall of Netanyahu: Too Little, Too Late

The prospects of Benjamin Netanyahu continuing as Israel’s prime minister are growing dim. But for those of us outside

From the Wires

Fired NSC Staffer Had History of Spreading Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theories

Rich Higgins, the recently fired director for strategic planning at the National Security Council, once said in an interview on

From the Wires

Provoking Iran into Tearing up the 2015 Nuclear Deal

This is how the Trump administration could try to use the IAEA to spur Iran to back out of the

From the Wires

Dire Consequences if Trump Pulls out of Iran Deal

President Trump seems determined to go forward with a very hostile program toward Iran, and, although a baseless US pullout

From the Wires

It’s Time for Washington and Riyadh to Defuse the War Hysteria

The time has come for a new set of partnerships to be contemplated between the United States and Middle East

From the Wires

Erik Prince to Prince bin Zayed: The Private Military Connection

Erik Prince is back. He’s not only pitching colonial capitalism in DC. He’s huckstering ex-SF-led armies

From the Wires

New Neocon Mantra: Iran, like Soviet Union, on Verge of Collapse

Encouraged by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s statement late last month that Washington favors “peaceful” regime change in Iran

From the Wires

The Plummeting of U.S. Standing in the World

When asked about “confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing in world affairs,” 22 percent of

From the Wires

New Revelations of the US in Iran

A much-awaited new State Department volume covering the period 1951 to 1954 does not reveal much new about the

From the Wires

Debunking Myths that Fuel Irresponsible U.S. Defense Policy

As debate continues around the Trump administration’s arms sales and defense spending, am new book suggests several ways to

From the Wires

The Folly of the Next Afghan “Surge”

Lobelog We walked in a single file. Not because it

From the Wires

The Growing Danger of War With Iran

War with Iran remains a very real possibility. Citizens and members of Congress need to be fully aware of the

From the Wires

Rights Activists Praise Corker’s Hold on Arms Sales to Gulf States

“Senator Corker’s action should send a clear message to Saudi Arabia and the UAE that there are some limits

From the Wires

GCC Split Is a Blow to US Regional Policy

The Trump administration appears to have been surprised by this breach among its friends in the critical Gulf strategic area

From the Wires

The Trump Effect on EU-Iran Relations

A recent vote in the European Parliament shows how President Trump's relentless hostility to Iran is likely to isolate

From the Wires

David Albright’s Hidden Talents

The head of the Institute for Science and International Security—aka “the Good ISIS”—recently demonstrated again his penchant for

From the Wires

Trump Is No Realist

Trump has exhibited a general preference for authoritarians over democrats, and that preference already has had impact on his foreign

From the Wires

Trump’s Alignment with Sunni Autocrats Masks Shallow Understanding of Region

The President went to the region as a deal maker and a salesman for American weapon manufacturing. He talked about

From the Wires

Trump Betrays Israel, Undermines Global Trust in US

Although the Comey memo scandal may well turn out to be what brings Trump down, this breach of trust may

From the Wires

Ignoring the Costs of War

Congress and the public acquiesce in another military intervention or a sharp escalation of one of the U.S. wars

From the Wires

Disparaging Diplomacy

Trump’s reorganization of the foreign policy bureaucracy is an ideologically driven agenda for undermining the power and effectiveness of

From the Wires

Demand for Lower Peacekeeping Dues to Pit US Against UN

Spurred by anti-internationalist sentiment among conservative Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration, the US is headed for a

From the Wires

Bannon Down, Pentagon Up, Neocons In?

Decent developments in the Trump administration indicate that the neoconservatives, at one point on the margins of Washington's new

From the Wires

What Does an “America-First” Foreign Policy Actually Mean?

As the end of Donald Trump’s first 100 days as president approaches, it seems that his version of an

From the Wires

Syria: Neocons Get Almost Giddy

Hopeful that Donald Trump may actually be their kind of guy, neoconservatives are full of praise for the cruise-missile

From the Wires

Bannon’s Ouster from NSC Certainly Can’t Hurt

Steve Bannon's removal from the NSC's Principals Committee doesn’t mean that he’s gone from the White

From the Wires

AIPAC’s Legislative Wish List

Promoting sanctions that could undermine the Iran nuclear deal, pushing security assistance for Israel, combatting BDS, and more

From the Wires

Iran‘s Waiting Game With Trump?

Contrary to some wishful thinking following the Trump administration’s decision to “put Iran on notice” and seemingly restore U

From the Wires

Israel and Russia: A Crisis Brews for Trump

"The fundamental conflict at the heart of Israeli-Russian views on Syria is that Israel’s redline is the establishment

From the Wires

AIPAC Gave $60K to Architect of Trump’s Muslim Ban

AIPAC has done more than just tolerate the U.S. tilt toward extreme and often xenophobic views. Newly released tax

From the Wires

Friedman Vote: Will Democrats Stand up to Israel’s Settlements?

It would have been hard for Trump to find someone with more extreme positions than David Friedman for U.S

From the Wires

Trump’s Executive Order Is an Existential Threat to America

Just as the “bogeyman” of the Mexican rapist and drug dealer is used to justify the Wall and mass immigration

From the Wires

Trump’s Muddled Russia Policy

Although the mainstream media narrative about Trump’s Russia ties has been fairly linear, in reality the situation appears to

From the Wires

Trump’s Pentagon Budget Boost: Shades of Ronald Reagan

Reagan’s military buildup had little justification, though the military was rebuilding after the Vietnam disaster. Today, there is almost

From the Wires

Foreign Policy and Trump’s Conflicts of Interest

The very idea of any U.S. president putting his personal financial interests ahead of the U.S. national interest

From the Wires

The United States of Permanent War

The new US administration is continuing a state of war that has existed for 16 years

From the Wires

The Promise and Peril of H.R. McMaster

Will Trump's new national security adviser H.R. McMaster counsel caution with respect to Iran or advocate an ill

From the Wires

No to Palestinian Peace Envoy: US to UN

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley's veto of former Palestinian-Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as the UN

From the Wires

The Empty-Headedness of K.T. McFarland

If, as reported, KT McFarland was allowed to choose John Bolton as her boss at the National Security Agency, it

From the Wires

Trump/Netanyahu Meet: Fawning, Fantasy, and Anti-Palestinian Incitement

Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Donald Trump was overshadowed by unsettling events that preceded and followed their bizarre press conference

From the Wires

Netanyahu And Trump: No Palestinian State, No Condemnations of Anti-Semitism

The meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided the clearest indication yet that the United States

Abrams at State: The Marriage of Trump and the Neocons?

Will President Donald Trump name Elliott Abrams deputy secretary of state? Although a knowledgeable and capable operator, Abrams is better

From the Wires

Trump Begins Circumventing the Iran Nuclear Deal

Reports the the United States plans ti impose new sanctions on "Iranian entities" appears to indicate the the start of

From the Wires

How Islamophobes and “Alternative Facts” Shaped Trump’s Muslim Ban

Trump’s support for a Muslim ban are connected to his embrace of an unscientific poll undertaken by one of

From the Wires

Who Will Rule Trump Foreign Policy?

The people who are expected to have the biggest impact on Donald Trump's foreign policy collectively have no experience

From the Wires

Bacevich and Mearsheimer on U.S. Policy in the Middle East

Two eminent foreign policy analysts, historian Andrew Bacevich of Boston University’s Pardee School of Global Studies and political scientist

From the Wires

Trump Appointee Espoused Anti-Muslim Conspiracy Theories

Not only is Monica Crowley, Donald Trump's pick to head communications for the National Security Council, the subject of

From the Wires

The Real Impact of UN Resolution 2334 Has Yet to Come

From a territorial perspective the Security Council resolution 2334, stating that Israel′s settlement activity constitutes a "flagrant violation" of

From the Wires

Trump, the Banks, and the Bomb

On Oct. 27, 2016, the UN adopted a resolution to launch negotiations in 2017 on a treaty outlawing nuclear weapon

From the Wires

Nearly 2/3 of U.S. Public Opposes Withdrawing from Iran Nuclear Deal

As Trump supporters gear up for a fight to weaken or destroy the Iran nuclear deal, a new poll has

From the Wires

The Limits of Force: Back to the Wild West?

For all of its faults, the Obama administration was acutely aware of the limits to the use of American military

From the Wires

The Annexation of Palestine Could Be Closer Than You Think

A senior Israeli government minister has announced that he will introduce legislation to effectively annex Israel’s third-largest settlement

From the Wires

Scientists to Trump: the JCPOA Is Working

A group of 37 American scientists–including Nobel laureates, nuclear specialists, and former White House advisers–has sent an open

From the Wires

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Heads for 50 Years of UN Failure

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of one of the world’s longstanding unresolved political problems firmly entrenched on the UN

From the Wires

Trump Goes All In With the Settlers

Donald Trump's response to the UN resolution regarding Israeli settlements should cause deep dismay as it constituted an attempt

From the Wires

Historic UN Security Council Vote Condemns Israeli Settlements

A historic UN Security Council resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlements was adopted with 14 votes in favour and

From the Wires

Security Council Agrees to Send UN Monitors to Aleppo

The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution allowing the UN to monitor the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo

From the Wires

Mattis and the Revolving Door

For the military-industrial-congressional complex, it doesn’t get much better than this

From the Wires

Will the Trump Administration Start a War with Iran?

Those in the United States who want to avoid war with Iran should take the early Trump appointments as a

From the Wires

Flynn Simply Unfit

The NSA's close association with neocon Michael Ledeen should raise all kinds of alarm bells, especially for those who

From the Wires

Senate Passes a Dumb and Dangerous Bill

Without debate or an actual vote, the Senate stealthily passed a disturbing and dangerous piece of legislation called “The Anti

From the Wires

“Mad Dog” Mattis: Trump’s Least Belligerent Foreign Policy Advisor?

General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, is known first and foremost as an

From the Wires

Top Trump Adviser Has Shifting Views on Russia, Eurasia

Donald Trump’s national security adviser has expressed contradictory opinions about the former Soviet Union, making it difficult to assess

From the Wires

Donald Trump and the Swamp of War

Trump: “Well, I’ll be honest with you, I probably do because look at the job they’ve done. OK

From the Wires

Trump Appointee Claimed China Might Cancel July 4

Trump's deputy national security advisor Kathleen McFarland has a history of making wildly conspiratorial claims about China leveraging its

From the Wires

Obama, Trump, and the Future of U.S. Foreign Policy

Thus far, signs indicate that Donald Trump will continue to ensure that the United States plays the dominant role in

From the Wires

Trump and the Iran Deal: A view from Israel

The Iran deal is beneficial to Israeli security. Without an Iranian nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia and Egypt have no incentive

From the Wires

Ideology Is Supplanting Intelligence

People are attaining positions of power under Trump not because of perspicacity and temperament but because they were not sufficiently

From the Wires

Cozy Overlap Between Flynn’s Drone Company and Trump’s Border Plans

Little attention has been paid to the roll of Trump's national security adviser in a small drone company that

From the Wires

Trump’s Real Basket of Deplorables

As Donald Trump’s national security team begins to take shape, it’s becoming clear that Trump indeed has a

From the Wires

Trump and the Middle East: A Primer

Because of his seeming lack of knowledge about the region and disinterest in the complex factors that underpin its endemic

From the Wires

Anti-Boeing Bill Offers Early Iran Test for Trump

Will a President Trump put U.S. business first and expand the U.S. manufacturing workforce as part of his

From the Wires

Sheldon Adelson Owns a Share in Trump’s Rise

Sheldon Adelson ignored the concerns of fellow members of the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Anti-Defamation League, and the vast

From the Wires

Trump Election Already Bad News for Palestinians

Reacting to Donald Trump's election victory, one Israeli official said that it represented "an opportunity for Israel to immediately

From the Wires

Iran Deal Is Key Test of Trump’s Commitment to NATO Allies

Although Republican opponents of the Iran nuclear deal frequently suggest unilaterally reneging on the agreement, they have never been faced

From the Wires

The Five Most Common Middle East Conspiracy Theories

Donald Trump's absurd claim that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama "founded" ISIS is not the only conspiracy theory about

From the Wires

Unpacking some Untruths about Iran

A recent Congressional Research Service report on Iran is misleading in two important respects—concerning Iran’s development of ballistic

From the Wires

Clinton’s Foreign Policy: The Known Unknowns

Regardless of Hillary Clinton's national security predilections, a future Clinton administration will rapidly discover that U.S. foreign policy

From the Wires

Is CAP Shilling for the UAE?

The Foreign Ministry of the United Arab Emirates may have helped draft the latest Middle East report by the “liberal

From the Wires

Gorbachev Appeals for Sanity, Dialogue

President Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the Soviet Union and recipient of the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize, has appealed to

From the Wires

Think Tanks Beg: Give Us War

Hillary Clinton’s impassioned defense of a no-fly zone in Syria last Wednesday may not have won her many

From the Wires

For the Middle East, It’s the Center for American Regress

If one is looking for new thinking about improving U.S.-Iran relations, they are not going to find it

From the Wires

The Election That Killed Foreign Policy

The U.S. presidential election campaign has done more to set back U.S. foreign relations and the cause of

From the Wires

Report: Take More Risk to Find Common Ground with Iran

Whoever moves into the White House next January should be willing to “take more risk to find some common ground

From the Wires

Adelson’s Newspapers on Trump: Everything is Fine

As the GOP establishment scrambles for the lifeboats in the wake of Donald Trump’s disastrous campaign, Trump’s biggest

From the Wires

The Middle East and the Next Administration

Osama bin Laden surely died happy. He devoted the last third of his life to creating animosity between the West

From the Wires

Saudi Charm Offensive in Europe

Saudi Arabia has launched a charm offensive following the historic vote by the European Parliament demanding an arms embargo on

From the Wires

Trump’s Apocalypse Is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

The world according to Trump: The American economy has tanked. Mexico has sent a horde of criminals over the border

From the Wires

Life Goes On, Barely, After 50 Years of Occupation

During five decades of Israeli occupation, the number of Palestinian refugees has grown with every generation, saturating basic services in

From the Wires

Campaign Carnage and the Iran Nuclear Agreement

Among the lingering effects of this awful election campaign season will be widespread misunderstanding of serious issues of foreign policy

From the Wires

Israel: Strong Words Must Be Followed by Strong Action

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has been playing the Obama administration for almost eight years, repeatedly sticking his finger in their

From the Wires

What Tim Kaine Actually Got Wrong About the Iran Nuclear Deal During the Veep Debate

Hillary Clinton didn’t help to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons program because the nuclear negotiations weren’t about eliminating

From the Wires

What is the Tikvah Fund?

The Tikvah Fund, a foundation that works closely with neoconservative think tanks and media outlets, seeks to influence both academic

From the Wires

Did AIPAC Pocket Its Iran Deal Fundraising Revenue?

From all outward appearances, AIPAC’s fundraising arm effectively pocketed the boost in fundraising revenue it enjoyed during the heated

From the Wires

Netanyahu at the UN: Frozen Bodies, Blatant Lies, and Imaginary Children

The Israeli prime minister's tells imaginary tales at the UN about meetings with Palestinians

From the Wires

Our Hardliners Are Still Helping Iran’s Hardliners

The unrelenting urge among American politicians to keep punishing Iran continues to work against sensible statecraft and U.S. interests

From the Wires

Israel Gives Up Little to Get Largest Ever U.S. Arms Deal

The new U.S. aid deal for Israel is the largest military aid package to any country in the history

From the Wires

Mark Kirk Wanted Release of Americans Held in Iran Before He Was Against It

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a hardline Iran hawk who consistently opposes diplomatic efforts to constrain Iran’s nuclear program

From the Wires

Washington’s 15-Year Air War

Within days of the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration announced a “war on terror,” which included launching an air

From the Wires

Exceptionalism and the Limited Scope of Indispensability

In a recent speech Hillary Clinton made American exceptionalism a major theme. She chose that theme in part because it

From the Wires

The Americans Should Have Their Own Chilcot

The United States needs to undertake the same type of investigation that condemned former Prime Minister Tony Blair's decision

From the Wires

Why Victory Over IS Won’t Solve the Real Problem Facing Iraq and Syria

A recent spate of high-casualty Islamic State-linked attacks has raised fears about the group’s ability to carry

From the Wires

Hillary the Hawk

Is Hillary Clinton's hawkishness on foreign policy due to core principles or political calculation

From the Wires

Obama: The Conflict Resolution President?

In minimizing U.S. resort to violence, President Obama has brought conflict resolution to the Oval Office

From the Wires

How Sanctions Can Reduce U.S. Leverage: The Case of Iran

Whatever influence the United States seeks from sanctions depends on demonstrating that those targeted will get relief if they take

From the Wires

Waste in the U.S. Military

From spending $150 million on private villas for a handful of personnel in Afghanistan to blowing $2.7 billion on

From the Wires

The End of the American Empire

We need a peaceful international environment to rebuild our country. To achieve this, we must erase our strategy deficit. To

From the Wires

The Wrong Messengers for Erdogan

A recent "open-letter" to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and signed by a diverse group of U.S. foreign

From the Wires

Iranians Losing Confidence in U.S. Compliance with JCPOA

Polls Indicate that Iranian public is losing confidence that the United States will abide by the terms of the landmark

From the Wires

Donald Trump: Foreign Policy’s Useful Idiot?

