Ambassador is a former U.S. special representative for Syria engagement and former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Iraq; from 2013-2018 he was the Philip Solondz Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute. He currently chairs the Wilson Center’s Middle East Program.
Articles & Testimony
President Obama is right that diplomacy should be America's lead option. But diplomacy needs help, be it military or economic
The president's foreign policy has received heavy criticism in recent years. Although Obama is occasionally lauded for "ending America's wars," a closer look at polling results reveals public discontentment with his core principle: the removal of military action from the American foreign policy toolkit. Indeed, he has opted not to use any sort of military action or assistance on multiple occasions. This article lays out a specific agenda the president could implement for a stronger American foreign policy: a continued focus on diplomacy, with careful consideration of military options...
