New Israeli Elections Offer Little Hope For Change

by Mitchell Plitnick The Israeli government is headed for yet another round of elections. Although the official election date for the next Knesset is November 7, 2017, no one ever expected this government to last that long. The voting will likely… Continue Reading

Iraqi Kurds Seek Greater Balance Between Ankara and Baghdad

by Mohammed A. Salih Erbil—After a period of frostiness, Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Turkey seem intent on mending the ties, as each of the parties show signs of needing the other. But the Kurds appear more cautious this… Continue Reading

Iran’s Enrichment Offer: A Postscript

by Peter Jenkins As a postscript to my previous post, I want to draw attention to two bits of news that I came across later that day, and to offer brief comments. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad-Javad Zarif, addresses the Nuclear Diplomacy Seminar… Continue Reading

The US Fight Against Islamic State: Avoiding “Mission Creep”

by Wayne White Hyping the Islamic State (ISIS or IS) threat risks generating flawed policies. The White House probably is a source of frustration, as its critics claim, but others seem too eager to commit US combat troops. Meanwhile, the… Continue Reading

Is Iran’s Rial in Free Fall?

by Djavad Salehi-Isfahani The decision announced last Monday in Vienna to extend the talks aimed at a compressive agreement on Iran’s nuclear program for an additional seven months has resulted in Iran’s currency taking dive. In one week, the rial lost… Continue Reading