Saudi Arabia and the United States: Elections Don’t Matter
Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo’s January 24, 2016 piece in the The New York Times is a great primer for anyone who believes the next U.S. President will take anti-Saudi action … Continue reading
Syria: Russia Outmaneuvers the United States but …
Yesterday’s news that the former Soviet Union and Syria had agreed to an off-hand proposal by US Secretary of State John Kerry that Damascus turn over its chemical weapons to … Continue reading
Jordan: Unclear how US Bombing would Lessen Threat from Syria
One of the arguments being made by the US administration for intervention in Syria is that it will protect US allies and Syrian neighbors from Damascus and its dangerous agenda. … Continue reading
Syria: Is Washington Preparing for Boots on the Ground or How Assad United the US Military and Al-Qaida
The Obama administration has asked the US Congress to authorize airstrikes on specific Syrian government targets because President Bashar al-Assad’s government “has crossed the redline” and used chemical weapons on … Continue reading
Pakistan: Islamabad should Negotiate an Agreement with the Taliban
Over the past few months, Pakistan has undergone the first democratic transition in its history. Unfortunately, this change has done nothing to solve the country’s problems, which include, but are … Continue reading
India: If it was the US, there would be no Economic Doldrums
After many years of warnings and dire predictions, the bad news for the Indian economy is finally coming true. I have to admit that as one of the soothsayers who … Continue reading
Syria: The Best Solution is Exile for Assad
I generally don’t write about the same country multiple times in a week but was forced to make an exception in the case of Syria since it looks like the … Continue reading
Egypt: History Repeats Itself Amid Potential for a New Al-Qaida
The Egyptian military’s recent overthrow of the country’s popularly elected government – generally known as a coup – is nothing new for the Middle East. Unsurprisingly, it poses multiple scenarios … Continue reading
Egypt: No Matter What Happens, the US Wins
By now everyone knows that the Egyptian military has made good on its threat and overthrown President Morsi’s democratically elected government thus plunging this North African country into further chaos. … Continue reading
Pakistan: Elections Won’t Change Status Quo; Media Darlings Unlikely to Generate Votes
Pakistan is preparing to hold general elections sometime in the next two months and even though the country’s relative importance has dimmed, its presence as a fulcrum on a number … Continue reading
All Sorts of Things 