السياسة الأمريكية

Policy Analysis on السياسة الأمريكية

The Defense Department's deputy assistant secretary for counternarcotics and global threats addressed an off-the-record Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. The following is an excerpt from his prepared remarks. "The U.S. government has, for decades, dedicated significant resources to stemming the flow of illicit drugs into the United States, and

٢٦‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

William F. Wechsler

Articles & Testimony

Confronting Damascus: U.S. Policy toward the Evolving Situation in Syria, Part II

Chairman Chabot and Ranking Member Ackerman: Thank you for this opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia on the situation in Syria and U.S. government efforts to force President Bashar al-Assad to "step aside," as outlined by President Obama in August 2011. During Part

٢٥‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

Libya's Elections Need More U.S. Support

Despite trepidation over Libya's upcoming elections, they offer the best way to solve the country's legitimacy crisis, and Washington should tailor its assistance accordingly.

٢٤‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Andrew Engel

Articles & Testimony

Taking Exception: Abu Zubaida's Clear Ties to al-Qaeda

In her March 29 op-ed, "Why not try Abu Zubaida?," lawyer Amanda L. Jacobsen argued that the reason the federal government has yet to charge her client after 10 years in U.S. custody is simple: "The government got it wrong." The government based its "hyperbolic assertions" about Abu Zubaida on

١٦‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

Don't Throw Iran's Democrats under the Bus

In pursuing a nuclear deal with Tehran, Obama is betting against the future. You wouldn't know it from following the news, but the nuclear impasse is not the only issue dividing Iran and the United States. In his latest message to the Iranian people on the occasion of their festival

١٣‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Patrick Clawson

Should We Fear Mideast Nuclear Proliferation?

If Iran gets nuclear weapons, will other Middle East states want them too? In a bloggingheads.tv conversation, Matt Duss and Michael Singh explore the issues.

١٣‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Bahrain on the Brink Jeopardizes U.S. Interests in the Gulf

The ethnic strife between majority Shiites and the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family in Bahrain is worsening, with a growing risk that the U.S. naval base there could become contentious.

١٢‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

The Challenge of Containing Iran's Enrichment Activities

With talks between the P5+1 (the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany) and Iran set to resume in Istanbul on April 13, officials are discussing possible compromises that might persuade Tehran to give up any ambition of developing nuclear weapons. Apparently, one of the principal components of these

١٢‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Simon Henderson
Olli Heinonen

Brief Analysis

What Iran Might Gain from a Nuclear Deal

If Iran decides to seriously negotiate during upcoming nuclear talks -- currently scheduled to begin this weekend in Istanbul -- what might it expect to gain from the resultant deal? Probably not much, because even a comprehensive agreement on nuclear issues would not close the profound geostrategic split between Washington

١١‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Squandered Leverage over Iran

If Washington does not maintain pressure on Iran, it will validate the regime's strategy of defiance, provocation, and delay.

١٠‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Michael Singh

Video

Brief Analysis

Iraqi Kurdistan as U.S. Ally and Partner in the Middle East

On April 5, 2012, His Excellency Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks. IRAQ'S INTERNAL POLITICAL CRISIS AND U.S. POLICY Despite a budding national political crisis originating from the consolidation of

١٠‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Masoud Barzani

Articles & Testimony

The Muslim Brotherhood's Mendacious Charm Campaign in Washington

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a Muslim Brotherhood delegation in Washington last week to better understand how the Islamist group will govern Egypt. It was a noble attempt at promoting intercultural political dialogue -- an engagement for which many in the American policy community, as well as academia

٠٩‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

What Could Diplomacy with Iran Produce?

There can be little doubt that the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, and China would all prefer a diplomatic outcome to the impasse over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Collectively, they make up the P5+1 mechanism that will soon resume negotiations with Iranian representatives. Talks were discontinued last year because Tehran's

٠٥‏/٠٤‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Dateline Middle East: Trip Reports from around the Region

On March 27, 2012, Robert Satloff, Andrew J. Tabler, and Simon Henderson addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Dr. Satloff, the Institute's executive director and Howard P. Berkowitz chair in U.S. Middle East policy, had just returned from Israel and Jordan. Mr. Tabler, the Institute's Next Generation fellow

٢٩‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Robert Satloff
Andrew J. Tabler
Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

The Human Rights Crisis in Syria

Testimony prepared for the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, U.S. House of Representatives Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to testify on the Assad regime's brutal year-long crackdown on Syria's pro-democracy protestors. Throughout years as a journalist and analyst based in Damascus, I followed Tom Lantos's often-critical words on

٢٨‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Andrew J. Tabler

Articles & Testimony

Danger Zone

Reporting from the USS Abraham Lincoln in waters near Iran, Simon Henderson describes why the carrier strike groups in the Persian Gulf are an awesome reminder of U.S. military might. View a slideshow of photos from his time aboard the supercarrier. U.S. President Barack Obama recently said that "all elements

٢٧‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Not Supporting the Opposition "within Syria" Is Supporting Assad

During their March 25 meeting, President Obama and Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed that part of the agenda of the April 1 "Friends of Syria" summit in Istanbul will concern "nonlethal assistance" to the opposition "within Syria." This indicates that the administration is beginning to accept a "tragic

٢٦‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Andrew J. Tabler
David Pollock

Brief Analysis

Iran, Hizballah, and the Threat to the U.S. Homeland

Should Hizballah decide to carry out attacks on U.S. soil in the event of a military confrontation with Iran, it has the capacity to do so.

٢٥‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Matthew Levitt

Articles & Testimony

To Keep the Peace with Iran, Threaten to Strike

Washington must clearly articulate what its red lines are in terms of Iranian behavior and credibly threaten the regime with military action should it cross them.

٢٠‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Washington and Israel on Iran: Unresolved Differences

Notwithstanding their differing perspectives on the subject, the less daylight seen between Washington and Israel regarding Iran, the better.

١٦‏/٠٣‏/٢٠١٢

◆

Michael Herzog

Supported by the

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East focuses on the region as a setting for heightened competition between the United States and other world powers, such as China and Russia.

Never miss a breaking event on U.S. policy interests in the Middle East. Customize your subscription to our expert analysis, op-eds, live events, and special reports.