Ironically, a negotiated settlement between the United States and Iran could trigger yet another war in the Middle East.
Strange Bedfellows: Israel and Arabs United in Opposition to Iran
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Focal Points Blog
What if They Held a Wake and Nobody Came?
It often occurs to me that the fellow who wrote the book some years back about learning everything worthwhile at his mother’s knee had a very good point about foreign policy. We are trained and brainwashed to believe, of course, that foreign policy is too complicated...
Are War Crimes Too Grievous to Be Forgiven?
Many Christians believe that any sin they commit, no matter how great, will be forgiven if they repent. But, like the Second Amendment supposedly guaranteeing the right to bear arms, that may be one of those precepts that time has passed by. For example, if Hitler...
Foreign Policy Thin-Sliced (11/1)
“Iranian regime may be too fragmented to come to a consensus” “Anytime you see a statement coming out of the government, just remember there’s a rat’s nest of people fighting underneath the surface,” Kevan Harris, a sociologist at Princeton who has studied Iran...
Saudi Arabia’s Temper Tantrums and What They Mean for the U.S.
Saudi Arabia recently rejected a coveted seat on the U.N. Security Council it had campaigned for over two years to get. The sense of surprise in the policy analysis world has been palpable, with analysts scratching their heads trying to understand why the oil-rich...
Europe’s Deadly Borders
Because its members have managed not to mangle each other for a few decades, the European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize last year. But all is not pacific in peaceful Europe. If you look at Europe's borders, it’s hard to conclude that Europe much cares about the...
Forces Amassing to Undermine P5+1 Nuke Talks With Iran
As the U.S. and its allies prepare for another round of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, powerful and wealthy opponents—from the halls of Congress to Middle East capitols—are maneuvering to torpedo them. At stake is the real possibility of a war with...
The Merkel Phone Tap: Obama as “Unilateral” in His Own Way as Bush?
While some would argue that the United States and its allies routinely spy each other, it’s one thing to bug the Germany embassy in Washington, but another to tap into the phone of the leader of the country, as well as other officials. As we recently posted, spying by...
Is Diplomacy, Not War, Finally on the March in the Middle East?
The Middle East is normally a depressing topic of conversation with talk of ongoing wars, repressive governments, ethnic violence, and terrorist attacks. Yet two of the region’s most troublesome challenges (Syria and Iran) are on diplomatic tracks toward peaceful...
Increased American Military Presence May Undermine Good Governance Efforts in Africa
Last weekend, Kenya’s preeminent newspaper The Nation, reported that CCTV footage showed Kenyan soldiers looting during the terrorist attack in Westgate Mall. The “Shame of Soldiers Looting Westgate,” as The Nation dubbed the footage, may be allegorical for increased...