It might take someone of Trump’s vapid visibility to drive home the point that "world’s policeman" is not

From the Wires

New Nuclear Hysteria in the Middle East

This is not the first time that the risk that Gulf countries may acquire nuclear arms has been raised. Prince

From the Wires

New Nukes in the Middle Eest?

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon claimed at the recent Munich Security Conference that Persian Gulf states are seeking nuclear

From the Wires

The Arrogance that Slays

It is still unclear if 2016 will be the year in which American voters end the influence of neoconservatives on

From the Wires

Trump: The American Ahmadinejad?

Donald Trump evokes a similar kind of populism as former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

From the Wires

Reading Tea Leaves in the Adelson Primary

Billionaire Republican mega donor Sheldon Adelson’s media properties have come out strongly in support of Sen. Marco Rubio (R

From the Wires

Presidential Politics and the Lessons Learned from Middle East Dictatorships

Middle East instability is in large part due to past dictators centralizing the state around themselves and a small cadre

From the Wires

We Need More From Our Candidates on the Middle East

More should be demanded of the 2016 presidential candidates than mindless bluster or vacuous pronouncements on the Middle East

From the Wires

Clinton Campaign Recycles Hawkish Foreign Policy Positions

Similar to her 2008 attacks against Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton is now criticizing Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) for his

From the Wires

Neocons Echo Kirkpatrick, Defend Saudi Arabia

Neoconservative columnists like the Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens continue to use the same discredited arguments to defend U

From the Wires

Neocons Double their Standards on Prisoner Release

Rightwing foreign policy hawks have applied a double standard in their comments on the prisoner exchange between Iran and the

From the Wires

In Celebration of the Nuclear Agreement with Iran

The Iran nuclear deal was not a “triumph” for the sanctions policy against Iran, but rather was due to pragmatic

From the Wires

Everything the Neocons Said about Sailorgate Is Wrong

The claims made by prominent neoconservatives about Iran’s detainment of 10 American sailors in its territorial waters have all

From the Wires

Should Moguls Subsidize US Military Aid to their Favorite Nations?

Hardline “pro-Israel” outlets have reacted with typical anti-Obama fervor to reports that President Obama rejected an offer by

From the Wires

NORPAC Helps House Hawk Attack Iran Deal

The biggest donor to anti-Iran deal Rep. Ed Royce’s (R-CA) 2014 campaign committee was NORPAC, a political

From the Wires

Washington’s Multi-Million-Dollar Saudi PR Machine

Saudi Arabia spends millions of dollars a year on lobbyists and PR firms to improve its image in Washington

From the Wires

Neocons Defend Saudi Arabia

Neocon pundits have lined up in support of the fundamentalist Islamic regime in Saudi Arabia in the wake of that

From the Wires

… And All of a Sudden Syria!

The recent UN resolution endorsing a “road map” for a peace process in Syria raises too many unanswered questions

From the Wires

The Origin of the New Species of Drone Operator

There is still a stunning lack of oversight and accountability over private military contractors, who the U.S. military has

From the Wires

Endless War, Undeclared and Undebated

Congress can do little to limit the Obama administration’s decision to scale up U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan

From the Wires

The Jewish Communal Fund Invests in Islamophobia

The Jewish Communal Fund, which claims to direct donor funds to purposes that serve the “interests of the Jewish community

From the Wires

The Military Impulse and Hysteria Over ISIS

While ISIS is a significant security problem in the Middle East, it is a problem distinct from countering terrorist threats

From the Wires

Poll: Evangelical Republicans are Bibi’s Biggest American Fans

A new poll has revealed that evangelical Christian Republicans are significantly more supportive of Israel and Israeli influence in U

From the Wires

Marco Rubio Is Winning the Neocon Primary

GOP presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is quietly racking up the support of right-wing mega-donors and

From the Wires

Iran’s Nuclear Aberration

Headlines about a recent International Atomic Energy Agency report on alleged past nuclear weapons work by Iran have been needlessly

From the Wires

The Abrams Attack on Kerry

Elliot Abrams has wildly argued in a recent column that Secretary of State John Kerry’s comments in reaction to

From the Wires

Christie Pivots to Islamophobia and toward Adelson

GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie has sought to latch onto anti-Muslim sentiment in an apparent effort to win the

From the Wires

Islamophobia Surges on the Right

Much of the Islamophobia running through the right now originated from hardline “pro-Israel” circles

From the Wires

Convicted Liar Lies About Obama’s “Shameful” Refugee Policy

Elliott Abrams, convicted for lying before Congress during the Reagan years, has willfully misinterpreted President Obama’s recent comments on

From the Wires

Let’s Not Forget Beirut

The large quantitative and qualitative disparity in the media’s coverage of the terrorist attacks in Paris and Beirut cannot

From the Wires

The Mindless Militarism of Max Boot

In the wake of the Paris attacks, prominent neoconservative Max Boot has breathlessly called for the United States to unilaterally

From the Wires

Netanyahu’s Perfidious Performance at CAP

The claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his presentation at the Center for American Progress have been

From the Wires

Bibi, the Failed Peace Process, and the Future of Linkage

Just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat down with President Obama in the Oval Office, Israel approved new

From the Wires

CAP and Netanyahu

The Democratic Party-aligned Center for American Progress has controversially hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his stay in

From the Wires

Bibi Comes Calling:  What President Obama Needs to Say

US diplomacy regarding the Middle East, whether with Israel or other allies, should make clear that America’s regional partnerships

From the Wires

Chalabi, Greatest Con Man of His Generation, Dead at 71

Ahmad Chalabi, the Iraqi con man who played a decisive role in manipulating the United States into the Iraq War

From the Wires

Hillary Clinton Hasn’t Learned a Thing from Iraq

When it comes to war and peace, it might not matter too much if a Republican or Hillary Clinton wins

From the Wires

Rubio Anointed Neocon Choice

Hardline “pro-Israel” billionaire Paul Singer’s endorsement of Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) presidential campaign has made Rubio

From the Wires

Neocons Launch 2016 Manifesto

An organization advising many of the 2016 GOP presidential candidates and dominated by neoconservative ideologues has published a comprehensive outline

From the Wires

U.N. Rights Commissioner Blasts Harsh Treatment of Refugees

As the flow of refugees into Europe continues to rise, migrants have found themselves facing increasingly hostile and degrading conditions

From the Wires

Dennis Ross: Blame America First!

In his new book, “pro-Israel” ideologue and former Obama administration official Dennis Ross suggests that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin

From the Wires

The Disappearing Prince of Darkness

Prominent neoconservative Richard Perle has notably been missing from the Iran deal debate, with some inside sources saying he has

From the Wires

Lessons from America’s Continuing Misadventures in the Middle East

The reliance of the United States on ineffective policies centered on military intervention and sanctions in the Middle East has

From the Wires

The Right-Wing Americans Who Made a Doc About Argentina

The makers of a new anti-Argentine government documentary on the death of Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman have ties to

From the Wires

Politics versus Policy: Follow-up to the Iran Nuclear Agreement

The lesson of the “pro-Israel” lobby’s attempted scuttling of the Iran deal is that it is necessary to

From the Wires

Silent Arrogance: Netanyahu at the UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hostile speech before the UN General Assembly will only increase Israel’s isolation on

From the Wires

AIPAC Spent $14.5 Million on TV Ads during Iran Deal Debate

AIPAC spent at least $14.5 million on TV ads from mid-July to mid-September in its failed attempt

From the Wires

The Value of Reading Propaganda

The real danger of propaganda, whether in the United States or elsewhere, comes when you start believing your own spin

From the Wires

The Middle East’s New Nakba

On-going crises in the Middle East, ranging from the Israel-Palestinian conflict to the war in Syria and Iraq

From the Wires

Iran’s nuclear deal and the regional countries

Now that overwhelming majority of countries in the Middle East have come out in support of the Iran deal, it

From the Wires

AIPAC’s Democrat Problems Go Beyond Obama

AIPAC found itself in a tough spot over the Iran deal not only because of donor pressure, but also because

From the Wires

The Star Trek Fallacy

America’s inexhaustible capacity for interfering in far-flung places may not be a sign of a dynamic civilization, but

From the Wires

The Rubicons That Have Been Crossed

In their attempts to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program over the years, the United States and Israel utilized illegal methods

From the Wires

Partisan Gaps on Military Use, Immigration, Climate

A recent survey indicates that the gap between Democrats and Republicans on U.S. international engagement and military use is

From the Wires

Next Hurdle for Iran Deal: AIPAC’s Plan B (Endorsed by Post)

Having lost the Iran deal vote, AIPAC and hawkish outlets like the Washington Post are moving to support other measures

From the Wires

The Jewish Community and the Iran Deal

Jewish support in Congress for the Iran nuclear deal shows once again that that there is no Jewish monolith that

From the Wires

Does Sheldon Adelson Hold the GOP Captive?

The fact that only a handful of prominent Republicans have spoken out in support of the Iran deal is possibly

From the Wires

Why We Went to War Against Iraq: Re-Writing History Again

The claim by some Republican figures, including Colin Powell, that responsibility for the Iraq War lies with the intelligence community

From the Wires

Lindsey Graham Blames Iran For 9/11 Attacks

During a recent speech on the Senate floor, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) appeared to blame the 9/11 attacks

From the Wires

Is This How It Ends?

A scuffle between a protestor and a prominent neoconservative executive during Dick Cheney’s recent Iran talk at the American

From the Wires

Why Manchin Opposed The Iran Deal After He Was For It

Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) surprise opposition to the Iran deal may due to the enormous pressure he has

From the Wires

Cardin, the Iran Deal, and the Future of Plan B

With AIPAC failing to win a veto-proof majority of Senators to oppose the Iran deal, the lobby has shifted

From the Wires

Game Over? With Sen Casey, Pro-Deal Forces Win Over Key Iran Deal Vote

With Sen. Bob Casey, a close ally of AIPAC, coming out in favor of the Iran nuclear agreement, it is

From the Wires

Committee for the Liberation of Iraq Members on Iran Deal

Many prominent opponents of the Iran nuclear deal were board members of the infamous Committee for the Liberation of Iraq

From the Wires

Russian Anxieties about the Iranian Nuclear Accord

Russian critics of the Iran nuclear deal believe the agreement will strengthen the United States as a global power at

From the Wires

Noam Chomsky on the Iran Deal

Famed linguist Noam Chomsky dismantles the claim that Iran is the gravest threat to world peace

From the Wires

US Provides Cover for Use of Banned Weapons in Yemen

The United States has virtually legitimized the use of banned cluster bombs by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen

From the Wires

Bush-Era Torture Apologists Are Releasing a Book to Whitewash Their Crimes

Bush-era CIA Directors George Tenet, Porter Goss, Michael Hayden, and several of their underlings have announced plans to release

From the Wires

Seventy-Plus Nuclear Non-Proliferation Experts Endorse Deal

It appears that a consensus has emerged among vast majority of nuclear non-proliferation experts in support of the nuclear

From the Wires

UANI, Samore Go Their Separate Ways

The stridently anti-deal United Against Nuclear Iran and its president Gary Samore have parted ways after Samore came out

From the Wires

Obama the Anti-Semite?

Critics of the Iran nuclear deal seek to inoculate themselves from pushback by leveling claims of anti-Semitism at President

From the Wires

How the Iran Deal Could Reshape the Middle East

The Iranian nuclear deal could lead to a broader rapprochement between the United States and Iran, resulting in a more

From the Wires

John Bolton’s Reverence for the United Nations

John Bolton, the neoconservative former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has ironically criticized a provision of the Iran

From the Wires

Iran Nuclear Deal Could Boost Diplomacy with North Korea, Diplomat Says

A senior South Korean diplomat argues that the Iran nuclear deal will likely have a “positive impact” on North Korea

From the Wires

Can America Make New Friends But Keep the Old in the Middle East?

The real fear that Israel and most Gulf states have about the Iran nuclear deal is that it may lead

From the Wires

Shaking Up Alignments in the Middle East

Recent moves by Turkey and Saudi Arabia have the potential to shake up regional alignments in the Middle East

From the Wires

Huckabee’s Holocaust Remark Defended by Adelson-Funded ZOA

GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee’s recent remarks comparing the Iran nuclear deal to the Holocaust have been widely denounced

From the Wires

Wieseltier on Iran: Laughable

Avowed interventionist Leon Wieseltier has written a piece lambasting the Iran nuclear deal that critics contend is rife with hollow

From the Wires

Anti-Iran Deal Groups Better Funded Than Pro-Deal Groups By Nearly Five to One

Groups lobbying against the Iran nuclear deal have a massive financial advantage over pro-deal organizations

From the Wires

Former Bush Diplomats Push Back on Criticism of Iran Deal

Prominent former officials and diplomats, including from the George W. Bush administration, as well as nuclear experts, have all come

From the Wires

Former AIPAC Official on Iran’s Importance to AIPAC

According to a former AIPAC official, the lobby is heavily investing in sinking the Iran nuclear deal for a variety

From the Wires

100-Plus Former US Ambassadors Applaud Iran Deal

With the controversy over the Iran deal heating up, more than 100 former U.S. ambassadors have signed a letter

From the Wires

Iran Deal Heads Toward Showdown With Adelson’s GOP

Sheldon Adelson, the Republican Party’s largest donor and a close ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has had

From the Wires

The Iran Nuclear Agreement: The Choice

Everything that opponents of the Iran deal claim to worry about would be far worse without a deal

From the Wires

The Heavy Historical Baggage of US Policy Toward the Middle East

American attitude and assumptions towards the Middle East, and thus U.S. foreign policies, have been weighed down by accumulating

From the Wires

Document Reveals Billionaire Backers Behind United Against Nuclear Iran

A new report has revealed several of the hawkish billionaire funders behind the secretive United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) group

From the Wires

Congress on Iran and Israel

Various bills and resolutions circulating in Congress promote hardline “pro-Israel” positions on Iran and the Palestinians

From the Wires

The WINEP Letter and the Bipartisan Fallacy

A recent open letter by the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy about the Iran nuclear negotiations was signed

From the Wires

Critiquing a Critique of Obama’s Approach to Iran

The authors of an open letter published by the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy most likely knew that

From the Wires

Why is Michael Oren Trashing Obama?

Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., has released a new book vilifying President Obama and his

From the Wires

The Contradictions of Elliott Abrams

Neocon stalwart Elliott Abrams prides himself on having a passion for democracy and human rights even as he has brazenly

From the Wires

The Great Iran PMD Freakout

Critics of the Iran nuclear negotiations fail to see that any potential agreement was always going to be a compromise

From the Wires

FDD’s Cliff May Misses the Irony

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Clifford May conveniently criticizes China for creating “facts on the ground” in the South

From the Wires

Iraq: Surge Resurgence?

The neoconservative claim that George W. Bush “won” the Iraq War is ridiculous

From the Wires

The Bomb Iran Lobby Gears Up for 2016

A tight-knit network of think-tank gurus, special interest groups, and media pundits have peddled a plethora of alarmist

From the Wires

Congress and Political Prisoners: Condemning Iran, Helping Egypt

While Congress regularly denounces Iran for its human rights situation and its imprisonment of several American citizens, it ignores the

From the Wires

More Distortions on Iran from the Times

A recent New York Times article alleging that Iran has not abided by the interim-nuclear deal reached in 2013

From the Wires

Why the US-Iran Nuclear Deal May Still Fail

The ceaseless efforts of U.S. allies Israel and Saudi Arabia to undermine the Iran nuclear negotiations may ultimately pay

From the Wires

Throwing Good Money After Bad in Yemen?

Despite the Obama administration’s claims to the contrary, the U.S.-supported, Saudi-led attack on Yemen has made

From the Wires

The Desperate Plight of a Declining Superpower

Strategies aimed at perpetuating U.S. global supremacy are destined to result in “imperial overstretch,” a reality that can only

From the Wires

Iran Sanctions Regime Could Unravel with Failed Nuclear Deal

If the nuclear negotiations with Iran fail to reach a final deal, the sanctions regime against Iran could begin to

From the Wires

Graham Turns To Iran Hawks For Campaign Funding

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) super PAC consists of a donor base of hawkish “Jewish conservatives,” who Graham appears

From the Wires

Yemen’s War Is Redrawing the Middle East’s Fault Lines

The United States has played an important, if somewhat uncomfortable, role in the Yemen War by supporting the Saudi-led

From the Wires

Following Paul Singer’s Money, Argentina, and Iran (Continued)

Billionaire investor Paul Singer, who has taken Argentina to court over its debt default, has been a significant financial contributor

From the Wires

America’s Hydra Problem in the Middle East

U.S. military strategy towards the Middle East often ignores the underlying issues that nurture militant movements and make them

From the Wires

Faith-Based Organisations Warn of Impending Nuclear Disaster

During the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference at the United Nations, a coalition of faith-based organizations, activists, and

From the Wires

Neocons vs. Neocon on Iran

The latest Iran bill wending its way through Congress has divided neoconservatives as Bill Kristol and his Emergency Committee for

From the Wires

Following the Money: The New Anti-Semitism?

