Brokering an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement - for recent American presidents, it’s been the holy grail of foreign policy. Unfortunately for President Obama, a comprehensive accord is just not in the cards for his second term. It won’t be for lack of trying. But the inconvenient truth is that peace is impossible as long as Hamas retains its stranglehold over Gaza.…
Middle East tensions are rising as President Obama prepares to visit Israel, the West Bank and Jordan. Clearly, Iran will be at the top of the agenda. On Thursday, Mr. Obama announced that Tehran was only about a year away from producing a nuclear bomb. “Obviously, we don’t want to cut it too close,” he noted. Another issue requiring urgent attention: forging a common…
President Obama’s upcoming trip to Israel, the West Bank, and Jordan comes at a tense time in an increasingly turbulent region. High on his agenda will be halting Iran’s nuclear weapons efforts, forging a common policy on containing the destabilizing spillover effects of Syria’s meltdown, and reviving the long-stalled Israeli–Palestinian peace negotiations. The President…
The United States Senate will soon hold confirmation hearings for the Obama Administration’s nominees for three key positions: Senator John Kerry (D–MA) for Secretary of State, former Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE) for Secretary of Defense, and White House Chief Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The confirmation…
Senior Fellow Peter Brookes discusses the latest on Iran's nuclear threats on Fox News' 'Happening Now'.…
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia, Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives December 5, 2012 Chairman Burton, Members of Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen: My name is Ariel Cohen. I am the Senior Research Fellow…
Director James Carafano discusses the logistics of the Israel-Hamas cease-fire and where Hamas has obtained their missiles on Fox 5 News.…
Senior Fellow Peter Brookes discusses how President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney view U.S.-Iran relations differently and what we can expect down the line on Fox News' Happening Now.…
Senior Fellow Peter Brookes discusses how foreign policy and The Middle East factored into the 2012 Vice Presidential Debate on Fox News' 'Happening Now'.…
Overshadowed in the media by the senseless violence in the Middle East and North Africa, you can’t help but wonder what new intelligence Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has that led to his demand for a tougher American stance on Iran this past weekend. Without giving details, last week Netanyahu told CNN’s State of the Union: “They’re [Iran] moving very…
Those who have not done so recently would benefit from studying what the United States Constitution says about the federal government’s responsibility to provide for the common defense. Most Americans had to memorize the preamble to the Constitution when they were children, so they are aware that one of the purposes of the document was to “provide for the common…
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 and North Africa as an American conspiracy to undermine Russia and friendly regimes in the region. Russia’s Soviet…
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, multitudes of whom reject the fanatic theocracy that tries to separate them from outside ideas. Millions of…
Members of Congress are considering several bills designed to combat climate change. Chief among them is Senate bill 2191--America's Climate Security Act of 2007--spearheaded by Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA). This bill would set a limit on the emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide from the combustion of coal, oil, and natural…
Testimony before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia September 20, 2012 My name is James Phillips. I am the Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs at The Heritage Foundation. The views I express in this testimony are my own, and should not be construed as representing any official…
Today is the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Iranian hostage crisis, America's first searing experience with Islamist terrorism. On Nov. 4, 1979, Iranian militants seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took American diplomats as hostages. Fifty-two Americans were held captive for 444 days in a prolonged crisis that boosted the power of Iranian hardliners,…
Abstract: Iran will remain a hostile power that poses threats to its neighbors, the United States, and its own people as long as the current regime remains in power. International sanctions have weakened the Iranian economy, but sanctions alone will not halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program or topple the regime. The Obama Administration should abandon any further attempts…
After years of diplomatic foot-dragging, procrastination, and wishful thinking, the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board finally is slated to vote this week on whether to refer Iran's suspicious nuclear activities to the UN Security Council for possible action. Iran, as usual, is trying to delay a diplomatic confrontation by dividing key nations with…
Yesterday Iran launched nine missiles as part of military exercises designed to accomplish the following: Deter military action against its accelerating nuclear program; Undermine the international coalition seeking to dissuade Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon; Intimidate its neighbors; and Boost President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's flagging…
America was born in the shadow of shadow wars. In Conquered into Liberty, Eliot Cohen recalls the "Great Warpath" -- the corridor from Montreal to Albany where armies battled over the course of centuries. Even then, warfare included what we call today "black operations." But, as Cohen notes, these missions, "particularly those that are the stuff of legend, rarely…
It is becoming increasingly clear that the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has transferred technology to North Korea and Iran that are prohibited by United Nations Security Council sanctions and U.S. law. These violations have spurred a State Department investigation and were raised at a House of Representatives Judiciary Committee hearing on June 27. The…
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. The United States should stand firm and prevent backsliding by…
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 that we are living in uncertain times…
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 new initiatives on April 23,…
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 regional access, Ankara continues a…
On April 9, President Obama welcomes Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s first female president, to the White House for an official visit. The White House hopes to showcase a strong, reliable partnership with Brazil. It will focus attention on a broad range of low-cost soft power initiatives aimed at education, technology, energy, research, and economic cooperation, while leaving on…
Iran has yet again elected a “moderate leader,” so news reports are telling us. How many times have we heard this...…
Iran’s theocratic dictatorship has gone to great lengths to shore up its crumbling domestic legitimacy with a facade...…
In anticipation of Friday’s presidential election, Iran’s leadership has harshly cracked down on journalists,...…
President Obama’s jarring choice of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice to be the Administration’s...…
Senior Obama Administration officials held a background briefing on Friday in which they discussed the “alarming...…
The Lebanese Shia Islamist militant group Hezbollah is becoming more aggressively involved in Syria’s civil war, which...…
Iranian authorities on Tuesday announced the approval of eight candidates who will be allowed to compete in the June...…
Transparency is not one of the Obama Administration’s greatest strengths. Walter Pincus of The Washington Post...…
This past Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met President Vladimir Putin of Russia in the Kremlin. Kerry...…
Pastor Saeed Abedini is a United States citizen from Boise, Idaho, who has been imprisoned for 223 days in Iran for...…
Senior Fellow, National Security Affairs
Distinguished Fellow
Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs