US Policy Regarding the Upheaval in Egypt: Endangering the Strategic Foundations of Regional Stability

The dream of turning Cairo 2011 into "Berlin 1989" is a chimera; the challenge is to prevent "Tehran 1979." Obama Administration policy, however, threatens to widen the crack in the strategic foundations of regional stability that has served as the indispensable basis of peacemaking since the mid 1970s.

American Public Opinion Toward Iran’s Nuclear Program: Moving Towards Confrontation

Contrary to common wisdom, an in-depth analysis of US public opinion polls shows that most Americans increasingly understand that the radical Islamic regime in Iran must be confronted; even, if necessary, with military force.

Obama Should Withdraw From Afghanistan, Not Iraq

The US should withdraw its forces from Afghanistan because there are other states capable of shouldering the burden of stabilizing the country, and the threat to US security is no longer acute. Iraq, however, can be stabilized only by the US, and its long-term stability is a vital US interest with lasting and broad implications.

Obama’s Pressure Will Backfire

Intense and exclusive American pressure on Israel will result in the hardening of Arab and Palestinian positions, and will scuttle, rather than initiate, real negotiations.

Mitchell’s Mission Impossible

Mitchell, and with him a large part of the international community, fail to understand that the ethnic conflict being waged in the Holy Land will end only when the parties tire. So far, Israelis and Palestinians still have energy to fight for what is important to them.

Apprehensive Allies: India and Israel in the Obama Era

India and Israel are both suffering from a bout of "Bush Blues" since Obama took office. The issues in contention range from strategic concerns like Pakistan and Iran, to nuclear nonproliferation and economic factors like outsourcing of jobs.

President Obama’s Cairo Speech: The Question Left Unanswered – Iran

Obama’s "soft power" approach cannot form the basis for a sound, workable American strategy in the Middle East. The speech lacked resolve regarding the most urgent problem for Israel and America's other regional allies – the imminent threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

Obama and the Muslim Cold War

Throughout the Middle East, deep Muslim political divide could stymie President Obama’s well-intentioned Mideast efforts. Mainstream Arab countries, like Israel, seek US resolve in confronting the Iranian-led axis, not an "outstretched American hand" to the radical part of the Muslim world.

US Foreign Policy after the Elections: Pragmatism, But in What Direction?

Obama's foreign policy appointments suggest pragmatism and caution, not dogmatism and adventure. But will the pragmatists lead him astray? Had it been up to so-called pragmatists, Saddam would still be in Kuwait, Germany might still be divided, and the Iraq surge would not have occurred.

President Obama and the Middle East Challenge

Barack Obama has enunciated a clear program for Middle East policy based on multilateralism and negotiations to deal with Iran, Iraq and the Arab-Israeli conflict. In reality he will have to make tough choices when other countries reject the US approach, especially with regard to Iran.

US Foreign and Defense Policy