The Washington Post has attempted to paint Argentina President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as anti-Semitic for connecting billionaire Paul

From the Wires

Elliott Abrams’ Shell Game on Settlements

Elliott Abrams’ recent “concern” over Jewish settlements outside the major settlement blocs in the West Bank is a red herring

From the Wires

Poe’s Financial Ties To MEK May Explain Maryam’s House Testimony

Rep. Ted Poe’s unusual invitation to MEK-leader Maryam Rajavi to provide testimony on ISIS before Congress may be

From the Wires

Lindsey Graham’s “All-Jewish Cabinet”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) recently spoke bluntly about his aim to rely on “pro-Israel” funding to support his

From the Wires

Iran Hawks Clearly Unhappy With Corker

Prominent neoconservatives like Bill Kristol are upset over the watered-down Corker-Menendez bill on the Iranian nuclear negotiations, which

From the Wires

AIPAC to UANI: Make Gary Samore Shut Up!

United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI), the secretive neoconservative group, is apparently intent on distancing itself from the comments of

From the Wires

Paul Singer’s EMP Fetish

Hedge-fund billionaire Paul Singer, a major Republican donor and “pro-Israel” hawk, has recently been sounding the alarm about

From the Wires

AIPAC’s “No One Wants War” in Iran Claim Debunked

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has stated that critics of a nuclear deal do not want a war

From the Wires

Who Is Bankrolling Mark Kirk?

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) is a major recipient of funding from prominent hawkish donors and AIPAC-aligned political action

From the Wires

Obama Prepares for Showdown with Congress Over Iran Deal

Now that a final nuclear deal with Iran is on the horizon, Republicans in Congress will have a harder time

From the Wires

The Deal with Iran: Five Arguments to Watch Out For

As the Iran nuclear talks enter the final stretch, there are five main things to watch out for from those

From the Wires

Obama in the Middle East: Condominium Or Equilibrium?

As recent events demonstrate, the Obama administration has a vision of Middle East equilibrium that balances limited rapprochement with Iran

From the Wires

Another Likud Republican: Jeb Bush Pledges “Unwavering” Support for Bibi

Jeb Bush, presumptive 2016 Republican presidential candidate, says that his “support for Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu is unwavering,” thereby

From the Wires

Iran, North Korea, and the Congress that Says No

The Iran nuclear negotiations are similar to diplomatic efforts made with North Korea 20 years ago, which were also met

From the Wires

An Early Look at Bibi’s Surprise Victory

With Netanyahu’s dramatic election victory, the United States and Europe will have to exert enormous pressure on Israel to

From the Wires

Political Backlash in the Gulf

A new report by Chatham House argues that if the United States seeks long-term stability in the Middle East

From the Wires

Hey FDD: Israelis are Treating Jihadis, Too

While the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies has lambasted Turkey for treating al-Qaeda affiliated fighters in its hospitals

From the Wires

GOP’s Man of the Moment Promoted by RJC’s Singer and Adelson

The new face of the GOP war hawks, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)—who masterminded the controversial letter to Iran

From the Wires

How to Create a National Insecurity State

So-called policy intellectuals have for decades shaped the national security strategy of the United States, it is past time

From the Wires

Republicans Overreach: Part Deux

A letter signed by 47 Republican senators to Iran’s leaders has been derided as reflecting a poor understanding of

From the Wires

Further Reflections on Bibi’s Speech and His Friends

Not mentioned in most news reports about Netanyahu’s speech was that key guests at the address included Republican mega

From the Wires

How Bibi’s Speech Plays in Tehran

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to convince Congress last week that a nuclear deal with Iran would be

From the Wires

Survey Shows Strong Majority Support for Obama Approach on Iran

According to a new poll, a strong majority of the U.S. public supports a nuclear agreement with Iran in

From the Wires

Corker Bill Threatens Iran Negotiations

Hawkish Sens. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) are back with a new version of their bill

From the Wires

The Incoherence of Bibi’s Sabotage Effort

Netanyahu’s attempt to punch holes in a prospective nuclear deal as well as define a morning-after narrative regarding

From the Wires

AIPAC: Bibi’s Voice or His Victim?

Instead of elevating AIPAC’s stature, Benjamin Netanyahu has completely upstaged it

From the Wires

Bibi’s Eleven Bogus Arguments on Iran

The eleven most prominent arguments echoed by Netanyahu against the Iranian nuclear negotiations have been thoroughly debunked

From the Wires

The Real Subject of Netanyahu’s Congressional Spectacle (It Isn’t Nukes)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main reason for staking out such a hardline on Iran is less about controlling

From the Wires

Opinion: The Middle East and Perpetual War

The primary reason the United States is militarily involved in the Middle East is to support Israel, which has led

From the Wires

Forget Bibi: Let’s Hear More from Our NATO Allies

Rather than allowing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to dominate the media stories about the Iran nuclear negotiations, more airtime

From the Wires

The Unwritten American Rules of the Road

There is a clear correlation between state secrecy and the rule of law—as one grows, the other surely shrinks

From the Wires

Jeb Wishes the Bush War Away

Jeb Bush’s failure to repudiate his brother’s Iraq War leaves the question if he has similar attitudes towards

From the Wires

America and the Middle East after the Islamic State

If the Obama administration wants to avoid the Bush administration's mistakes in Iraq, it must find a way to

From the Wires

The Growing Danger of Mission Creep against the Islamic State

The Obama administration’s draft Authorization for Use Military Force (AUMF) against ISIS is dangerously broad and risks U.S

From the Wires

Lest We Forget: Bibi’s “Wisdom” on Iraq

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s enthusiastic promotion of the invasion of Iraq in Congress in 2002 begs the question

From the Wires

Obama’s Last National Security Strategy

The 2015 National Security Strategy, President Obama’s last, fails to provide any sense of how the United States will

From the Wires

Former Israeli Opposition Leader Puts Bibi-Boehner Ploy Bluntly

A former Israeli opposition leader has derided Prime Minister Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress in a revealing op-ed

From the Wires

Update on Bibi-Boehner Fallout

House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) unilateral invitation to Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress has served above all else

From the Wires

Who Are the Billionaires Attacking Obama’s Iran Diplomacy?

A new investigation has shed light on the billionaire donors behind The Israel Project, a hawkish “pro-Israel” advocacy group

From the Wires

Congress Takes Aim At the Palestinians

Hawkish members of Congress want to suspend U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority as punishment for bringing their grievances

From the Wires

Fact-checking Bibi and Company’s Talking Points on Iran

Experts have fact-checked Israeli ambassador Ron Dermer’s talking points on Iran, which are likely to be reiterated by

From the Wires

Save Us from Washington’s Visionaries

President Obama has lacked a foreign policy vision, but instead of replacing his national security team with the old foreign

From the Wires

Analysts on Iran: Time to Move Beyond Sanctions

Three top foreign policy analysts have criticized efforts by Congress to levy new sanctions on Iran

From the Wires

Let Nuclear Sanctions on Iran Serve Their Final Purpose

In order to reach a deal that significantly scales back Iran’s nuclear program, nuclear sanctions on the country should

From the Wires

Middle Eastern Turmoil and the Scaremongering on Iran

The latest twist in the Iran nuclear talks is the deal killers' efforts to paint recent turmoil in the region

From the Wires

Obama-Congress Iran Sanctions Battle Goes International

The White House has earned support from world leaders and even Israeli intelligence in its warnings against Congress passing additional

From the Wires

State of the Empire in 2015

President Obama’s State of the Union address highlighted some defensible goals in regards to foreign policy, but left out

From the Wires

Return the Focus to Islamic State Central

As he meets with members of the anti-ISIS coalition in London, Secretary of State John Kerry should act to

From the Wires

Looking Beyond a Nuclear Agreement with Iran

A new report by the Center for New American Security, a think tank close to the Obama White House, emphasizes

From the Wires

Boehner Bringing Bibi to Washington

House Speaker John Boehner has announced that he has invited Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of

From the Wires

Josh Block Misrepresents New Iran Sanctions Bill In SOTU Talking Points

A list of talking points sent by the head of the Israel Project to reporters ahead of the State of

From the Wires

Why WaPo Gets the Iran Sanctions Fight Wrong

In a recent editorial, the Washington Post tacitly endorsed Congress’ push for additional sanctions on Iran while failing to make

From the Wires

OPINION: Islamic Reformation, the Antidote to Terrorism

Terrorism in the name of Islam will remain a menace for Muslims and non-Muslims until political systems in the

From the Wires

Europe’s Coming Battle

Forget the false frame of the West versus Islam, the real battle is over the soul for Europe, with the

From the Wires

Charlie Hebdo: Middle East Blowback?

The attack on Charlie Hebdo has renewed concerns that blowback from the fighting in Syria and Iraq is reaching Europe

From the Wires

OPINION: Doubling Down on Dictatorship in the Middle East

In a sign of the decreasing U.S. emphasis on democratization, Washington has increased support for authoritarian regimes throughout the

From the Wires

Lower Oil Prices Will Not Turn Producers into Pushovers

The belief that lower oil prices push U.S. rivals to make concessions is mistaken and discourages U.S. flexibility

From the Wires

US Twists Arms to Help Defeat Resolution on Palestine

A U.N. Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories failed to be adopted

From the Wires

Lindsey Graham Says Congress Will “Follow [Bibi’s] Lead”

Sen. Lindsey Graham has remarkably gone to Jerusalem and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. Congress

From the Wires

Cuba and United States Now Foment Moderation in the Americas

The détente between the United States and Cuba saves the Organization of American States from corrosion caused by the

From the Wires

Okinawa: The Small Island Trying to Block the US Military’s “Pivot to Asia”

The landslide victory of a new governor in Okinawa who opposes U.S. efforts to construct additional military bases on

From the Wires

Ex-IAEA Chief Warns on Using Unverified Intel to Pressure Iran

Former IAEA Director General Hans Blix has recently called for greater skepticism about the intelligence documents and reports alleging Iranian

From the Wires

After 53 Years, Obama To Normalize Ties with Cuba

President Obama’s announcement of a change of course on Cuba has spurred derision from hardliners in Congress

From the Wires

Friends, Not Just Enemies, of an Iranian Nuclear Deal are Imperiling It

The main opponents to a nuclear deal with Iran are those with don’t want to see Iran integrated into

From the Wires

Release of Senate Torture Report Insufficient, Say Rights Groups

Many human rights groups have said the release of the Senate torture report does not go far enough and have

From the Wires

After Hagel, Washington’s War Party Parties On

The departure of Chuck Hagel comes at a time when the “war party” is ascendant in Washington

From the Wires

Poll: Increasing Support In US For One-State Solution

A recent poll shows that support among US citizens for a single-state in Israel and the Occupied Territories—where

From the Wires

By Pushing for More Sanctions, US Hardliners Play Into Hands of Iranian Hardliners

Additional U.S. sanctions on Iran would play into the hands of Iranian hardliners and discourage cooperation from Tehran, as

From the Wires

Replacing Hagel: Obama’s Last Chance?

In choosing his next secretary of defense, President Obama can begin to move in the right direction by avoiding a

From the Wires

Was the Iran Deal Threatened by US Sanctions Provisions?

As nuclear talks between Iran and world powers are extended, hawkish elements in Washington are ramping up their efforts to

From the Wires

Pro-Israel Hawks Take Wing over Extended Iran Nuclear Talks

With talks between Iran and the P5+1 extended by seven months, “pro-Israel” and Republican hawks have ramped up

From the Wires

Iran Nuclear Talks Miss Final Deal Deadline, Agree to Extension

Negotiators in Vienna failed to reach an agreement over Iran’s nuclear program and extended the deadline to July 1

From the Wires

Calling Sens. Mitchell, Daschle—Your “Bipartisan” Center Is In Funny Company

The Bipartisan Policy Center, which claims to support “reasoned negotiation and respectful dialogue,” has firmly aligned itself with neoconservatives on

From the Wires

OPINION: Why Israel Opposes a Final Nuclear Deal with Iran and What to Do About It

Israel’s chief fear in a possible nuclear deal with Iran is that it will lose an enemy that it

From the Wires

What a GOP Senate Means for Obama’s Foreign Policy

A Republican-controlled Senate could leave a huge imprint on President Obama’s foreign policy agenda during his last two

From the Wires

US Troops Would Have Withdrawn from Iraq With or Without Obama

George W. Bush and Barack Obama both sought to convince former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s to keep

From the Wires

Iran Nuclear Talks: Reading the Tea Leaves

As the November 24 deadline for reaching a comprehensive nuclear deal with Iran approaches, the different sides are scrambling to

From the Wires

Netanyahu Is a National Security Risk—And Washington Knows It

Once a taboo topic in Washington, leading members of the foreign policy establishment now increasingly scrutinize Israel’s actions

From the Wires

New Resource for Tracking US Military and Police Aid

A recently launched website unveils U.S. security and military assistance to countries around the world

From the Wires

Netanyahu and Obama: Name-Calling and its Discontents

Recent name-calling notwithstanding, US-Israel relations are not at a point of crisis, but could be in the near

From the Wires

The US Must Do Less To Resolve the Israel-Palestine Conflict

The U.S. bears enormous responsibility for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and needs to do less, in terms of its

From the Wires

Beltway Foreign Policy Groups to Congress: Stay Out of the Way on Iran!

A recent letter to members of Congress from 37 organizations urges support for the White House’s efforts to reach

From the Wires

As Optimism Grows, Possible Iran Deal Gains Key Endorsement

A recent endorsement for a possible nuclear deal with Iran by an influential former official will provide much needed political

From the Wires

US Airdrops to Kobani Kurds Mark New Stage in ISIL Conflict

Obama’s decision to airdrop new weapons and supplies to Kurdish fighters in the besieged town of Kobani has been

From the Wires

Gaza and the Bipartisan War on Human Rights

Democrats and Republicans in Washington have been swift in their efforts to discredit human rights groups who have criticized the

From the Wires

OPINION: The US and a Crumbling Levant

The crumbling Levant poses a greater danger than ISIL and must be addressed first and foremost by the states of

From the Wires

Bookends of America’s Broken Regional Policy

America’s Cold-War era Middle East policy of relying on a cast of autocratic states plus Israel must change

From the Wires

US Policy Towards Iran Played Big Role in Rise of Sunni Extremism

The longstanding U.S. policy of not engaging Iran and working to contain its influence in the Middle East has

From the Wires

The Futility of the Long US War in the Middle East

The U.S. track record of using military force in the Middle East has tended to make things worse rather

From the Wires

For Airstrikes on the Islamic State, US Relaxing Drone Strikes’ Burden of Proof

The Obama administration has announced that the strict standards it set-out last year to prevent civilian deaths in U

From the Wires

U.S. Anti-ISIL Strategy Drawing Growing Skepticism

President Obama’s anti-ISIL strategy is drawing growing skepticism amid ISIL gains against the Kurds in the Syrian town

From the Wires

Iran Talks: A Painful Choice Looms

With a wide gap between the two sides in the Iran nuclear talks over how much nuclear enrichment capacity Iran

From the Wires

Barack Obama and the Will to Fight

President Obama does not lack a “will to fight,” as many of his critics claim, especially given the many military

From the Wires

Netanyahu Disappoints at the UN

During his recent UN speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of trying to “fool the world with a

From the Wires

President of Anti-Nuclear-Iran Group Dismisses Imminent Threat of Iranian Nuke

Gary Samore, president of the controversial pressure group United Against Nuclear Iran, does not appear to share the same alarmist

From the Wires

Rouhani Looks to Warmer Ties with Saudis, Tepidly Criticizes US Syria Strikes

At a press breakfast during his trip to New York for the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani questioned

From the Wires

ISIS Complicates Iran’s Nuclear Focus at UNGA

As nuclear negotiations between Iran and international negotiators approach their November deadline, domestic criticism in Iran and the U.S

From the Wires

Nuclear Deal with Iran Likely to Enhance U.S. Regional Leverage

A new report by former senior U.S. foreign-policy officials and regional experts argues that a U.S. nuclear

From the Wires

Declining Majority Still Supports “Active” U.S. Role in World Affairs

Though recent global unrest has spurred an uptick in public support for military interventions, favorable U.S. attitudes toward the

From the Wires

Obama’s Anti-ISIS Strategy Met with Skepticism

President Barack Obama's proposal to attack ISIS will likely receive support from Congress, but experts question his choice of

From the Wires

U.S. Bypasses Security Council on Impending Invasion of Syria

Despite earlier saying that an attack on Syria would require authorization by the UN Security Council, the Obama administration has

From the Wires

Mideast Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone Remains in Limbo

Although political conditions and opposition from the U.S. and Israel have stymied efforts to create a nuclear weapons-free

From the Wires

Dick Cheney’s Laundry List of Threats Enthralls AEI

In a recent speech at the American Enterprise Institute, former Vice President Dick Cheney said the United States should be

From the Wires

How the Government and Private Elites Have Teamed Up for Decades to Astroturf America

Recent revelations about United Against Nuclear Iran’s access to sensitive materials have spurred allegations that it’s actually a

From the Wires

Iraq On the Precipice

As ISIS plunges Iraq into a new sectarian and humanitarian crisis, the U.S. media has ceded the discussion of

From the Wires

AIPAC’s Problems

As AIPAC and other U.S. “pro-Israel” groups have drifted to the hawkish right, they’ve lost support from

From the Wires

Project for a New American Imbroglio

Many prominent Iraq War boosters are now supporting U.S. incursions into Syria alongside a fresh intervention in Iraq

From the Wires

Obama Mulling Broader Strikes Against ISIS?

