It now appears that the US finally has gotten serious about doing something meaningful to assist opposition forces in Libya. Exaggerated fears and an insufficient grasp of the adverse consequences of not taking such action previously paralyzed US (and most European) policymakers with respect to even an eastern no-fly zone, let alone more robust measures. Meanwhile, what is left of the organized Libyan opposition is increasingly hard-pressed.
US-Syrian Relations: Changing Priorities After Egypt
The Middle East Institute is proud to host Joshua Landis and Andrew Tabler for a discussion about the current state of US-Syrian relations and the impact the changing regional dynamic will have on the relationship's priorities. How might the revolutionary wave crossing the Middle East effect Washington's discussions with Damascus? Should there be a greater emphasis on reform? Where does the Syrian-Israeli peace track stand and is it more urgent than ever?
The greatest threat to U.S. national security is Congress’s abdication of its constitutional responsibilities. Nothing could make this point more clear than the current discussion of whether Washington should bear the lion’s share of the costs and risks of a no-fly zone over Libya.
*This Policy Insight first appeared as a feature article in the Majalla on February 9, 2011.
Half a century after independence and two decades since the liberation from Iraqi occupation, Kuwait’s bitter experience with pan-Arabism and ongoing regional power plays have affected its growth. However, since the downfall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, and thanks to robust oil revenues, Kuwait has witnessed an unprecedented boom, albeit amidst raging internal disputes over the need for reform and the future direction of the country.
The shock waves of Hosni Mubarak’s resignation have just started to roll across the Middle East, but in Egypt the upheaval has barely begun. The country now embarks on what the protesters in Tahrir square hope will be a transition to a true, civilian-led democracy. In the meantime, Egypt is headed for a period of military rule in some form, with the ultimate intentions of the armed forces leadership still in doubt. Will the military act to effect the “genuine transition” now demanded by the Obama Administration and the protesters themselves?
US-Libya Relations: Surviving the Wikileaks Controversy?
US-Libya Business Association Honorary Chairman Amb. David Mack and Executive Director Charles Dittrich traveled to Libya for five days in mid-December. They met with Libyan government officials, Libyan private business leaders and representatives of American companies working in the country. They will share impressions regarding the political and economic climate in Libya and the implications for both overall US-Libyan relations and the prospects for American business interests.
US-Libya Relations: Surviving the Wikileaks Controversy?
US-Libya Business Association Honorary Chairman Amb. David Mack and Executive Director Charles Dittrich traveled to Libya for five days in mid-December. They met with Libyan government officials, Libyan private business leaders and representatives of American companies working in the country. They will share impressions regarding the political and economic climate in Libya and the implications for both overall US-Libyan relations and the prospects for American business interests.
This Commentary first appeared in the American Interest's Middle East Blog on January 31, 2011.
The end is now at hand for the government of Hosni Mubarak, ruler of Egypt for the last thirty years. Two outstanding questions face us now: What will the army do? And how should the United States react?
Few question the desirability of finding a political resolution to the Afghan conflict or doubt Pakistan’s pivotal role. The growing divide of opinion in this country is over how best to achieve that outcome. One camp led by our military strategists insists that various political agreements are likely to result from accumulated military successes, sustained by Afghan governance reforms and economic improvements. Visible counterinsurgency gains are expected to gradually wean fighters away from the ranks of the insurgency.
This Commentary first appeared in McClatchy News on January 5, 2011.
The assassination of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, has illustrated the increasingly chaotic environment in that country, which only promises to get worse in the new year. Weeks before his death, Taseer had the courage to say what his fellow politicians were unwilling to: that Pakistan's blasphemy law must be repealed in order for Pakistan to enter the community of modern nations.
The US and Libya: Normalization of a Stormy Relationship
*This article was first published in January 2011 by the Foreign Service Journal.
Relations between Libya and the U.S. have a turbulent history: War at the beginning of the 19th century; U.S. government support for Libyan independence after World War II; official and private-sector American engagement in the development of Libya’s oil wealth and human resources in the mid-20th century; Libyan terrorism and U.S. military retaliation in the 1980s; U.S.-engineered economic sanctions and isolation in the late 20th century; and restoration of diplomatic relations in 2006.
The government formation stalemate in Iraq—well into its seventh month and counting—may at last be nearing an end. The next few weeks could seal a deal between rival electoral blocs that will produce the next national government.
Two scenarios with very different outcomes appear to be jockeying for rail position in the race to produce the next Prime Minister.
Where Does the US Stand After Its Retreat from Iraq?
This piece first appeared as a op-ed in The National on August 30, 2010
The last American combat troops rolled across the Kuwaiti border from Iraq on August 19, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. The Obama administration has spoken of this milestone as a promise fulfilled and the first major step toward bringing a “responsible” end to the war in Iraq, setting the stage for the final withdrawal of American troops at the end of next year.
