Maybe Trump really thinks sanctions will produce a “better” Iran deal. More likely, they’re designed to justify conflict.
Trump’s Iran Sanctions Are an Obvious Prelude to War
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Trump: The Anti-Gorbachev
Like Mikhail Gorbachev, Trump helms a fading empire. But while the former Soviet leader supported democratization in his wake, Trump’s sowing the seeds of autocracy all over the globe.
The Tortured Politics Behind the Persian Gulf Crisis
Saudi Arabia’s puzzling effort to blacklist its tiny neighbor Qatar begs the question of who’s really isolated in the Gulf.
Can Trump Actually Cut (Good) Deals on Diplomacy?
From North Korea to Russia to the Middle East, there’s no shortage of deal-making needed. But beware the fine print of anything with Trump’s insignia.
DC’s Dictator Summit
A Washington gathering of Persian Gulf autocrats sums up the absurdity of America’s relationship with some of the world’s most oppressive regimes.
Yemen’s War Is Redrawing the Middle East’s Fault Lines
Saudi Arabia’s ongoing war in Yemen does more to highlight the kingdom’s isolation than its power.
How the U.S. Contributed to Yemen’s Crisis
Washington’s support for Yemen’s former dictatorship — and of Saudi efforts to sideline the country’s nonviolent pro-democracy movement — helped create the current crisis.
Autocrats United Against Yemen
The Yemen war is a variation on an old theme, where despotic regimes in the Middle East call on the United States to do their dirty work.
Another Illegal War in the Middle East
The Saudi intervention in Yemen perpetuates the lawlessness of the so-called “War on Terror.”
The Gulf Cooperation Council Clueless About New Security Measures
The member-states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have realized that the United States, thus far their biggest ally, is really just a fair-weather friend.