Obama administration officials have strongly hinted that they are considering expanding their intervention against ISIS over the Syrian border

From the Wires

Learning the Wrong Lessons from the Wrong Wars

Although the Obama administration has grown skeptical of full-blown military interventions, it has increased its reliance on air strikes

From the Wires

Violations of International Law Denigrate U.N.

Many of the most egregious violators of international law are not rogue dictatorships but developed democracies like the United States

From the Wires

Public Offers Support for Obama’s Iraq Intervention

Recent polling reveals a degree of public support for the recent U.S. intervention in Iraq, though a majority of

From the Wires

Islamic State in Iraq: Confronting the Threat

Political settlements in Iraq and Syria—preferably ones that depose Nouri al-Maliki and Bashar al-Assad, respectively—would go

From the Wires

U.S. Avoided Threat to Act on Israel’s Civilian Targeting

Despite repeated insistences that it urged Israel to reduce civilian casualties, the U.S. government has systematically played down Israeli

From the Wires

Qualified Backing for Obama’s Iraq Intervention

Inside the Beltway, President Obama’s decision to launch a limited military action in northern Iraq has garnered qualified support

From the Wires

The Affinity Between Iraqi Sunni Extremists and the Rulers of Saudi Arabia

The extremist group ISIS has used a Saudi tactic—monopolizing oil revenues—to fund its brutal execution of a Saudi

From the Wires

Israel’s U.S.-Made Military Might Overwhelms Palestinians

The latest conflict between Israel and Hamas brings to bear the vast technological superiority of Israeli’s U.S.-backed

From the Wires

U.S., Russia, China Hamper ICC’s Reach

The influence of the International Criminal Court has grown steadily over the years, but the organization remains hampered by opposition

From the Wires

5 Things to Know About the Extended Nuclear Talks with Iran

Although Iran hawks have sought to portray the recent extension of talks over the country's nuclear enrichment program as

From the Wires

Why No Vetoed Resolutions on Civilian Killings in Gaza?

China and Russia have staunchly resisted Western-backed UN resolutions against the Syrian regime, but they have proven unwilling to

From the Wires

The Silent Power of Boycotts and Blockades

Across the globe, nonviolent movements for peace and demilitarization are showing results

From the Wires

U.S. Blames Victims of Its own Failed Foreign Policies

As it did in Vietnam, the United States has strenuously sought to blame others for the mess it created by

From the Wires

U.S.: What Is the Greatest Threat of Them All?

While many realists in Washington support U.S. cooperation with Iran and even Syria to roll back gains made by

From the Wires

In Latest Republican Split, Tea Party Takes on Export-Import Bank

While opposition to the U.S. Export-Import bank, which financially incentivizes the purchase of U.S. exports, previously came

From the Wires

Neo-Cons, Hawks Can’t Get No Iraq Traction

Despite their ubiquity on television talk shows and newspaper op-ed pages, the hawks who propelled the U.S. into

From the Wires

European MEK Supporters Downplay ISIS Role in Iraq

Some European supporters of the exiled Iranian opposition group MEK have played down the role of ISIS in Iraq, painting

From the Wires

The Real Causes of Iraq’s Problems

Although Iraq’s Sunnis have a multitude of legitimate grievances against Shia Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, much of

From the Wires

Zarif Reveals Iran’s Proposal for Ensuring Against “Breakout”

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has reportedly disclosed a plan to international negotiators to prevent Iran from obtaining “breakout” nuclear

From the Wires

Did the Pro-Israel Lobby Contribute to Eric Cantor’s Defeat?

The recently defeated House Majority Leader Eric Cantor enjoyed plenty of support from the Israel lobby, but an increasing tendency

From the Wires

Sports and Violence: A Red Card for Israel

While Israel uses soccer to bolster its international image, critics note that it has violently oppressed the Palestinian national soccer

From the Wires

Timelines Dominate Iran Nuclear Talks

Establishing Iranian trust of U.S. motives will be key to negotiating timelines for sanctions relief and guidelines for future

From the Wires

Libya: A Cautionary Tale

Beset by infighting among militias and rampant arms trafficking, Libya has become a cautionary tale about the long-term consequences

From the Wires

A Common Vision: The Abolition of Militarism

One hundred years after the start of World War I, new calls are emerging to resuscitate the peace movement that

From the Wires

International Cooperation on Key Issues Fell in 2013

A recent report by the Council on Foreign Relations highlights declining global cooperation across a range of issues—especially climate

From the Wires

Syria’s Twin Jihads

The longer Syria's civil war drags on, the more it develops a religious character for its sectarian combatants—Sunni

From the Wires

Gates Wrote Obama’s West Point Speech

Neoconservatives and hawks have hammered Barack Obama over his support for a less militarized U.S. foreign policy, but his

From the Wires

Obama Announces Final Afghanistan Withdrawal by End-2016

President Barack Obama has announced that all U.S. troops will be removed from Afghanistan by the end of 2016

From the Wires

Obama Stresses Multilateralism over Militarism at West Point

President Barack Obama has announced a plan to fight terrorism through multilateral actions and cooperation with foreign governments rather than

From the Wires

Obama Signals Reset of U.S. Foreign Policy

President Obama has indicated a desire to reposition U.S. foreign policy toward multilateral priorities and away from military force

From the Wires

Anti-Semitic Attitudes Strongest in Arab World

A new poll commissioned by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) suggests that anti-Jewish views are three times more prevalent

From the Wires

The Three-War Doctrine

Hyping threats from Russia, China, and the rest of the world, U.S. foreign policy hawks are crafting a confrontational

From the Wires

Militarized Humanitarianism in Africa

The U.S. military is using humanitarian missions to gain a foothold for future interventions in Africa

From the Wires

Tough Road in Vienna to Iran Nuclear Deal

As Iran meets with international negotiators in Vienna, some of the thorniest questions from the nuclear saga will be on

From the Wires

The Three Faces of Drone War

A small but growing group of former drone pilots is joining the campaign against the use of drones

From the Wires

New Gestures to Opposition Unlikely to Change U.S. Syria Policy

The Obama administration has recently increased its assistance to Syrian rebels, but experts believe the White House is more interested

From the Wires

U.N. Probe Chief Doubtful on Syria Sarin Exposure Claims

A UN investigation into the Assad regime's alleged sarin attack outside Damascus suggests that fewer people were affected than

From the Wires

Iran Nuclear Deal: Uphill on the Homestretch?

Iran’s latest nuclear negotiations with the P5+1 powers have thus far proceeded smoothly, though lingering questions remain over

From the Wires

The Two-State Option is Dead: Time for New Thinking

With the demise of the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, activists and academics are considering alternatives to the elusive

From the Wires

Obama’s Half-Pivot to Asia

Ever since the Obama administration announced its ‘strategic rebalance’ of U.S. foreign policy away from the Middle East and

From the Wires

Kerry Draws Israel Hawks’ Ire Amid Failed Talks

The neoconservative Emergency Committee for Israel has called for Secretary of State John Kerry to resign over his off-the

From the Wires

Possible Deal With Iran On Arak: What Does It Mean?

Iran's vice president recently suggested that Tehran has reached a deal with international negotiators over the heavy water reactor

From the Wires

U.S. Public Feeling More Multilateral Than Isolationist

A new poll shows considerable U.S. support for cooperative international engagement, but not for unilateral military adventures

From the Wires

Gates on the Israeli Tail’s Attempt to Wag the Dog in 2007

In his memoir, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recalls sternly warning President George W. Bush against heeding Dick Cheney

From the Wires

Obama Seeks to Reassure Anxious Asians on “Rebalance”

As the U.S. attempts to reassure its allies in Asia of its longstanding security commitments in the wake of

From the Wires

Mark Kirk: First I was for the State Department, Now I Prefer Israel

Sen. Mark Kirk, the strongly hawkish Republican from Illinois who has accused the State Department of playing politics by negotiating

From the Wires

The Politics of the EU Resolution on Iran

A recent resolution passed by the European Parliament promoting renewed engagement between Iran and the EU has angered Iran because

From the Wires

Truman Was Less “Pro-Israel” than Commonly Known, New Book Says

A new book argues that President Harry Truman, the U.S. president who first recognized the state of Israel, was

From the Wires

The WaPo’s Strange Treatment of Adelson Pal Paul Singer

In its report on GOP mega-donor Paul Singer's financial support for gay rights causes, the Washington Post neglected

From the Wires

Criminal Court a U.S.-Israeli “Red Line” for Palestinians

Although Palestinians have sought to pressure Israel by applying for membership in a host of international organizations, they have so

From the Wires

Israel, the US, and the Palestinians: A Recipe for Failure

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks may serve the interests of political leaders in Washington, Ramallah, and Tel Aviv, but they appear

From the Wires

New Einhorn Report on Final Iran Deal Focuses Debate

A recent report by a Brookings scholar recommends passing a congressional authorization for war in the event that Iran abandons

From the Wires

U.S. Rejected Israeli Demand for Iran Nuclear Confession

The United States appears to have dropped a key Israeli demand that Iran 'confess' to past nuclear weapons research—which

From the Wires

Republican Presidential Hopefuls Troop to “Sheldon Primary”

Potential 2016 GOP presidential candidates are already courting casino magnate and ‘pro-Israel’ mega-donor Sheldon Adelson

From the Wires

Iran Is at a Crossroads

Support for reform in Iran and progress in nuclear negotiations depends on a political balance in the country that tentatively

From the Wires

The Uses of Ukraine

Neoconservatives and their allies in the military-industrial complex and fossil fuel industry have seized upon the prospect of a

From the Wires

A New World Order? Think Again.

A recent upturn in civil and interstate conflicts is a return to form for international politics, not a deviation—and

From the Wires

Do Neocons Want a Deal with Iran?

Neoconservatives are pushing impossible standards for a settlement of the negotiations over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, suggesting that they

From the Wires

Middle East Sustains Appetite for Arms

Simmering regional tensions, fears of uprising, and abundant oil wealth are driving a glut of arms sales in the Arab

From the Wires

U.S.-Russia Bickering May Trigger Nuclear Fallout

Brinkmanship over the crisis in Crimea could lead to rollbacks in arms control agreements between the United States and Russia

From the Wires

Russian Arms to Egypt Threaten to Undermine U.S. in Mideast

By supplying arms to Egypt's historically U.S.-backed military, Russia may be attempting to drive a wedge between

From the Wires

What’s Going on in the Gulf? Unsurprisingly, It’s Probably About Iran

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the UAE are launching a full-fledged diplomatic assault against Qatar's support for the Muslim

From the Wires

If a Two-State Solution Fails, What Next?

As the political window for a two-state solution in Israel-Palestine closes, polls show surprising U.S. support for

From the Wires

U.S. Hawks Take Flight Over Ukraine

A familiar cast of neoconservatives is blaming Russia's intervention in Ukraine on the Obama administration

From the Wires

Crimea Faces a ‘Frozen Conflict’

In the absence of a political settlement in Kiev, Crimea could remain under Russian control indefinitely

From the Wires

AIPAC Moves to Plan C for Congress

Thwarted in its attempt to push new Iran sanctions through Congress, AIPAC is now banking on getting bipartisan support for

From the Wires

Hagel Urges Less Money for U.S. Army, More for Special Forces

Sec. of Defense Chuck Hagel's recent proposal to cut the size of the regular Army while increasing funding for

From the Wires

U.S., EU Out-Maneuvered by Syria

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remains vulnerable, but a fractured armed opposition and polarized geopolitics mean that he's unlikely

From the Wires

U.S. Adopts Israeli Demand to Bring Iran’s Missiles into Nuclear Talks

The Obama administration has suggested that it will press Iran on halting its ballistic missile program, adopting a key Israeli

From the Wires

Nuke Summit Agenda Circumvents Armed Powers

An upcoming global summit to address the threat of nuclear weapons will focus on the proliferation of nuclear materials to

From the Wires

A Final Nuclear Deal With Iran

A workable nuclear deal with Iran must address lingering questions about uranium enrichment, the production of plutonium, verification, past research

From the Wires

An Iran in Flux Marks 35th Anniversary of Revolution

As Iran marks the 35th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, new generations of leaders are discovering the value of diplomacy

From the Wires

Obama’s Arms Sales Policy: Promotion or Restraint?

The Obama administration has pledged not to sell arms to parties that violate human rights even as it's given

From the Wires

Zarif Messages to the US on Syria in Munich

U.S. efforts to get Iran to play a 'constructive' role in Syria behind closed doors are undermined by its

From the Wires

SodaStream Super Bowl Ad Obscures More Important Economic Pressure On Israel

The dustup over actress Scarlett Johansson’s appearance in an advertisement for SodaStream, whose factory is located in the occupied

From the Wires

Poll Shows Diminishing Support for Two-State Solution

On the eve of an expected framework agreement between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, polls of both Israelis and Palestinians show

From the Wires

A Manufactured Nuclear Crisis

A new book by Gareth Porter argues that evidence of the Iranian 'nuclear threat' is largely the result of bureaucratic

From the Wires

The Arab World Has Changed, So Should Washington

If Washington banks again on autocratic leaders to preserve "stability" in the Middle East, it will sow the seeds of

From the Wires

Top Israel Lobby Group Loses Battle on Iran, But War Not Over

AIPAC and the "Israel lobby" suffered a heavy blow with its defeat over new Iran sanctions, but the legislation will

From the Wires

Another Example of Why Congress Should Not Let the Bibi Dog Wag the U.S. Tail

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent claim that Hezbollah launched a missile attack on Israel—even when Israeli intelligence

From the Wires

Israel Lobby Thwarted in Iran Sanctions Bid For Now

Mounting Democratic opposition to an AIPAC-backed bill that that would create new sanctions on Iran while nuclear negotiations are

From the Wires

Gates Conceals Real Story of “Gaming” Obama on Afghan War

A recent memoir by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates accuses President Obama of being insufficiently committed to his own troop

From the Wires

Neocons Who Brought You The Iraq War Endorse AIPAC’s Iran Bill

The Foreign Policy Initiative, a neoconservative letterhead group that shares many names with the erstwhile Project for the New American

From the Wires

Fall of Fallujah Refocuses U.S. on Iraq

The capture of Fallujah by al-Qaeda-linked fighters has led some Washington policymakers to call for renewed U.S

From the Wires

Many More Snakes Than Ladders for U.S. Policy in 2014

President Barack Obama faces a number of critical foreign policy challenges in 2014—ranging from escalating tensions in East Asia

From the Wires

47 Senators Take AIPAC’s Word Over U.S. Intel Community

Forty-seven U.S. senators have signed on to cosponsor an AIPAC-backed Iran sanctions package that could tank U

From the Wires

Securing the Persian Gulf: Diplomacy, Not Arms

The United States is attempting to assure its client states in the Persian Gulf that arms sales, rather than diplomacy

From the Wires

Kirk-Menendez-Schumer: Wag the Dog Act of 2014

The latest sanctions bill—introduced by "pro-Israel" Sens. Mark Kirk, Robert Menendez, and Chuck Schumer—violates the spirit, if

From the Wires

Syria, CAR top U.N.’s Challenges for 2014

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has identified the ongoing disintegration of Syria and the Central African Republic as key challenges

From the Wires

Iran Deal Out of Congressional Woods for 2013

The Israel lobby's failure to move new Iran sanctions through Congress before the Christmas recess marks a major setback

From the Wires

Caveat Lector!

A recent Wall Street Journal op-ed by Republican former Secretaries of States Henry Kissinger and George Shultz makes numerous

From the Wires

WaPo “Fact Checker” Fails On Iran Nuclear Fatwa

The Washington Post's designated "fact checker" misrepresented important context—and quoted observers who were hardly disinterested—in a recent

From the Wires

Will Steny Hoyer Kill Deal? Will Mandela Help Sustain It?

GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor and his Democratic counterpart Steny Hoyer are engaged in talks to push a resolution for

From the Wires

Poll Finds Iranians Skeptical of Rouhani Government

A new poll suggests that Iran's nuclear enrichment program is of limited interest to most Iranians—until it is

From the Wires

Iran Deal Looks Safe from Lawmakers’ Attack for Now

Washington's foreign policy elites have generally welcomed the interim agreement on Iran's nuclear enrichment program, leaving little space

From the Wires

Iran Deal: Practical, Far-Sighted and Fair

In its agreement with the P5+1, Iran has agreed to inspections of its nuclear enrichment facilities that are considerably

From the Wires

Rapid Reaction to the Iran Nuclear Deal

The recent deal struck between Iran and the P5+1 on Iran's nuclear enrichment program should accommodate everyone but

From the Wires

Stakes over Iran Talks on the Rise

The U.S. Israel lobby has made clear that it will fight the implementation of any interim agreement with Iran

From the Wires

Obama Gets More Time for Iran Nuclear Deal

The U.S. Senate appears unlikely to vote on any new Iran sanctions before December 2013, giving the administration time

From the Wires

The NSA and the End of the U.S. Empire

The scandal surrounding the NSA’s surveillance of U.S. allies is the latest evidence that the United States has

From the Wires

Are Iran and the United States Headed Towards a “Heroic Agreement”?

