Israel’s Strategic Options regarding Iran
Israel’s strategic options regarding Iran are at a critical juncture. The diminishing threat from proxies and the impairment of Iran’s air defense capabilities have shifted the focus squarely onto Iran’s nuclear program in the immediate time frame. Iran’s threatening public declarations and technical advancements are a red warning light. For over a year, Israel has […]
Trump Administration Faces a Suddenly Promising Middle East
BACKGROUND The second Trump administration will face immediate foreign policy dilemmas in all three Eurasian fronts. This paper concentrates on the Middle East, but the competing demands of Europe and East Asia, and the links among all of them, influence decisions everywhere. The dramatic events of the past year open the door to a regional […]
Stubborn Facts on Supporting Israel and Combating Antisemitism
Two days before the 2024 elections and Americans find themselves in a revel of name-calling. The American media, acting as campaign surrogates, edit and spin the candidates’ remarks to support the epithets. “Facts are stubborn things,” said our second president John Adams, “and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our […]
Israel’s Actions against Hizbullah in Lebanon: Part of a Global Confrontation
Israel’s confrontation with Iran and its proxy armies, including the current operation against Hizbullah by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), should be seen as part of a broader global struggle. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022 was the first sign of a new geostrategic era, and the October 2023 mass murder invasion […]
American Priorities for Engaging the Iranian Opposition
In September 2022, Iranians from all walks of life took to the streets against the ruling clerical regime. The immediate cause was the brutal death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of regime security forces for the crime of improperly wearing her Islamic headscarf or hijab. The grassroots protests quickly transformed into something else: […]
Israel Pulls An Economic Lever on Lebanon
In October 2022, Israel and Lebanon sent separate commitments on a common maritime border to the United States. The deal was structured in this fashion, rather than as a bilateral agreement, to accommodate the government of Lebanon, which refused to sign anything directly with Israel. The maritime border deal was intended to allow each country […]
The Axis of Expansionists
Military aggressions and provocations by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea have created one of the most dangerous security environments in decades. Making matters worse, these powers are supporting each other in their malign actions. How should we refer to this emerging bloc? Russia is waging war to make Ukraine its colony again. Iran has […]
From Dahiya to Damascus: A Pivotal Moment for Iran’s Regional Strategy
Just three weeks ago, thousands of Hizbullah fighters, commanders, and activists were killed or injured in Israeli “pager” attacks. Next the terrorist organization’s top leaders, including Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah, were eliminated in Israeli airstrikes. Then, after Israeli warplanes bombarded Hizbullah’s stronghold in Beirut and bases in southern Lebanon, Israel invaded with two divisions, aiming […]
Going on Offense, Designating the Muslim Brotherhood
“Dad, open your WhatsApp and see the [photos of] dead Jews. Your son has killed Jews.” “God bless you.” “Dad, I’m calling you from the phone of a Jew! I just killed her and her husband, with my own hands.” – Intercepted cellphone call, October 7, from Hamas elite unit member One unanswered question is […]
Israel Strikes Hizbullah: What Comes Next for Lebanon
Israel’s recent military actions in Lebanon and Gaza have fundamentally shifted the balance of power in the Middle East to the detriment of the Iranian-led axis and to the benefit of the American-aligned axis of Israel and Arab states, some of which have, with quiet Saudi approval, gambled on relations with the Jewish state to […]
