The international furor over US withdrawal from the environmental agreement is obscuring genuinely significant developments in our region. In several previous columns, I have emphasized important news and developments that have been largely … [Read more...] about Paris Accord – a distraction*
Middle East
Trump Not Reluctant to Use the ‘Big Stick’
United States President Theodore Roosevelt is often remembered for this succinct bit of foreign-policy advice: “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He took his advice when he ordered a flotilla of naval vessels painted white and then dispatched it … [Read more...] about Trump Not Reluctant to Use the ‘Big Stick’
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*
Stumbling into War*
Despite Pres. Barack Obama’s continued insistence that he has pulled the U.S. out of endless – and unsuccessful – wars in the Mideast, American military involvement continues there. Witness to the continued engagement, and in fact what appears to be … [Read more...] about Stumbling into War*
Protected-Christians in Muslim lands*
Bethlehem’s Christian Arab leaders lobbied Israel against transferring the city to the Palestinian Authority. Thus, in 1993, on the eve of signing the Oslo Accord, the Christian mayor of Bethlehem, Elias Freij, urged Israel’s Prime Minister Rabin to … [Read more...] about Protected-Christians in Muslim lands*
Europe: How Many Minutes to Midnight?
https://www.investigativeproject.org/1100/hizb-ut-tahrir-shariah-takes-precedence-over-usLeft: ISIS supporters attack German police before Solingen Town Hall, May 1, 2012. Decades of European efforts to avoid stigmatizing Muslims and to allegedly … [Read more...] about Europe: How Many Minutes to Midnight?
Unseemly Behavior*
Left: "HE’S GOT THE MOVES: US President Barack Obama dances tango with a dancer during a state dinner in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. (AFP)" Arab News, March 25, 2016 For an Administration, which supposedly excels in its appreciation and manipulation … [Read more...] about Unseemly Behavior*
Misnavigating America
As if seven years of Obama’s efforts to diminish the world’s superpower were not enough, recent events in the Middle East highlight the need for American leadership capable of righting the ship. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s statement that the … [Read more...] about Misnavigating America
China’s New Grand Strategy for the Middle East*
Chinese President Xi Jinping with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Tehran, January 23, 2016 - After decades of distance, China is moving closer to the region’s sectarian feuds — and its vital oil reserves At the start of 2016, prospects … [Read more...] about China’s New Grand Strategy for the Middle East*
Settlements, Schmettlements and Israeli Security*
Left: US Amb Shapiro follows White House lead in the delegitimization of Israel speech. (Watch the video.) - Pres. Barack Hussein Obama appears determined as part of his “legacy” to leave relations in ruins with the U.S.’ most important ally in the … [Read more...] about Settlements, Schmettlements and Israeli Security*