Despite strident opposition in some quarters to efforts to reach an accord between Washington and Tehran, circumstances are gradually changing

From the Wires

Saudi Anger Masks Concern About Loss of Influence

Saudi concerns that U.S. rapprochement with Iran would sideline the conservative Sunni Gulf kingdom are key to understanding Saudi

From the Wires

No Deal Yet Over Iran’s Nuclear Program

Talks between Iran and the world powers known as the P5+1 have yet to yield an agreement

From the Wires

Cracks Widen in U.S.-Saudi Alliance

Citing policy differences over Syria and a possible U.S. détente with Iran, Saudi Arabia has become increasingly willing

From the Wires

Israel’s Nuclear Ambiguity Prodded

Israel is not about to relinquish its nuclear arsenal anytime soon, but a growing number of civil society activists are

From the Wires

U.S.-Iran Poised for Breakthrough on Hostage Crisis Anniversary

Even as anti-American hardliners rally in Tehran and hawkish U.S. lawmakers peddle new sanctions legislation against Iran in

From the Wires

Whither Nuclear Talks with Iran?

The necessary elements of a nuclear deal between the West and Iran have long been clear: submission to inspections by

From the Wires

Iraq Retakes Washington Centre-Stage, Briefly

A recent visit to Washington by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki highlighted the growing U.S. concern about al

From the Wires

For U.S. in the Mideast, the Ice Is Getting Thinner

With Washington facing new challenges in its relations with Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the United States is less equipped to

From the Wires

The End of the Beginning

Robert E. Hunter, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, was director of Middle East Affairs on the National Security Council

From the Wires

Saudi Arabia’s Pointless Theatrics

It remains unclear what Saudi Arabia hopes to gain by refusing a seat on the UN Security Council that it

From the Wires

Iran Hawks Down but Not Out After Geneva Talks

Although recent progress in nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 powers has blunted the momentum of Washington's

From the Wires

Iran Nuclear Deal May Have its Beginnings in Geneva

Officials left the latest nuclear negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 feeling more optimistic than ever about a deal

From the Wires

Collapsism

America's foreign policy hawks are no longer counting on Iran to collapse, but North Korea and Cuba remain the

From the Wires

With Obama Away, the Chinese Play

With Washington shut down and President Obama pulled away from trade negotiations in Asia, China is making an aggressive pitch

From the Wires

Araghchi: Iran Open To Additional Protocol As Part Of Endgame

Iran's deputy foreign minister has indicated that Iran would be willing to allow additional inspections of its nuclear sites

From the Wires

Israel and the Gulf Increasingly Nervous Over Iran-U.S. Détente

As Iranian diplomats meet with their western counterparts in Geneva, Israel and the Gulf monarchies are united in their opposition

From the Wires

Neoconservatives Despair Over U.S.-Iran Diplomacy

Nervous about potential U.S. rapprochement with Tehran over its nuclear enrichment program, some neoconservatives are urging Israel to scuttle

From the Wires

Hope and Pessimism as Israelis and Palestinians Resume Talks

Hardliners have begun to lose sway in the U.S. "pro-Israel" community, but the gulf between the Israeli and

From the Wires

How Syria Brought the U.S. and Iran Together

The emerging U.S.-Iran modus vivendi over Syria could be the beginning of the end for three decades of

From the Wires

Iran Hawks Gear Up

As the United States and Iran move towards renewed talks over Tehran's nuclear enrichment program, anti-Iran hardliners in

From the Wires

Remember Bibi’s Wisdom on Iraq 11 Years Ago

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalates his pressure on Washington to avert its rapprochement with Iran, critics recall his

From the Wires

U.S., Iran Trade Cautious Overtures at U.N.

In their addresses to the UN General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani each indicated

From the Wires

Speculation over Iran-U.S. Détente Continues Apace

With both sides sending conciliatory signals in advance of the UN General Assembly, a U.S.-Iran détente appears

From the Wires

Nairobi Attack Exposes Flawed U.S. Terror Policies

The recent assault by Somali terrorists on a Kenyan mall has highlighted the limitations of—and blowback from—targeting terrorists

From the Wires

Israel Silent on Chemical Weapons

The prospect of Syria relinquishing its chemical weapons arsenal has sparked discussion of whether Israel will be pressured to reduce

From the Wires

Hard Times for Iran Hawks

Amid collapsing support at home for military intervention and widening diplomatic inroads with U.S. rivals, Washington’s “pro-Israel

From the Wires

Syria Diplomacy Helps Shuffle Global Order

The recent U.S. failure to marshal international support for military intervention in Syria—and subsequent reliance on diplomacy—highlights

From the Wires

Watchdog Body Will Oversee Private Military Contractors

Hundreds of military contractors have signed onto an agreement to regulate their conduct in overseas warzones, but critics warn that

From the Wires

U.S. Public-Elite Disconnect Emerges Over Syria

While some foreign policy elites have lamented the creeping "isolationism" supposedly reflected in the growing public opposition to U.S

From the Wires

Russia Throws Obama a Life Preserver on Syria

With domestic and international support floundering for the Obama administration’s bid to attack Syria, a Russian proposal for Assad

From the Wires

Obama Increasingly Isolated on Syria Military Action

Washington’s failure to enlist a robust “coalition of the willing” for a strike on Syria mirrors the Obama administration

From the Wires

Iran Looms over Syria Debate for Pro-Israel Groups

Even as the Obama administration is attempting to couch its proposed military intervention in Syria as a humanitarian response to

From the Wires

U.S. Neocon Hawks Take Flight Over Syria

A similar cast of neocons and hardliners who pushed for U.S. military intervention in Iraq and Libya is pressing

From the Wires

Major U.S. Debate Over Wisdom of Syria Attack

Recent allegations that Bashar al-Assad’s forces used chemical weapons have bolstered the standing of Washington’s Syria hawks

From the Wires

Obama Should “Resist the Call” to Intervene in Syria

A former U.S. ambassador to NATO warns President Obama to avoid the temptation to intervene militarily in Syria and

From the Wires

Washington’s Worries Grow Over Saudi Ties

Saudi Arabia, traditionally the linchpin of U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf, has increasingly distanced itself from Washington's

From the Wires

U.S., UK, France Seek Wider U.N. Support for Syria Probe

Over the objections of Russia and China, the United States, the UK, and France have been circulating a letter among

From the Wires

The American Right’s Holy War in Egypt

The neoconservative split over Egypt may not be symptomatic of what’s happening among other elements of the U.S

From the Wires

U.S. Arms Industry Would Lose Big from Egypt Aid Cut-Off

Most of the $1.3 billion in annual U.S. "aid" to Egypt goes directly to U.S.-based military

From the Wires

U.S. Condemns Military Crackdown in Egypt but No Aid Cut-off

Although it harshly condemned Egypt's horrific crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters, Washington has indicated that it will continue to

From the Wires

While Officials Talk, Israelis Build

Illegal settlement growth continues in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem even as Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet

From the Wires

Freeing Prisoners, at a Price

The Israeli government's decision to release over 100 long-serving Palestinian prisoners, many of whom are considered terrorists, has

From the Wires

U.S.-Russia Rift Could Impact Upcoming Nuke Talks

Some analysts worry that the United States and Russia could use the dustup over whistleblower Edward Snowden as a pretext

From the Wires

Mideast Peace Talks Get New Lease on Life

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry exceeded expectations in getting Israeli and Palestinian leaders to the table for new

From the Wires

New Bid for Mideast Talks after Five-Year Hiatus

Some observers—including former President Jimmy Carter—are optimistic that a referendum could provide popular legitimacy to a potential Israeli

From the Wires

Advocates of Iran Engagement Get Unexpected Boost

Prospects for new unilateral U.S. sanctions against Iran have appeared to dim after the release of a letter, signed

From the Wires

Syria: Rebel In-Fighting Weakens Uprising

Fierce infighting among moderate and Islamist rebel groups, as well as Hezbollah's entry into the war, have boosted the

From the Wires

Israel Resumes Threats Against Iran as Experts Urge Patience

Intelligence experts and diplomats are urging patience with Iran's new president-elect, even as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

From the Wires

Obama’s Many Middle East Miseries Multiply

From a tightrope act in Egypt to new obstacles in Syria, events in the Middle East have put the Obama

From the Wires

New Iranian President; Same Old US Approach

By reflexively calling to maintain or increase sanctions on Iran, Washington commentators are helping to sully any opportunity to open

From the Wires

Egyptian Army’s Firepower Overwhelmingly US-Supplied

Military coup and the violent repression of demonstrations notwithstanding, the Egyptian army continues to receive arms and assistance from the

From the Wires

Afghanistan Faces Slim Chance of Post-Occupation Peace Deal

A new report argues that because of disarray in Washington and decentralization in the Taliban, efforts to broker an agreement

From the Wires

Pro-Israel Advocates Push for Continued Aid to Egypt

Some neoconservatives and other "pro-Israel" advocates in the United States are insisting that Washington maintain its close ties with

From the Wires

The Meaning of Rouhani

The surprise landside victory of Iranian moderate Hassan Rouhani restored the faith of many Iranians in their electoral system, but

From the Wires

Kerry’s Last-Ditch Effort As Quixotic As Ever

On the eve of John Kerry’s fifth visit to Israel-Palestine this year, prospects for a two-state solution

From the Wires

U.S., EU Urged to Press Harder for Reform in Bahrain

Repression of all stripes has increased in Bahrain despite the government’s promises to reform, leaving some U.S. officials

From the Wires

Washington Mulls Surprise Rouhani Victory in Iran Vote

While official Washington has greeted the election of Hassan Rouhani—the Iranian moderate slated to become the country's next

From the Wires

US Arms for Syrian Rebels: Bad Choices, Lousy Timing

Some analysts believe that the U.S. decision to arm "moderate" elements of Syria's opposition forces is more likely

From the Wires

Despite Arms Announcement, U.S. Syria Strategy Remains Unclear

Although the Obama administration has couched its decision to arm Syria's rebels as a response to the Assad regime

From the Wires

Rice Replaces Donilon as Obama’s Top Foreign Policy Adviser

Susan Rice, President Obama’s new National Security Adviser, and Samantha Power, the administration’s new nominee for UN ambassador

From the Wires

More Sanctions, More Problems

Because lifting U.S. sanctions on Iran requires legislative action that Congress is unlikely to take no matter what steps

From the Wires

Little Support in Washington for Kerry’s Mideast Efforts

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's recent push to resume Israeli-Palestinian negotiations has received almost no support

From the Wires

U.S. Congress Moves Toward Full Trade Embargo on Iran

As the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly to back Israel in the event of a unilateral Israeli attack on Iran

From the Wires

Nuclear Iran Unlikely to Tilt Regional Power Balance – Report

A new report by the Rand Corporation argues that while a nuclear-armed Iran might raise tensions among the country

From the Wires

Framing Iran: Media Coverage Echoes Some Iraq Problems

An examination of media coverage of Iran's nuclear enrichment program reveals a tendency by mainstream outlets to frame the

From the Wires

Despite Horrific Repression, the U.S. Should Stay Out of Syria

Syria's simmering sectarian tensions and increasingly extreme rebel movement make even a large-scale U.S. intervention unlikely to

From the Wires

Benghazi, Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy: America’s Broken System

The much-publicized hearings over the Benghazi fiasco have neglected to examine the proper balance of security and flexibility for

From the Wires

Nuclear Iran Can Be Contained and Deterred: Report

A report by the Center for a New American Security, a national security think tank close to the Obama administration

From the Wires

Decade After Iraq, Right-Wing and Liberal Hawks Reunite Over Syria

Ten years after right-wing and liberal hawks came together to push the U.S. into invading Iraq, key members

From the Wires

Europe Urged to Step into Breach of Failed Mideast Peace

A group of former European leaders is urging the EU to sidestep the stalled U.S.-backed Israeli-Palestinian peace

From the Wires

Obama Seen Unlikely to Sharply Escalate Intervention in Syria

The Assad regime's alleged use of chemical weapons has led to calls for increased U.S. assistance to rebels

From the Wires

Israel Unlikely to Stay on Syrian Sidelines for Much Longer

Although Israel has thus far appeared reluctant to intervene in Syria's civil war, some analysts believe that increased Hezbollah

From the Wires

Some Hear Death Knell for a Two-State Solution

John Kerry and the Obama administration have placed renewed attention on the Middle East and Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but

From the Wires

Washington’s Nuclear Hypocrisy

At the same time that the United States vilifies North Korea and Iran for their nuclear programs, it remains silent

From the Wires

Kerry’s Mideast Trip Seen as “Going Through the Motions”

Although several Obama administration officials have visited the Middle East in recent months, many analysts believe the administration has given

From the Wires

More Diplomacy, Less Pressure Needed for Iran Settlement – Report

Even as 'pro-Israel' advocacy groups press for harsher sanctions on Iran, an emerging think tank consensus in Washington emphasizes

From the Wires

Hunger Strikes Put Guantanamo Back in the Spotlight

A compelling op-ed published by a Guantanamo detainee on hunger strike has helped spur renewed scrutiny of the Obama

From the Wires

Libya Intervention More Questionable in Rear View Mirror

The NATO intervention in Libya left behind an unstable state and helped to spread Libyan arms into conflicts throughout the

From the Wires

UN Greenlights Long-Awaited Arms Trade Treaty

Over the opposition of a tiny group of recalcitrant states as well as lobbies like the NRA, the UN General

From the Wires

P5+1 Coalition Fraying on Eve of Second Almaty Talks with Iran

Tensions over Syria may undermine the unity of the P5+1 powers as they go back to Kazakhstan to negotiate

From the Wires

Iraq, Afghanistan Wars Will Cost U.S. 4-6 Trillion Dollars: Report

Costs to U.S. taxpayers of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will run between four and six trillion dollars

From the Wires

As Iraq Anniversary Fades, “Strategic Narcissism” Stands out

The fact that major media outlets have invited virtually no Iraqis to comment on the 10th anniversary of the U

From the Wires

Obama’s Subtle Message To Israel: You’re Not My Top Priority Anymore

The subtext of Obama’s recent trip to Israel suggests that the president has much bigger fish to fry than

From the Wires

Hawks Defend War on Low-Key 10th Anniversary of Iraq Invasion

Most of the U.S. media and foreign policy commentariat opted to overlook the 10th anniversary of the U.S

From the Wires

Ten Years After Iraq War, Neo-Cons Struggle to Hold Republicans

Neoconservatives and like-minded militarists continue to hold sway over the Republican Party's foreign policy establishment 10 years after

From the Wires

U.S. Claims No Indefinite Detention at Guantánamo

Despite clear evidence that the United States is holding prisoners without charge or possibility of trial at Guantanamo, an official

From the Wires

U.S. “Rebalancing” to Asia/Pacific Still a Priority

Amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula and a brewing dispute over Chinese hacking, the Pentagon insists that the Obama

From the Wires

U.S. Intelligence Sees Cyber Threats Eclipsing Terrorism

The latest national threat assessment by U.S. intelligence agencies suggests a greater threat to the United States from "cyber

From the Wires

AIPAC on the Defensive

While its base remains active and invested, AIPAC is increasingly confronting a political landscape in which its membership seems more

From the Wires

U.S. Wasted Billions of Dollars on Iraqi Reconstruction

A report by the U.S. Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has concluded that the U.S. wasted billions

From the Wires

What Went Right at Almaty

Iran and the P5+1 powers are finally negotiating instead of just talking

From the Wires

Obama and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: It’s Time to Act

As President Barack Obama travels to Israel and Palestine in the spring, Washington’s unconditional backing of Israel could soon

From the Wires

After Unprecedented Fight, Hagel Confirmed as Obama’s Pentagon Chief

Despite a massive effort by “pro-Israel” neoconservatives to derail his nomination, the Senate has voted to confirm Chuck Hagel

From the Wires

Former Hostages Call for Broadened Dialogue with Iran

On the eve of renewed P5+1 negotiations in Kazakhstan, at least two former hostages of the U.S. embassy

From the Wires

Saudi Arabia Seen Unlikely to Seek Nukes If Iran Gets One

A new report suggests that, due to a combination of factors, countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey would be

From the Wires

Political Violence Grips Egypt From All Sides

With its frequent and sometimes violent protests, Egypt’s secular opposition may be alienating potential supporters ahead of the country

From the Wires

U.S. Urged to Lean Harder on Bahrain’s Ruling Family

An array of policy experts are urging the Obama administration to press the Bahraini royal family to make genuine compromises

From the Wires

Obama Administration Reveals Deep Divisions on Syria Policy

Despite the Obama administration’s apparent skepticism about the wisdom of providing U.S. arms to Syrian rebels, recent reports

From the Wires

Few Hopes for Iran Breakthrough

Many analysts are skeptical that Iran ‘s Supreme Leader is prepared to deal with the West at February’s P5

From the Wires

Israeli Activists Invite Palestinian Vote

During the recent Israeli election, a group of Israeli activists called attention to Palestinian statelessness by offering their votes to

From the Wires

It’s All About Israel

Israel dominated the Senate hearings on Chuck Hagel’s nomination as defense secretary

From the Wires

Setbacks Push Mideast Peace to Back Burner

Although Obama administration officials have expressed optimism about progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace, experts suspect that the political climates in

From the Wires

Israel Votes for More of the Same – And Seeks Change

If reelected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays true to his political survivalism, he’ll take his coalition toward the

From the Wires

Landmark U.S. Immigration Framework Heavy on Border Security

Shifting political winds in the United States have brought immigration reform to the forefront of Washington’s agenda, but some

From the Wires

Oh, Snap, George Shultz Backs Hagel

A letter backing Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense, signed by 13 former cabinet-level officials from both parties, highlights

From the Wires

Devil Is in the Details for Iran Nuclear Deal

A letter from seven exiled Iranian parliamentarians urges a nuclear deal between Iran and the West based on Iran’s

From the Wires

The viral campaign to set a “red line” for Iran

A video calling for unspecified parties to set a “red line” for Iran’s nuclear program has gone viral thanks

From the Wires

Victory Close to Defeat for Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu has won another term as Israel’s prime minister even as his support base seems more tenuous than

From the Wires

Early Reaction: Winners and Losers in Israel’s 2013 Elections

Israel’s centrist parties gained ground in the country’s recent elections, but it’s unlikely to result in any

From the Wires

U.S. Public Supports UNESCO, Despite Funding Cuts

A recent poll reveals widespread U.S. support for various UN agencies—including UNESCO, which the U.S. has withheld

From the Wires

Obama to Accelerate Handover to Afghan Army

Hinting at the possibility of a more rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, President Obama announced recently that

From the Wires

Will Chuck Hagel’s Appointment Actually Help the Anti-War Left?

