Obama’s UN Speech
One could have easily predicted what Obama was going to say at the UN. Hooray for the fall of dictators; Iran is evil; doesn’t everyone love Israel; change can happen, guys! It is a pretty trite storyline that predictively had very little substance to it. And, of course, that is not the fault of Obama. … Read more
Can Sanctions Bring Down Assad? Part II
An article in the Globe and Mail details how easily Syria will be able to find new buyers to replace the EU in november when the new EU sanctions prohibiting oil and gas transactions with Syria come into effect. China and India will likely be able to absorb the roughly 150,000 barrels of oil a day … Read more
Thoughts on the Palestinian Bid in September
There are many potential narratives already being conjured up for the Palestinian bid for recognition in September at the United Nations. The Palestinian leadership is going around the world asking for states to vote in favor of recognition with the rights that come with it. The Israelis are doing whatever they can to stop this … Read more
Turkey’s Syrian Waiting Game
In contrast to Iran and Saudi Arabia, Turkey has been far more patient in its policy towards Syria and the Syrian uprising. Meanwhile Iran has completely backed Assad and Saudi has thrown its lot in with the protesters. Each decision has clear regional implications (as I recently discussed) based on national interests, but it seems … Read more
The Iranian-Saudi Testing Ground (aka Syria)
Joseph Bahout has an interview in Le Journal de dimanche in which he expands on the competing interests of Iran and Saudi Arabia (and Turkey as well,) noting that the recent isolation of Syria has left Assad with only Iranian support. Bahout calls the fall of the Assad regime a ‘red line’ and says … Read more
Should the Plan for Syria be to Repeat Our Blunders in Libya?
It is always nice to see that we have learned something from our failed adventures in Libya. For example, apparently it is a good idea to do the same thing in Syria: Washington should step out smartly and call for his exit, withdraw its ambassador, choke off all remaining direct, indirect and, to the extent … Read more
Why Exactly Would the US Recognize the TNC?
At the beginning of June, Joshua Keating discussed why the United States would be unlikely to recognize the Transitional National Council (TNC) in the near future, arguing that recognition of the TNC would go against a ‘long-standing U.S. policy.’ Today, over one month later, not much has changed in Libya. Though the rebels have made … Read more
Reflections on the Road to a One State in Palestine
There are many battles about the issue of One State vs. Two States, books, articles, etc. I have written many times before that I believe in the idea of one state in historic Palestine and wish to elaborate on some of the debates about this. I have been reading extended debates Chomsky has had with … Read more
The Economic Ruin of Syria?
Earlier I mentioned the economic troubles that could be a fatal weakness for the Assad regime in a post about the swinging momentum in the Syrian protests. With pro-Assad demonstrations across the country and a splintering opposition, it seemed as though the protests were not as strong as many had previously thought. My economic point … Read more
Pawlenty: Like Brad Pitt in Achilles
Tim Pawlenty, the republican governor of Minnesota, presented his views on the Middle East and his contempt (natural for a Presidential candidate) for the current policy for the region adopted by the White House. Unsurprisingly, Pawlenty gave an over-simplified version of events that highlighted the importance of Israel and the evils of Iran while blasting … Read more
Chris Keeler
Chris Whitman
