North Korea's growing nuclear threats and the proposed economic sanctions to pressure Kim Jong-un to negotiations are in the news. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to send "a message" to Pyongyang to stop its nuclear and ballistic … [Read more...] about Dealing With north Korea- The Iranian Lesson
Israel
Gulf States Weigh Israel Options
Fear of Iran and Distrust of the Obama Administration have been pushing the Gulf States closer to Israel By this time it is a commonplace to mention that because of a common fear of Iran, Israel and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi … [Read more...] about Gulf States Weigh Israel Options
Death Rides A Pale Horse
Left: "Death on a Pale Horse" - Benjamin West,1796. - The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse There is a bull market on pale horses throughout the world today, and especially in the Middle East/North Africa region (MENA). Since the ill-fated invasion … [Read more...] about Death Rides A Pale Horse
Obama is Not Done with Israel, yet
President Obama's refusal to veto the U.N. Security Council's Resolution 2234, which delegitimizes the Jewish State of Israel's presence on its own land, should have come as no surprise. His behavior since his first inauguration speech and more … [Read more...] about Obama is Not Done with Israel, yet
Black Lives Matter, Hamas and the BDS Movement
In October 2014, the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (a clearinghouse for the International Solidarity Movement) ended their Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) organizing conference against Israel in San Diego, California. At the … [Read more...] about Black Lives Matter, Hamas and the BDS Movement
Is the F-35 Good for Israel?
Like it or not, the increasingly aggressive Iranian posture toward Israel suggests that sooner or later their conflict will develop into a ground and air war. Actions by Iran and its surrogates in the area of the Golan Heights already caused some … [Read more...] about Is the F-35 Good for Israel?
The Turks are Back*
Almost a century after the Turks evacuated the Arab Middle East at the end of World War I, they are back. Not just with bombing or artillery fire, but a full-scale, old-fashioned invasion of Syria. This, just after dismissing or jailing a very large … [Read more...] about The Turks are Back*
Israel’s Kurdish Conundrum*
Israel may soon be forced to choose between the Turks and the Kurds. In this week's column, I will compare and contrast two developments of great significance for Israel's regional future: the Kurdish question and the development of the offshore … [Read more...] about Israel’s Kurdish Conundrum*
Israel Agreement with Terrorist Supporting Turkey
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the Israel-Turkey reconciliation agreement as "strategically important for Israel's security and economy," but members of the coalition government, as well as the opposition, disagree. Israel's newly appointed … [Read more...] about Israel Agreement with Terrorist Supporting Turkey
The U.S. and Israel: The end of the affair?*
Political and economic conditions in the US portend a permanent cooling towards Israel, and Israel has to adjust. There is nothing unusual in this--in 1948 and, since the US has been by far the most powerful country in the Western World, and since … [Read more...] about The U.S. and Israel: The end of the affair?*