Chuck Hagel is no political progressive, but the former Nebraska senator does have a history of butting heads with neoconservatives

From the Wires

Obama Nominates Hagel for Pentagon, Brennan for CIA

President Obama’s appointment of Chuck Hagel to head the Pentagon will likely prove contentious, even as his appointment of

From the Wires

The Mindlessness of War in Afghanistan

One night in 1979, bombs dropped from the sky, killing 16 members of Ismail’s family

From the Wires

Groups Decry Obama’s Failure to Close Guantanamo

President Obama has again drawn the ire of human rights groups by signing a defense appropriation that restricts his ability

From the Wires

U.N.‘s Last Stand on Divisive Arms Trade Treaty

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, UN negotiators are gathering for one last push for a strong treaty to

From the Wires

A Third Intifada on the Horizon?

As the Fatah-Hamas rift slowly closes amid backlash from Israel’s recent strikes on Gaza, the stirrings of a

From the Wires

Neo-Cons, Israel Lobby Mobilize to Pre-empt Obama Pentagon Favorite

Neocons and leaders of the powerful Israel lobby are waging an all-out campaign to pre-empt the nomination by

From the Wires

Iranian Bomb Graph Appears Adapted from One on Internet

A graph released to the AP by the International Atomic Energy Agency last November, which purportedly suggested that Iran had

From the Wires

Rate of U.S., Russian Nuclear Disarmament “Slowing”

The U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals account for over 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons—and the

From the Wires

Washington Struggles for Relevance as Assad’s Fall Approaches

Many of the best armed Syrian rebel groups—and therefore the most likely to wield influence in a post-Assad

From the Wires

Syria Opposition Wins International Backing

The Syrian National Coalition—the new Syrian opposition umbrella group—recently won recognition from the more than 100 countries in

From the Wires

Attack Brings Renewed Strength for Hamas

An Israeli assault on Gaza has fortified the previously dwindling Palestinian support for Hamas … again

From the Wires

More Voices Urge Obama to Rein In Netanyahu

In light of the Israeli government’s decision to build thousands of new settlement units in retaliation for the UN

From the Wires

Israel Rains Fire When UN Votes Against It

Whenever the UN chastises Israel, the reaction from the Jewish state is highly predictable: either launch a military strike on

From the Wires

Despite Growing Violence, Syrian Political Equation Unchanged

Even as Syria’s rebels advance on Damascus and reorganize their political leadership, the political calculus of the concerned parties

From the Wires

Thumbs Up for Palestine, Thumb in the Eye for Peace

With its opposition to an elevated diplomatic recognition for Palestine, Netanyahu’s government is signaling its opposition not just to

From the Wires

Amidst Turmoil, Nuke-Free Mideast Conference Derailed

A conference to establish a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East has been derailed, with the United States arguing

From the Wires

Avoiding the Slippery Slope to War with Iran

Beneath the hawkish bluster on Capitol Hill, many observers and seasoned security officials see peaceful negotiations—followed by containment, if

From the Wires

Israel Ranked World’s Most Militarised Nation

The concentration of so many Middle Eastern states—led by Israel—at the top of the Global Militarization Index underscores

From the Wires

Hamas Military Chief Killed in Israeli Attack

A fresh wave of Israeli strikes on Gaza has opened up with the assassination of Ahmad Jabari, the Hamas military

From the Wires

Syrian Opposition Rebrands as Rebels Advance

Syrian opposition groups have organized under a new umbrella in an effort to appease foreign benefactors

From the Wires

Unfinished Business Awaits Obama’s Second Term

A former CIA officer says it’s time for the Obama administration to stop turning a blind eye to atrocities

From the Wires

Netanyahu’s 2010 Order Was Not a Move to War on Iran

Reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli military to prepare for a strike on Iran in 2010

From the Wires

U.S.: Greater Middle East Dominates the Last Debate

The Middle East stole the show at the last debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama

From the Wires

50th Anniversary of Cuban Missile Crisis Offers Lessons for Iran

The popular memory of the Cuban missile crisis—one in which the United States simply forced the Soviets to back

From the Wires

U.S.: Greater Middle East Dominates the Last Debate

The Middle East stole the show at the last debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama

From the Wires

Egypt and U.S. Step Past Crisis

Despite renewed tensions in U.S.-Egyptian relations—marked by what Washington regarded as tacit Muslim Brotherhood support for boisterous

From the Wires

Israel’s Hypocrisy on a Nuclear Middle East

When the Israeli Prime Minister stood before the UN General Assembly and called for action against Iran’s alleged nuclear

From the Wires

Nobel Laureate Calls for Armed Intervention in Nigeria

On the International Day of Peace, Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka visited the United Nations—and called for armed intervention

From the Wires

U.N. Chief Jabs Media for Overblown Coverage of Hate Crimes

In the wake of an International Day of Peace marred by reports of violent riots from across the Islamic world

From the Wires

U.S. to Take Iran Anti-Regime Group Off Terrorism List

In a move certain to ratchet up already high tensions with Iran, the Obama administration has announced that it will

From the Wires

Amid Tension in Islamic World, U.N. Chief Pleads for Harmony

Against a backdrop of international conflict and turmoil in the Middle East, UN officials are pleading for new investments in

From the Wires

U.S., Israeli Attacks Unlikely to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Programme

A new report by a bipartisan cast of former military and intelligence officials argues authoritatively that a U.S. or

From the Wires

Islamists Threaten Libya’s Future

The killing of U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens comes in the wake of a new threat of Islamic

From the Wires

U.S. Public Satisfied With Less Militarised Global Role

Disillusioned by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. public is becoming increasingly comfortable with a more modest and

From the Wires

Libyan Weapons Arming Regional Conflicts

Black-market weapons from Libya’s civil war are turning up from Nigeria to Syria as former fighters look to

From the Wires

Israelis Brace Dubiously for War With Iran

Many Israelis don’t seem to believe that war with Iran is inevitable—but they’re picking up gas masks

From the Wires

In Israel, Opposition to Attacking Iran Gains Upper Hand

Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak appear more isolated than ever within Israel in their support for a unilateral Israeli strike

From the Wires

Washington’s War Drums Drown out Opportunities for Peace in Syria

Armed insurrection is not the only way to bring down the Assad regime, and the strengthening of armed groups directly

From the Wires

Q&A: U.S. Should Encourage NATO-Led Assistance to Syrian Opposition

One former CIA agent believes that NATO, via Turkey, should provide arms and a safe haven for the armed Syrian

From the Wires

Israel’s Iran War Talk Aims at Deal for Tougher U.S. Policy

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is ratcheting up the threat of a unilateral Israeli attack on Iran to badger the

From the Wires

U.S. Denies Consensus with Israel on Iran Nuclear Threat

The United States is pushing back against a controversial claim by the Israeli Defense Minister that the U.S. now

From the Wires

High-Level Defections, Escalating Violence Mark New Phase of Syrian Uprising

High-ranking officials have begun to defect from the Syrian regime in record numbers, although the opposition remains fragmented and

From the Wires

TURKEY: Caught Between Syria’s Kurds and a Hard Spot

Recent gains by rebellious Syrian Kurds have unnerved the Turkish government and media

From the Wires

Israeli Group Maps Palestinian Removals

One right-wing Israeli group has taken it upon itself to map Palestinian villages in the West Bank—with the

From the Wires

Governments Boost Nukes While Cutting Aid and Social Services

As the international community attempts to redirect spending from nuclear-weapons programs to development, at least nine UN member states

From the Wires

Obama Pressed on Syrian End-Game

With the Assad regime showing new vulnerability, neoconservatives and other hawks are pressuring the Obama administration to ramp up U

From the Wires

Right-Wing Hawks, Arms Industry Rally Against Pentagon Cuts

Neoconservative think tanks have joined the U.S. defense industry to lobby against defense cuts by sequestration

From the Wires

Netanyahu – Unlike Olmert – Refuses Explicit Iran Attack Threat

The government of Benjamin Netanyahu enjoys a hawkish reputation, but both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak have been careful

From the Wires

Key Syrian Defection Heartens U.S.

The defection of a key Sunni backer of the Assad regime is a major blow to Syria’s ruling party

From the Wires

Israel Divestment Campaigns Gain Momentum in U.S.

The U.S. Presbyterian Church’s debate over divesting from Caterpillar, a construction supply corporation that profits from the Israeli

From the Wires

New U.S.-Pakistani Supply Accord Seen as Tenuous

Pakistan has reopened its border for NATO supply routes into Afghanistan in exchange for a U.S. apology for killing

From the Wires

New Israeli Deputy PM Undercuts Strategy of Pressure on Obama

The man who helped build Netanyahu’s “war cabinet” sounds skeptical about an Israeli strike on Iran and has shifted

From the Wires

U.S. Hawks Aflutter as Clinton Clears China on Iran Oil Sales

Neoconservatives are looking to ramp up sanctions on Iran—and to make sure they hit China

From the Wires

Israelis Grapple with an Unfinished War

Israel’s 1982 war with Lebanon never really ended

From the Wires

Obama Resists Growing Pressure to Intervene in Syria

Neoconservatives and other U.S. hawks are mounting pressure on the Obama administration to intervene in Syria, but so far

From the Wires

Setbacks for Congressional Iran Hawks

Hawks in the U.S. Congress are finding it difficult to ratchet up the U.S. military threat against Iran

From the Wires

Tea Party Loses in Fight with Big Business

The battle over the future of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) has been a humbling experience for

From the Wires

Arab Autocrats Aiding Resurgence of Terrorism

Arab autocrats in Syria, Bahrain, and elsewhere are indirectly contributing to the resurgence of terrorism in their societies

From the Wires

America the Serial Killer

With its expanded drone program, the Obama administration has encouraged the view of a America as serial killer who keeps

From the Wires

Bullying, Leadership, and the Presidency of the United States

The 1965 bullying incident at Michigan's elite Cranbrook School that came to light this week has kicked off a

From the Wires

US Should Forge “New Partnership” With Turkey, Report Says

A new report by the influential Council on Foreign Relations urges Washington to develop a stronger strategic partnership with Turkey

From the Wires

U.S. Escalating Drone War in Yemen

As it slowly extracts ground troops from Afghanistan, the Obama administration is escalating the drone war in Yemen

From the Wires

Debating Syria

Is diplomacy really dead in Syria, or has it even been given a chance

From the Wires

New Steps by Obama to Curb Atrocities in Syria, Elsewhere

The Obama administration’s new “Atrocities Prevention Board” has drawn bipartisan praise, but some critics worry that it institutionalizes the

From the Wires

U.S.-Israel Deal to Demand Qom Closure Threatens Nuclear Talks

The inclusion of an Israeli and western demand that Iran close its Fordow nuclear facility could be a “poison pill

From the Wires

White House Expresses Growing Concern Over Bahrain

Long silent about government abuses in Bahrain, the Obama administration has lately responded to pressures to cajole the Gulf monarchy

From the Wires

The United States as Number Two

Though slow to assert itself internationally, China is already surpassing the United States as the world’s preeminent economic power

From the Wires

The Foreign Policy President?

During his first term in office, President Obama’s foreign policies fell far short of meeting the hopes of progressives

From the Wires

Strong Majority of U.S. Jews Likely to Stick with Obama

Despite an aggressive push by Republicans and neoconservatives to pry Jewish voters from the Obama camp, American Jews are largely

From the Wires

Ahead of Revived Talks, U.S. Wavers: Diplomacy or Sanctions for Iran?

Even as negotiations are slated to resume between Iran and the West, hawks in the U.S. Congress are ramping

From the Wires

Pro-Peace Jewish Lobby Stresses Return to Stalled Talks

Despite criticism over its inclusion of former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert, J Street’s third annual conference featured several prominent

From the Wires

Poll Shows Little U.S. Support for Syria Intervention

Despite an aggressive push by neoconservative groups and hawks in Congress, the American public simply doesn’t support U.S

From the Wires

Little U.S. Popular Support for Israeli Attack on Iran

Americans may sympathize with Israel’s quandary over Iran, but there’s little public support for getting the United States

From the Wires

Amid Escalating Israel-Iran Tensions, a Glimmer of Hope?

Although Israel and its U.S. backers are pushing for action to stop Iran’s nuclear enrichment, the Obama administration

From the Wires

Renewed Push in U.S. to Arm Syrian Rebels

Neoconservatives and their allies in Congress have strengthened their calls to arm Syrian opposition groups, despite the fact that such

From the Wires

Israeli Attack on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Easier Said Than Done

The technical hurdles to an Israeli strike on Iran are higher than usually claimed

From the Wires

While Israel Blames Iran for India, Georgia Bombings, U.S. More Reserved

Israel and many of its U.S. backers have blamed Iran for the attacks on Israeli diplomats in New Delhi

From the Wires

A Global Empire, Yet a “United States of Fear”

A new book by Tom Engelhardt argues that the United States’ domestic woes are not isolated challenges but part of

From the Wires

Early End to U.S. Combat Role in Afghanistan Draws Cheers, Jeers, Confusion

Leon Panetta's surprise announcement that U.S. troops will phase out their combat role in Afghanistan by mid-2013

From the Wires

Worries Mount over Blowback of Israeli Attack on Iran

U.S. policymakers worry that Israel might attack Iran without giving prior warning to Washington

From the Wires

Iran’s Relations with Latin America Less Than Meets the Eye

In contrast to assertions from U.S. policymakers about a Persian menace emerging in the American neighborhood, Iran has only

From the Wires

Egypt Follows Israel, Eyeing U.S. Aid without Pre-Conditions

Egypt and Israel may be at a crossroads in their relations, but each is violating the terms of its U

From the Wires

The Apocalyptics

Dress them up in black, put some Goth makeup on them, give them a name like The Apocalyptics, and the

From the Wires

Less Counter-Insurgency, More Asia in New U.S. Strategy

President Obama’s “strategic shift” from counter-insurgency in the Middle East to force projection in the Asia-Pacific has

From the Wires

Anti-Neo-Con Candidate Getting Serious Look

Perhaps at the expense of his more eccentric domestic political views, Ron Paul’s anti-interventionist foreign policy has attracted

From the Wires

“Arab Spring” Dominated TV Foreign News in 2011

The U.S. network news giants paid more attention to foreign affairs in 2011 than usual, but gaps in coverage

From the Wires

U.S., Iran Both Squandered Opportunities for Détente

A new book by analyzes the Obama administration’s truncated attempt to engage Iran, documenting failures by both sides to

From the Wires

Mass Tragedy Feared as Closure of MEK Camp Looms

U.S. officials fear that unless the MEK’s leaders approve of vacating their camp north of Baghdad, the residents

From the Wires

Foreign Aid Spared Massive Cuts in 2012

Although Congress spared foreign aid the massive cuts favored by the GOP-led House, aid spending continues to pale beside

From the Wires

Iraq Intervention Ends with Scarcely a Whimper

The United States marked the formal end of its unpopular eight-and-a-half year war in Iraq with little

From the Wires

Military Option Recedes amid Tug-of-War over Iran Policy

The Obama administration hasn’t shied away from confrontation with Iran, but some administration officials are resisting pressure from Congress

From the Wires

Civil War Looms as Syrian Protests Grow Increasingly Complex

As the West ramps up its engagement with Syrian opposition figures, the behavior of armed opposition groups inside the country

From the Wires

“Israel’s Advocate” to Leave White House for Pro-Israel Think Tank

Dennis Ross, one of the Obama administration’s most pro-Israel Middle East advisers, is leaving his post to return

