The revived nuclear talks with Iran, set to resume May 23 in Baghdad, face an uncertain and risky future. Iran has a long history of exploiting diplomatic talks on the nuclear issue as a means of forestalling international pressure, easing sanctions, and buying time for its steadily advancing nuclear program.…
A North Korean long-range ballistic missile launch into the Pacific Ocean, Russian threats of a preemptive strike against U.S. missile defenses in Europe, the Syrian regime’s continuing violence on protestors, and Taliban terrorist attacks in Afghanistan are just a few of the recent events that should serve to remind us…
The Obama Administration has been heavily criticized for not acting forcefully to stem human rights abuses in the Middle East. Criticism of the Administration has largely focused on Iran and Syria, where Bashar al-Assad’s government is guilty of atrocious bloodshed against its own people. In response, President Obama announced several…
This year, Turkey celebrates its 60th anniversary as a member of the NATO alliance. As a Muslim-majority country with close ties to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Turkey’s participation in NATO is integral to the alliance’s influence beyond Europe’s borders. However, while Turkish membership provides the alliance with extended…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHwjHgpct5w&feature=youtu.be http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/13/exclusive-video-condoleezza-rice-implores-u-s-to-leave-military-option-on-the-table-in-iran-talks/ Former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sat down with The Heritage Foundation to discuss the importance of strong U.S. leadership in promoting peace and stability…
Abstract: If an “Arab Spring” uprising completely disrupted Saudi oil production, the U.S. and the global economy would face a massive economic and strategic crisis. Russia and Iran as oil-producing states would likely exploit the crisis to increase their power around the world while…
In an effort to bring international pressure on Israel, the Palestinian Authority declared in 2009 that it would submit to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes committed in its territory. Three years later, the ICC prosecutor concluded that he does not have the authority under…
In recent months, Egyptian–American relations have severely deteriorated due to Cairo’s politically motivated prosecution of several U.S.-funded nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) involved in democracy building. The fact that these civil society efforts, which were tolerated in Egypt before the fall of President Hosni Mubarak last year, now are considered criminal activities…
Abstract: Russia is pursuing a Middle Eastern policy that is designed to reduce U.S. and Western influence in the Middle East, even at the risk of Islamist terrorism, which is a growing problem in Russia. It views the recent upheavals in the Middle East…
Abstract: The regime that controls Iran is the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism, the world’s fourth-largest oil producer, and close to acquiring a nuclear weapon. Controlled by this regime are 74 million Iranians, 60 percent of which are under age 30,…
The falling statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad is an evocative image. It signals that the U.S.-led military action against the Hussein regime has been a success. This signal of success is backed by tangible evidence of a successful military operation in more substantive terms. This evidence is found in a review of the…
Syria’s embattled regime is likely to hold out for many more months but eventually could implode with many dangerous consequences for the surrounding region. One of the risks is that chemical weapons—and possibly radioactive materials from its nuclear program—could fall into the hands of terrorists. The U.S. needs a strategy…
Israel has signaled once again that it is weighing an attack, if all else fails, to halt Iran’s advancing nuclear weapons program as an act of anticipatory self-defense. This time, more officials in Washington and other capitals are listening. Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that Tehran will retaliate against the…
The need for Washington to focus its attention on energy security and diversification became clear as the war on terrorism began. The U.S. should strongly oppose Iran's threatening military actions to claim a larger portion of the energy-rich Caspian Sea. The Caspian basin, a land-locked body of salt water bordered by Iran, Azerbaijan,…
(Archived document, may contain errors) J 362 June 26 1984 LIBYAN CONNECTION INTRODUCTION Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, obsessed by his personal quest for Arab leadership, has transformed Libya into the mos t militantly anti-American state in the Arab world. In pursuit of his vision of forging a unified Arab empire, he has entered into…
When President Obama meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on March 5, the Iranian nuclear issue will dominate their agenda. The two leaders have starkly different perceptions of Iran’s evolving nuclear threat and how best to confront it. Both governments have publicly aired their differences in…
The United States joined many Western nations in expelling Syrian diplomats yesterday in a coordinated reprimand of the...…
Iran once again has refuted optimistic predictions that meaningful progress would be made on the core issues at stake in...…
Syria’s “Arab Spring,” long delayed by barbaric repression, is now rapidly deteriorating into a bloody civil war. The...…
Iran is resorting to its usual negotiating tactics on the nuclear issue: Slip away from its commitments under the...…
After more than three years in office, the Obama Administration still is blaming the Bush Administration for its own...…
Yesterday, U.S. national security officials announced that the CIA and other U.S. agencies, working with foreign...…
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The former head of Israel’s Shin Bet security agency made news yesterday by blasting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin...…
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Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs