Compared to the interests of Jerusalem, Tehran, and Washington, those of the Iranian people come in a distant last.
Attacking Iran Is Like Setting Off Nuclear Bombs on the Ground
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Middle East & North Africa
Thanks Due Netanyahu for Forcing Obama’s Hand on Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s unrelenting pressure on the Obama administration to back him in his threats toward Iran backfired on him.
What President Obama’s UN Address on Free Speech and Extremism Means for the “Incitement” Debate
It’s a mistake to assume that, because Islam permits individuals to commit violence in response to representations of Muhammad, the filmmaker of “Innocence of Muslims” knew murder might be a consequence.
Washington’s Problem in the Middle East: Policy, Not Personality
For decades U.S. presidents have shown a willingness to hold hands with just about anyone for the price of oil.
Syria and the Dogs of War
“Blood and destruction,” “dreadful objects,” and “pity choked” was the Bard’s searing characterization of what war visits upon the living. It is a description that increasingly parallels the ongoing war in Syria, which is likely to worsen unless the protagonists step back and search for a diplomatic solution to the 17-month-old civil war.
P5+1 Stacks the Deck Against Iran
There seems to be no way that Iran can retain its self-respect in talks with the U.S., Russia, China, U.K., France and Germany.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar: Dueling Monarchies
The demise of secular autocratic regimes in the Middle East and North Africa has heralded a renaissance for Islamist parties in the region, igniting a rivalry for the hearts and minds of the Sunni world between the Gulf powers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Although neither country is a bastion of democracy at home, Qatar has proven much more amenable than Saudi Arabia to bolstering democratic Islamist movements abroad.
Khaled Meshal and Hamas Go Their Separate Ways
In order to respond to overwhelming Israeli power, Palestinians need political managers skilled in statecraft, not charismatic leaders who inevitably become corrupt autocrats.
Why Hasn’t West Responded to Beheading Videos as Some Muslims Do to Anti-Islamist Videos?
Islamic extremists poured gasoline onto fire to elicit the most violent responses to “Innocence of Muslims.”
Staunching Syria’s Wounds
Almost 18 months after the onset of popular democratic protests, the Syrian revolution increasingly resembles a bloody marathon with no clear finish line on the horizon. But as Syrian society slowly disintegrates, non-aligned states from the developing world may show the way forward to a diplomatic resolution.