From the Wires

Calls for New Sanctions, Air Strikes Follow IAEA Report

Hawks in Israel, Western Europe, and the U.S. Congress have Iran in their crosshairs since the International Atomic Energy

From the Wires

“Who Lost Iraq” Debate Fails to Get Traction

Iraq war hawks have launched broadsides against the Obama administration for allowing the U.S. role in the conflict to

From the Wires

U.S. Halts UNESCO Funding after Palestinian Vote

The Obama administration announced that it would immediately cut U.S. funding for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

From the Wires

Obama Confirms Full Withdrawal by Christmas

President Obama has confirmed his commitment to ending the U.S. troop presence in Iraq on schedule—much to the

From the Wires

U.S. May Have Concealed Deterrent Aim of Iranian Plot

If the alleged Iran plot to assassinate the Saudi U.S. ambassador is genuine, it may have been part of

From the Wires

As 2012 Polls Loom, Caution’s the Word for Obama’s Foreign Policy

With key al-Qaeda figures dead and Iran under harsh sanctions, Obama seems unlikely to rock the boat on foreign

From the Wires

U.S. Hawks Behind Iraq War Rally for Strikes Against Iran

Familiar Iraq war boosters have seized on the alleged Iranian plot against the Saudi ambassador to the United States to

From the Wires

Alleged Plot Weakens Claims of Iran’s Sway in Latin America

Iran’s alleged effort to have a used-car salesman from Texas contract Mexican narcos for an assassination attempt casts

From the Wires

Iranians Charged in Alleged Plot to Kill Saudi Envoy

Advocates of regime change in Tehran are embracing the bizarre story of an alleged Iranian plot to kill the Saudi

From the Wires

U.S. Republican Frontrunner Touts Neoconservative Foreign Policy

Mitt Romney’s first major foreign policy address was light on specifics, but heavy on American exceptionalism and neoconservative talking

From the Wires

Al-Awlaki Killing Gets Mixed Reviews

While the Obama administration has celebrated the killing of Al-Qaeda militant and U.S. citizen Anwar al-Awlaki, the

From the Wires

Politics Throws Palestine under the Bus

Right-wing “pro-Israel” advocates have apparently convinced President Obama that his Jewish support depends on his own support for

From the Wires

Defying U.S., Palestine Seeks U.N. Recognition for Statehood

UN delegates from the United States and Israel were noticeably quiet as the rest of the General Assembly rapturously applauded

From the Wires

Iraq Intelligence Failures Cast Shadow Over Iran Assessment

A new report from the Atlantic Council evaluates the reliability of intelligence about Iran’s nuclear program

From the Wires

Familiar Hawks Press Obama on Iraq Withdrawal

Led by the Foreign Policy Initiative, a coterie of Iraq war hawks has sent a letter to President Obama urging

From the Wires

Hawks Fret over U.S. Withdrawal

Regardless of the political consequences, critics of the Obama administration advocate pressuring the Iraqi government to accept more U.S

From the Wires

Did 9/11 Make Peace Passé?

The word "peace" has such a negative reputation inside the Beltway that the U.S. Institute of Peace, which saw

From the Wires

Ten Years Later, Still Equating Terrorism with Islam

Even 10 years after 9/11, American Muslims continue to face discrimination, suspicion, and profiling

From the Wires

Did Al Qaeda Succeed in Ending “the American Century”?

A decade after its devastating attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, Al Qaeda appears to have

From the Wires

US, EU Call for Assad’s Ouster

Barack Obama for the first time said “the time has come” for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down

From the Wires

Int’l Pressure Mounts as Syrian Crackdown Grows More Violent

The international chorus against Bashar al-Assad has steadily grown as Syria’s Ramadan crackdown on anti-government protesters escalates

From the Wires

US Nuclear Arsenal Holds Fast to Status Quo

Barack Obama’s push for nuclear disarmament has slowed considerably since the ratification of New START, and the United States

From the Wires

US Moves Closer to Call for Regime Change

Syria has escalated its violence against anti-regime protesters, prompting the Obama administration to inch closer to calling for Bashar

From the Wires

Military Hawks Upset with Debt Deal

Proposed defense cuts in the deal to raise the debt ceiling have caused neoconservatives to lambast the agreement

From the Wires

US Islamophobes Distance Themselves from Norway Killings

Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik’s numerous citations of right-wing Islamophobes in his manifesto have prompted furious denials of

From the Wires

US Hardens Tone Against Assad

Washington is responding to the violent crackdown on Syrian protests continues with ever harsher rhetoric

From the Wires

The Realist Who Moved Washington Closer to Reality

Robert Gates left the Pentagon as one of most important Defense secretaries in decades

From the Wires

Diplomatic Wounds Leave Half-Healed Scars

Turkey and Israel are close to resolving their dispute over last year's flotilla fiasco, but the partnership that existed

From the Wires

Obama Takes the Centrist Option on Withdrawal

By announcing a small troop drawdown, but refraining to set a deadline for full troop withdrawal, Barack Obama is trying

From the Wires

Kerry, McCain Come to Obama’s Rescue Over Libya

In the face of growing congressional criticism over the legal basis for the Libyan War, Barack Obama received a lifeline

From the Wires

Obama Leaves Door Open to Long-Term US Afghan Combat

Despite Barack Obama's announcement of a gradual withdrawal from Afghanistan, the reality is that U.S. troops are far

From the Wires

Neoconservatives Losing Hold Over Republican Foreign Policy

Neoconservative dominance of Republican Party foreign policy trends is steadily waning, with leading 2012 candidates expressing doubt about U.S

From the Wires

Obama’s Claim of Libya War Powers Widely Disputed

The U.S. intervention in Libya has passed its 90th day, prompting Congress to angrily claim President Obama is not

From the Wires

Debate Rages over US Withdrawal

With the war in Afghanistan showing no great signs of progress, the debate on Capitol Hill is shifting ever so

From the Wires

Pakistan: U.S. Development Aid v. Military Intervention

Aid to Pakistan is under threat from both Congress and the public, but it would be smarter to reform the

From the Wires

Rifts Appear as Syrian Opposition Struggles to Maintain Momentum

The Syrian opposition remains unsure of the way forward in the wake of brutal state oppression, but events like the

From the Wires

U.S. Uses Peace Talks to Divide Taliban from Pakistan

U.S. hints at peace talks with the Taliban are designed to isolate the group from its Pakistani patron—but

From the Wires

US Veto Could Derail Palestine as New U.N. Member State

The United States, in the face of global opposition, looks likely to veto a possible UN resolution recognizing Palestine as

From the Wires

House Votes Suggest Growing War Weariness

A slate of measures recently voted on in Congress reflect growing war weariness among elected officials and the U.S

From the Wires

Netanyahu Conditions Denounced as “War” by Palestinians

Benjamin Netanyahu’s AIPAC speech demonstrates that he is not interested in a fair peace with Palestine

From the Wires

Obama: Surrendered Wife?

For some people, there’s nothing President Obama can do to prove his love for Israel

From the Wires

Obama Troop Surge Decision Ignored Pak-Taliban Ties

President Obama’s escalation of the war in Afghanistan has not fully come to terms with the fact that Pakistan

From the Wires

Obama Peace Vision Sparks New Disputes

In his Middle East speech, Barack Obama offered policy prescriptions that largely toed the Israeli line, making Israeli Prime Minister

From the Wires

Within the Arab Left, Contradictions Emerge Over Syria

The Arab Spring has been a cause for celebration for the Arab Left, but regional considerations have impacted its view

From the Wires

Expectations Build for Obama Mideast Policy Speech

Barack Obama’s planned address this week on Middle Eastern policy will be a harbinger of the administration’s future

From the Wires

Bin Laden Coup Could Mark New Beginning for Obama

In one swoop, the raid that killed Osama bin Laden could revolutionize the perception of Barack Obama’s foreign policy

From the Wires

Gunfight at Abbottabad: Dismantling the Myth of an American Hero

The official story of Osama bin Laden’s death is only a legend, but those involved have been none too

From the Wires

After Bin Laden Hit, U.S. Aides Raise Dubious Hopes for Peace

U.S. officials expecting to use Osama bin Laden’s death as impetus for peace talks in Afghanistan are oblivious

From the Wires

Pakistan in Deep Turmoil

In the aftermath of Osama bin Laden’s killing, the Pakistani government finds itself under both domestic and foreign pressure

From the Wires

Osama Death May Splinter Militants Further

Osama bin Laden’s death will have a spillover effect in anti-terror efforts, as jihadist groups in northwest Pakistan

From the Wires

Bin Laden’s Killing Could Alter Af-Pak, Other Policies

Osama bin Laden’s death has been hailed as a victory in the “war on terror,” but it is likely

From the Wires

Washington Failing to Understand Iran’s Opposition

The Arab Spring is spurring some neoconservatives to dust off their theories about how Iran’s “Green Movement” would benefit

From the Wires

Break the Silence in the UAE

As the silent response to certain locales of the Arab Spring shows, states and businesses have a history of divorcing

From the Wires

The Undead Chicken

The United States has shaped its policy toward the evolving situation in the Middle East according to the Chinese proverb

From the Wires

Arab Spring Stalls as U.S. Defers to Saudi ‘Counter-revolution’

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies, seemingly encouraged by Washington acquiescence, push back against Arab Spring movements as part of

From the Wires

U.S. Denies It Is Trying to Undermine Assad

Bashar al-Assad’s government struggles to cope with growing protests as the State Department denies any involvement in the

From the Wires

U.S. ‘Democracy’ Advisors Suddenly in Demand

With the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia toppled and rebellions raging from Libya to Yemen, U.S. officials and NGOs

From the Wires

Israel Hits Roadblock Over Dismissal of War Crimes Charges

Israel has gone on the offensive after Richard Goldstone admitted “regret” over parts of the UN-report investigating Israel’s

From the Wires

Libya Splitting Republicans in 1990s Redux

In a replay of the infighting among Republicans over U.S. military interventions in the Balkans in the 1990s, U

From the Wires

Maliki’s Doubts Threaten Post-2011 Troop Presence Plan

President Obama’s plan to station U.S. combat troops in Iraq beyond 2011 is threatened by developments in both

From the Wires

Turkey’s ‘neo-Gaullism’

Turkey has endeavored to make itself a central player in the unfolding Middle East upheaval, leading one observer to comment

From the Wires

Arab Uprising as a War on Terror

The flame lit by Mohamed Bouazizi's self-immolation last December 17 has also engulfed some myths about the region

From the Wires

Neocons Target Assad Regime

Despite opposition from the Obama administration and the apparent ambivalence on the part of Israel’s right-wing government, neoconservatives

From the Wires

Obama Doctrine of Multilateralism on the Line in Libya

Does President Obama’s cautious, limited approach to intervention in Libya augur a new U.S. role in world affairs

From the Wires

Time for Intervention Running Out

With Libyan forces seeming to have the upper hand, time is running out on whether and when the United States

From the Wires

US Edges Towards Rebel Recognition

While neoconservatives in the U.S. are itching to get into the fight against Gaddafi, the United States and its

From the Wires

Critics Condemn Islam Hearings as Witch Hunts

Controversial hearings on extremist Islam in the United States, spearheaded by Homeland Security chair Rep. Peter King, are raising red

From the Wires

Israel Grows Ever-Harsher in Treatment of Migrants

Israel’s growing migrant population has spurred the rightwing Likud government to pursue increasingly harsh detention and deportation policies, which

From the Wires

“New Egypt” the Wild Card in Stalled Mideast Peace Process

The possibility of finding a solution to the “Palestinian question” hinges in part on how Israel and Egypt respond to

From the Wires

Pressure on Obama to Push Regime Change in Libya

Republican Party-aligned hawks and some administration allies have applied increasing pressure on the President Obama to push for regime

From the Wires

Dead Peace Process Could be “National Suicide” for Israel

The United States will once again block a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli expansion into the Occupied Territories, despite

From the Wires

As Talks Stall with Iran, US Steps Up Propaganda War

Events in Egypt have spurred the U.S. to step up its rhetoric on Iran, calling the Iranian government "hypocritical

From the Wires

US Faces New Test Over State Violence

The Obama administration now must add Bahrain to its political balancing act as it copes with unprecedented turmoil in North

From the Wires

The Brotherhood Bogeyman

While the Muslim Brotherhood claims it is the victim of lies and distortions, policymakers aligned with the “Israel lobby” want

From the Wires

Gap Widens Between US and Arab World

Growing Arab demands for an end to autocratic rule and U.S. regional hegemony have led to calls for a

From the Wires

Bush’s Democracy Sage Offers Obama Advice

The Likud Party star, Natan Sharansky, warns that if the United States continues to support the Mubarak regime it could

From the Wires

The Fox Guarding the Henhouse

The extraordinary events of January 2011 in Egypt should prove one point for good: Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative

From the Wires

Two Cheers for the Brotherhood

Can the Muslim Brotherhood be a partner in a democratic Egypt? Not according to neoconservatives and other Middle East hawks

From the Wires

Obama Riding a Mideast Tiger

The Obama administration is scrambling to confront an unprecedented number of challenges across the Arab world

From the Wires

Palestine Papers Cause Heartburn in Washington

The exposure of a huge cache of documents detailing Palestinian accounts of a decade of peace negotiations with Israel could

From the Wires

Glimmer of Hope on Eve of New Iran Nuclear Talks

Some observers are optimistic that the P5+1 talks in Istanbul on Iran’s nuclear program could help ease tensions

From the Wires

Former Diplomats Urge US not to Veto UN Anti-Settlement Resolution

Arguing that U.S. credibility in the Mideast is on the line, some four dozen former top U.S. officials

From the Wires

Defense Contractors Insulated from Budget Cuts

Defense contractors will not feel the pinch in the recently announced military spending reductions

From the Wires

Pressure Mounts on Security Council to Rein in Israel

As Israel continues to build new settlements in Palestinian territories, there’s growing international pressure for the UN and the

From the Wires

Wikileak Cables Reveal China’s Modernizing Military Might

Days ahead of a highly anticipated summit between China and the United States, much attention is being given to leaked

From the Wires

Sanctions Forced Iran to Slash Bloated Energy Subsidies

Economic sanctions may have slowed Iran’s nuclear development, but the republic’s decision to cut subsidies on basic commodities

From the Wires

Lebanese Government Collapse Adds to Obama Problems

The collapse of the Hariri-led government in Lebanon adds to the list of policy challenges the U.S. faces

From the Wires

Disappointment May Yield to Distrust in Latin America

Two years into the Obama administration, Latin Americans have seen little change in inter-hemispheric relations with the U.S

From the Wires

Weekly Standard, Rove Make The Case For Israel-Al Qaeda Linkage

The Weekly Standard and former Bush advisor Karl Rove have been pushing the argument that Guantanamo is not motivating terrorist

From the Wires

How Afghanistan Became a War for NATO

The war in Afghanistan has been touted as a vital to countries across the globe, but NATO seems to have

From the Wires

US Pakistani Ambassador Unknowingly Hosted Neocon Fundraiser

A neoconservative think tank appears to have held a fundraiser at the residence of Pakistan's ambassador without telling the

From the Wires

US to Transfer Nuclear Material to Israel

The Obama administration’s decision to transfer nuclear fuel to Israel represents an end run around the Non-Proliferation Treaty

From the Wires

US Readies New Sanctions on Iran Ahead of Talks

The Obama administration is preparing a new batch of sanctions against Iran to be announced in advance of upcoming nuclear

From the Wires

Mideast Peace Key to Countering Iran, Arabs Told US Diplomats

Although U.S. neoconservatives and their right-wing Israeli counterparts have touted the Wikileaks dump as showing that Arab governments

From the Wires

Cables Belie Gulf States’ Backing for Strikes on Iran

A careful reading of the Wikileaks diplomatic cables reveals that, contrary to the mainstream media’s portrayal of the documents

From the Wires

Time Runs Short for Progress on Iran Nuke Talks

The first meeting between Iran and the world's major powers in more than a year ended with little to

From the Wires

Obama Pushes START Treaty to Top of Legislative Agenda

With time running out before he faces a much more hostile and Republican Congress, President Obama seems to have made

From the Wires

Report Urges Enhanced Maritime Security in West Africa

Despite Washington's Mideast focused “war on terror” and renewed interest in East Asia, there is increasing pressure to move

From the Wires

No Top Secrets, but Damaging Nonetheless

The dump of U.S. diplomatic cables reveals few deep secrets but may bury diplomatic trust in the short run

From the Wires

Wikileaks Reveals Treacherous Terrain for Iran Policy

Leaked diplomatic cables reveal hazardous playing field for U.S. policy towards Iran and other regional actors

From the Wires

Hawks, Doves Aflutter Over Pyongyang’s Latest Moves

North Korea has propelled itself to the top of an already over-crowded U.S. overseas agenda with news that

From the Wires

Iran Laptop Papers Show Wrong Warhead

Key evidence used to argue Iran had a covert nuclear weapons R&D program is found to depict a reentry

From the Wires

Pentagon Exempt from Budget Cuts?

