US Opinion and Commentary

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Trump ‘Foreign Policy’ Unnerves American Allies

Posted February 29th, 2016 at 1:23 pm (UTC-4)
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By Barbara Slavin The battle for the Republican presidential nomination this year has made many Americans squirm as they watch grown men fling potty-mouthed playground insults at each other in lieu of serious discourse.  Overseas, however, concerns are mounting at the prospect of a possible presidency by New York real estate magnate Donald Trump, whose […]

Turnout Key to Iran Election Strategy

Posted February 23rd, 2016 at 1:16 pm (UTC-4)
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By Barbara Slavin Election Day in Iran is this Friday and the country’s leaders are urging Iranians to vote in large numbers, even though the candidates exclude key members of the embattled reform movement and the governing bodies being chosen have limited power within Iran’s hybrid political system. Voters are to select a new 290-member […]

Shifting Alliances

Posted January 19th, 2016 at 4:04 pm (UTC-4)
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One of the many ripple effects of the U.S.-Iran prisoner swap and Tehran’s verified compliance with the historic nuclear accord is a new world order in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia – a long-time rival of Tehan – is nervous and talking tough, as the lifting of costly Western sanctions is set to propel Iran’s economic might. Not long before the latest developments, Saudi Arabia had already stoked tensions by beheading the prominent Shia cleric Sheik Nimr al-Nimr. That provoked a violent attack on the Saudi mission in Iran, which in turn, gave the House of Saud a reason to sever diplomatic ties. Meanwhile, both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry hailed the use of diplomacy to win the release of five Americans in a prisoner swap with Iran, simultaneously praising Tehtan for pausing its nuclear program. Where does all this leave the traditional, and sometimes co-dependent, U.S.-Saudi relationship? Making friends with Iran was a big gamble. It appears the Obama administration believes the benefits outweigh the costs.

Obama: ‘Strong American Diplomacy’ Pays Off

Posted January 17th, 2016 at 2:58 pm (UTC-4)
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“This is a good day.” So began President Barack Obama’s televised statement on the release of Americans held in Iran following delicate negotiations between the United States and Iran on a prisoner swap apparently tied indirectly to last year’s historic nuclear pact to scale back Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Five Americans, including a Washington Post reporter, were freed in exchange for seven Iranians. The prisoner trade was swiftly condemned by Republican presidential hopefuls and some pundits. The stunning developments included sanction relief for Iran, and the release of roughly $100 billion of its assets after international inspectors concluded that the country had dismantled large portions of its nuclear program. Despite the developments – who can argue against the happiness that comes with release of Americans citizens and their families? – Iran remains on the U.S. list of states that sponsor terrorism. And that means the road ahead will be long and bumpy.

On Jason Rezaian’s Imprisonment in Iran, His Release, and Its Meaning

Posted January 17th, 2016 at 12:25 pm (UTC-4)
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…[T]his moment will be used by those in the US who wish to push one agenda or another, or who wish to paint it as a victory or humiliation for the Obama administration.

Obama Hails New Era As Iran Complies With Nuke Deal

Posted January 17th, 2016 at 11:32 am (UTC-4)
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“I’m very happy to say that as we speak, we have received confirmation that five Americans who had been unjustly detained in Iran have been released from custody.”

America Needs Iranian Cooperation

Posted January 15th, 2016 at 3:54 pm (UTC-4)
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The recent strife between Saudi Arabia and Iran, regional powers that have commanding influence in the Sunni and Shia worlds respectively, has made the Middle East even more volatile. By pursuing legislation to sink the Iran deal, the U.S. Congress will be adding fuel to the fire.

Obama’s Iran Blunder

Posted January 4th, 2016 at 2:25 pm (UTC-4)
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Such is the nature of appeasement. It is not only morally abhorrent; it never works, because aggressive regimes and tyrants are never satisfied with their gains. Ultimately they must be confronted, but by then they have gained strength and confidence while Western democratic governments are shown to be foolish and weak.

Saudi Plays Dangerous Regional Game with Executions

Posted January 4th, 2016 at 12:37 pm (UTC-4)
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By Barbara Slavin Just when a U.S.-led coalition in Iraq appears to be making headway against the group that calls itself the Islamic State (ISIS), Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Saudi Shi’ite cleric threatens to harden the sectarian divide fueling the region’s conflicts. Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who led Saudi Arabia’s Shi’ite minority in protests […]

Our World in 2016

Posted December 31st, 2015 at 10:09 am (UTC-4)
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Predicting what the future holds is nearly always a risky pursuit. We can examine and dissect events past, trends and patterns, but do we ever really know what is to come? We do in one case: America will elect a new president in 2016, ending President Barack Obama’s second term. And experts agree overwhelmingly that the world will continue to be plagued by the threat of terrorism. But what about the global economy? Gun violence? The Iran nuke deal? Europe’s migrant crisis? Some of the world’s most pressing issues will be stubbornly familiar and hard to remedy; others are likely to emerge as new challenges in a new year.

Despite the Nuclear Deal, Iran Continues Its Economic Sabotage

Posted December 30th, 2015 at 8:28 am (UTC-4)
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Rouhani and other pragmatists argue that foreign investment will strengthen Iran and boost its national security. But hard-liners insist that Western money is a tool of the Great Satan that will undermine the revolution. This battle over foreign influence will be one of Iran’s fault lines in the year ahead.

How the Iran Deal Became the Most Strategic Success of Obama’s Presidency

Posted September 16th, 2015 at 9:45 am (UTC-4)
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A weak president Obama may be. But a paradox of his presidency is that he has been at his toughest in fighting for the Iran nuclear deal against Netanyahu, the leader of one of America’s closest allies.

Iran Thumbs its Nose at the United States

Posted September 15th, 2015 at 9:33 am (UTC-4)
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As President Obama was busy twisting congressional arms to prevent repudiation of the agreement, the Iranian regime has been systematically humiliating him.

American Jewish Lobby a Crucial Player in Iran Nuke Deal

Posted August 20th, 2015 at 4:33 pm (UTC-4)
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‘When it comes to Iran’s nuclear capability, this [deal] is the best option,” wrote retired Israeli Admiral Ami Ayalon, former head of Israel’s secret service agency Shin Bet, in a full-page ad in The New York Times newspaper. The ad, signed by more than two dozen leaders in the American Jewish community, directly opposes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhayu’s very public criticism of the accord. A Congressional vote on the pact will take place next month. In the meantime, members of the American Jewish lobby find themselves split over a deal that everyone agrees will have long-term consequences.

Why the Iran Deal’s Critics Will Probably Lose

Posted August 5th, 2015 at 12:50 pm (UTC-4)
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None of them, from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “historic mistake” Netanyahu to U.S. Senator Lindsey “it’s a declaration of war on Israel” Graham, has yet risen to the challenge of offering a better real-world alternative      

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