Influential Republican Party figures are pushing back against efforts to target the Pentagon budget for cuts

From the Wires

Study Group Urges “Strategic Engagement” with Iran

A new study by two centrist think tanks urges the Obama administration to pursue a policy of "strategic engagement" with

From the Wires

START Supporters Play Iran Card

The Obama administration is trying to sell the new START to Republicans by arguing that failure to ratify the treaty

From the Wires

Obama Scrambles to Save Foreign Policy Agenda

Calls to block the new START Treaty reveal the challenges confronting President Obama in gaining any support from Republicans on

From the Wires

Netanyahu Pounds War Drums

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s recent call for the United States to "create a credible threat of military action" suggests

From the Wires

A Progressive – Tea Party Foreign Policy Coalition? Don’t Hold Your Breath

Speculation about Tea Partiers cooperating with progressives on foreign policy is interesting but ultimately unconvincing

From the Wires

Obama Foreign Policy Likely to Face Republican Challenges

While foreign policy issues played almost no role in last Tuesday's election results, the historic Republican landslide will almost

From the Wires

What Did WikiLeaks Really Tell Us about Iran?

The evidence used by hawks from the recent Wikileaks documents dump to push for attacking Iran isn’t all that

From the Wires

Wikileaks Doc Reveals US War Failure

The newly released Wikileaks document on Iraq provides fresh evidence that the U.S. war against Shi'a militias in

From the Wires

US Military Aid Far Outpaces Democracy Assistance in Central Asia

To service the war the Afghanistan, the Obama administration has provided six times more on military aid for the mostly

From the Wires

US Jews Increasingly Hawkish on Iran, Skeptical of Obama

American Jewish support of President Obama's performance may be on the wane while their attitudes towards Iran may be

From the Wires

Nine Years in, Afghans Don’t Trust US

A new independent report calls into doubt whether recent U.S. moves aimed at reducing civilian casualties in Afghanistan have

From the Wires

Will Renewed US-China Military Ties Relax Regional Tensions?

A month-long effort to restore military-to-military ties between Washington and Beijing seems to have paid off as

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Senate Urges Pentagon to Rein in Afghan Contractors

According to a recent Senate Armed Services Committee report, failures in vetting, training, and supervising private security contractors are putting

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Obama Trying to Keep Peace Talks Alive

With Israeli-Palestinian tensions rising and the peace process faltering, the Obama administration has made a controversial offer to Israel

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The Senate’s Bipartisan Effort to Undermine Mideast Peace

Just as President Obama began to renew pressure on Israel to freeze the expansion of settlements in Palestinian territories, leading

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New US Sanctions on Iran

Amid rising calls for preparing to strike Iran, the Obama administration imposed new unilateral sanctions on Iranian officials whom it

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Zoellick Embraces “Multi-Polar World Economy”

The one-time backer of neocon campaigns pushing U.S. military intervention in the Middle East, World Bank head Zoellick

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Syria’s Advantage in the Peace Process

As the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama struggles to salvage Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Syria is well positioned

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US Hardline on Taliban Peace Talks

The Obama administration has reportedly taken its first steps toward a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan by exploring the possibility of

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Growing US Public Acceptance of Dwindling Global Role

A new survey reveals the American public is looking increasingly toward reducing Washington's role in world affairs, especially in

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The Great Sharia Conspiracy

Recent efforts by right-wing groups and individuals to hype the purported threat to the United States posed by shariah

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Rights Groups Leery of Surge in Wartime Contractors

Three years after Blackwater security guards gunned down unarmed civilians in Baghdad, not nearly enough has been done to improve

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Petraeus Spin on IED War Belied by Soaring Casualties

General Petraeus’ recent claim that the security situation in Afghanistan is slowly improving is contradicted by Pentagon data, which reveals

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Competing Rallies on 9/11 Anniversary

Competing rallies in New York City on the anniversary of 9/11 revealed a deep divide in how Americans interpret

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Light At End of Tunnel Elusive, Despite Obama’s Efforts

The announced “end” of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq and the start of direct talks on Israeli-Palestinian

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Interview with Andrew Bacevich

Andrew Bacevich, professor of international relations and history at Boston University, discusses his new book, Washington Rules: America’s Path

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“McCarthyism” in the Middle East

Israeli civil rights groups and academics are harshly criticizing a campaign by right-wing politicians and activists to clamp down

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AFGHANISTAN: Ouster of Contractors Throws U.S. Strategy in Doubt

If private security contractors are phased out in Afghanistan, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai has demanded, it could have a

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The End of the Iraq Combat Mission?

While White House is trying to reassure its anti-war base that the U.S. military role in Iraq is

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Déjà Vu All Over Again?

If the United States succeeds in getting Palestinian President Abbas to agree to direct peace talks, will Israeli Prime Minister

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Empty Threats?

The effort by some Israeli officials to threaten a unilateral strike against Iran if the United States doesn’t act

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U.S. Military Aid to Lebanon Suspended

The suspension of U.S. military aid to Lebanon after that country’s recent border skirmish with Israel could lead

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Eyes on the Skies Over Bushehr Nuclear Reactor

News that Iran’s Bushehr’s nuclear reactor is about to go “live” appears to be fueling speculation in the

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Iran Benefits from Arab Disillusionment with Obama

While President Obama’s reputation in the Arab world is in free fall, Iran’s appears to be improving

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War in Eastasia

By holding military exercises on China's doorstep—and within range of Norht Korea—the United States is playing with

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Pakistan Poll Finds Widespread Disillusionment

New polling in Pakistan reveals a public that holds unfavorable views of the United States as well as of al

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Israel Playing With a Fire It Expects the U.S. to Put Out

A recent resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives expressing support for a decision by Israel to attack

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Despite Iraq Withdrawal, Greater Mideast Not Looking Good

While President Obama spins the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq as a sign of success of his policies in

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Despite Cuts, Nukes Still Integral to U.S. Security Strategy

Some analysts think that new U.S. plans to improve its nuclear weapons complex are likely to hinder international efforts

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Right Web on Antiwar Radio

The director of IPS Right Web discusses the Emergency Committee for Israel and the neoconservatives with Antiwar.com Radio

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Leaked Reports Make Afghan War Policy More Vulnerable

Although the 92,000 reports on the war in Afghanistan made public by the WikiLeaks offer no major revelations, they

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Obama’s Afghanistan Strategy Increasingly Under Siege

The release of tens of thousands of classified documents detailing the war in Afghanistan comes amid a growing crisis of

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“Spy” Told CIA Iran Has No Nuclear Bomb Program

Iranian scientist Shahram Amiri, who recently “redefected” to Iran after claiming to have been abducted by the United States, allegedly

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Israel’s Next War Could Be Lebanon: Analyst

One high-profile U.S. observer thinks Israel might initiate hostilities with Hezbollah as a possible catalyst to attack Iran

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At War with Iran by Early 2011?

A familiar clutch of Iraq war hawks appear to be preparing the ground for a major new campaign to rally

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CNN’s Mideast problem

CNN's firing last week of its Mideast editor because of a Twitter post in which she expressed sadness over

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Whither Netanyahu-Obama?

Last week’s diplomatic dance between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama did little more than to give the Israeli

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Obama and Netanyahu—Friends Again?

Described as a “meaningless PR exercise” by one prominent observer, this week’s meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama

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IAEA Official Pushed False Iran Intel

Blurb A recently removed high-level IAEA official was notorious for using suspect intelligence to promote the view that Iran

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U.S. Congress Approves Strong Unilateral Sanctions on Iran

Both houses of Congress approved a sweeping unilateral sanctions package again Iran this week that raises to a new level

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Switch to Petraeus Betrays Afghan Policy Crisis

Ostensibly a result of the indiscreet comments by General McChrystal and his aides, the switch from McChrystal to General Petraeus

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Right-Wing Israel Lobby Riding High in Election Run-Up

Despite increasing international condemnation of the actions of Israel’s Likud-led government, the right-wing leadership of the "Israel

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Obama Still Globally Popular, But Doubts Grow in Muslim World

Although President Obama’s popularity around the globe remains high, a recent poll shows considerable disillusionment with the direction of

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OBAMA: Whither Foreign Policy Reform?

A year and a half into the presidency of Barack Obama, any hopes that he would usher in a dramatic

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Draft U.N. Treaty Targets Security Firms in War Zones

A UN working group is leading efforts to draft a new global treaty aimed at reining in human rights abuses

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Neo-Conservatives Lead Charge against Turkey

A familiar clutch of neo-conservative hawks is going on the offensive against what they see as the Gaza flotilla

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Bad News from Afghanistan

Senior military officials are conceding privately that their much-touted counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan is not working out as planned

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AFGHANISTAN: Shades of Iraq in 2006?

Gen. Stanley McChrystal, head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, confronts the spectre of a collapse of U.S. political

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Doubts Grow Over Israel’s Value as U.S. Ally

Doubts about Israel’s value to the United States have recently been expressed by a diverse group of people, including

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The Trillion-Dollar Question

The Obama administration wants to cut several outdated defense items not so that it can balance the budget or expand

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“Israel Lobby” Mobilizes, Threatens

The U.S. “Israel Lobby” has pulled out all the stops in its efforts to defend Israel’s attack on

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Obama Seeks to Quiet Outrage over Gaza Flotilla Killings

While calling the blockade against Gaza "unsustainable and unacceptable,” the Obama administration has steadfastly avoided assigning blame for the deadly

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ISREAL: Spinning the Attack on the Gaza Aid Flotilla

The Israeli government has launched a full-throttle defense of its attack on the Gaza aid flotilla as outrage over

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U.S. Defence Spending Far Outpaces Rest of the World

The United States continues to lead the world in defence spending, according to a new report by the Centre for

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Obama Security Strategy Stresses Economy, Multilateralism

In his first National Security Strategy, President Obama pledged to maintain the U.S.'s "military superiority" while stressing that

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IRAN: Fuel Swap Deal Shakes Sanctions Push

Despite continued U.S. efforts to dismiss the Iran nuclear deal with Turkey and Brazil, there are signs that the

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IRAN: U.S. Covert Ops versus Sanctions?

At the same time that it is working with the Senate to gain flexibility in pushing Iran sanctions, the Obama

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U.S. Militarization in Latin America

A recent report by several Washington-based policy groups reveals growing disenchantment with the Obama administration’s lack of effort

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Bill for Afghan War Could Run into the Trillions

Some observers in Washington are raising concerns that the Afghan War may be unwinnable and that the money being spent

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IRAN: Brazil-Turkey Deal Puts New UN Sanctions in Doubt

Despite U.S. and EU skepticism, many independent experts agree that the Iran’s nuclear agreement with Turkey and Brazil

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New Solution for the Old City?

As the anniversary of the "reunification" of Jerusalem is observed this week, marking Israel's annexation of the eastern portion

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Pentagon Faces Battle in Effort to Reverse Military Contracting

Pentagon chief Robert Gates recent call for a cutback of $15 billion in military spending on contractors and government bureaucracy

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IRAN: U.S. Sanctions versus U.N. Sanctions

Efforts by Congress to pass sanctions against Iran could jeopardize efforts by the Obama administration to organise multilateral sanctions through

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Failed Bomb Plot Tests US-Pakistan Ties

The failed Times Square bombing attempt has highlighted the challenges in pressuring Pakistan on anti-terror efforts

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The Israeli Exception

North Korea and Israel have a lot in common, but partly as a result of U.S. policy towards them

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Whither the Proximity Talks?

U.S.-backed proximity talks between the Israelis and Palestinians are scheduled to begin just as a growing alignment of

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Iran Sanctions Push

As mid-term elections approach, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are eager to demonstrate their strong support for

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To Peace Plan or Not to Peace Plan?

Reports earlier this month that President Barack Obama may present a comprehensive U.S. peace plan for resolving the longstanding

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Alleged Weapons Transfer Threatens U.S. Mideast Efforts

Recent Israeli allegations that Syria is providing Hezbollah with Scud missiles is jeopardizing U.S. efforts to woo Damascus away

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Israel and the U.S. Nuclear Option on Iran

Although the Obama administration has carefully avoided drawing a connection between Israel and its decision to reserve the right to

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Obama Mideast Peace Plan in the Works?

The Obama administration appears to be considering launching a major push later this year to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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Congress Complicates Obama’s Sanctions Strategy for Iran

The Obama administration’s efforts to get UN approval for new international sanctions against Iran could be hampered by the

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U.S. Poll Reveals Divide on Middle East

Eighty-one percent of U.S. citizens say the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has hurt their country's interests, according to

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New U.S.-Russia Nuclear Deal

The new U.S.-Russia nuclear agreement, hailed as one of President Obama's most significant foreign policy accomplishments, will

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Unraveling the Knottiest Issues in Stalled Peace Talks

A new study published by an institute led by former Republican official James Baker argues that the Obama administration needs

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U.S. Senate Passes New Iran Sanctions

The Senate’s swift passage of new Iran sanctions reveals an administration losing control of even its own party in

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Iran Hawks Resurgent

As the Senate prepares to consider new Iran sanctions in coming weeks, hawks are pressuring the administration to pursue "regime

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Iran Uses Fear of Covert Nuclear Sites to Deter Attack

Iran’s “hidden” nuclear sites are really meant to dissuade U.S. and Israeli military planners from trying to attack

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Push for Reconciliation in Run-up to Afghan Meet

On the eve of a major conference on Afghanistan, U.S. and British officials are hinting that they are open

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Public Most Unilateralist in 40 Years, Poll Finds

A recent poll suggests that the U.S. public has become more inward-looking and unilateralist than at any time

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Obama’s Mixed Message on Afghanistan

Despite President Obama's decision to surge troops in Afghanistan, he recently rejected the critical link needed to justify such

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Obama Embraces Escalation in Afghanistan

In a highly anticipated speech, President Barack Obama announced the dispatch of 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan

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A New Counterinsurgency Front?

A think tank close to the Obama administration is urging Washington to ramp up U.S. aid and involvement in

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Obama’s Mideast Mess

President Obama’s decision on a host of problems spanning the Greater Middle East could well determine his foreign policy

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Realities Collide at Halifax “War Conference”

The inaugural Halifax International Security Forum, cosponsored by the Canadian government and the German Marshall Fund, highlighted Canada’s more

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Right Seizes on Ft. Hood Killings as “Islamic Terror”

A chorus of hawks is using the killings at Ft. Hood to revive Islamophobic rhetoric

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Allies Losing Hope for Major Changes in U.S. Foreign Policy

Obama appears to be dashing hopes both in the Arab world and in Latin America that he can bring major

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A Thaw in U.S.-Syrian Relations?

Since the Obama administration announced several months ago that it would appoint an ambassador to Syria, efforts to strengthen diplomatic

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Setbacks in U.S. Outreach to Muslim World

Recent setbacks from Palestine to Pakistan threaten to reverse whatever gains President Obama has made in restoring Washington's badly

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Sen. Kerry Warns Against Afghan Build-Up

An influential Democratic senator has warned against deploying tens of thousands more U.S. troops in Afghanistan

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A “Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace” Group Counters the Right

J Street, the relatively new "pro-Israel, pro-Peace" advocacy group, exceeded expectations for its inaugural conference here in Washington

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“Pro-Israel” Group’s Money Trail Veers Hard Right

StandWithUs, a rightist-leaning “pro-Israel” U.S. advocacy group determined to prove that moderate groups like J Street are

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Pro-War Officials Play Up Taliban-al Qaeda Ties

Experts claim that new intel reports alleging closer ties between al Qaeda and the Taliban, which have been used to

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Foreign Policy Hawks Launch New Campaign Against Obama

Days after Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel, two of Washington's prominent hawks launched a new campaign aimed at

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U.S. Public Sceptical and Hawkish on Iran

Despite strong support for diplomatic engagement with Iran, most U.S. citizens believe such efforts will ultimately fail

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Obama Weighs Options as Afghan War Enters Ninth Year

On the eighth anniversary of the launch of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, President Obama spent much of his

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More AID for Pakistan

While much of the foreign policy debate has focused on Afghanistan and Iran recently, official Washington has been moving to

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Breakthrough on Iran?

Observers are cautiously optimistic that last week's talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the U.N

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U.S. Story on Iran Nuke Facility Doesn’t Add Up

Did the United States really catch Iran trying to conceal its "secret" nuclear facility

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New U.S. Bomb Production?

The U.S. Energy Department is pushing to expand nuclear weapons programs at the same time that President Obama is

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Iran: New Nuke Charges Raise Stakes in Upcoming Talks

Charges that Iran has a secret underground uranium enrichment plant will bolster calls by Israel and U.S. right-wing

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Has Netanyahu Out-Manoeuvred Obama or Vice Versa?

President Obama's decision to shelve his long-held demand for a freeze on Israeli settlements, announced during trilateral talks

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Obama Scraps Missile Defense in Czech Republic, Poland

President Obama’s decision to scrap long-range-missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic seems aimed at

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Can Final Peace Deal Overcome Settlements Roadblock?

As a new round of U.N.-sponsored Israeli-Arab peace negotiations fast approaches, it remains unclear how much and

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Prominent Conservative Calls for Afghanistan Pullout

Conservative pundit George Will’s defection on the war in Afghanistan has outraged right-wing hawks and highlighted the growing

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Afghan Elections Reveal Growing Doubts About War

A growing number of experts believe that regardless of its eventual outcome, the recent Afghan election will do little to