Iran Should Be Worried About a Trump Administration

by Shireen T. Hunter Those observers in Iran who thought that a victory by Donald Trump in the US presidential race would be in Iran’s interests should by now have realized how wrong they were. It’s not just because President-elect… Continue Reading

Trump for the Defense

by William Hartung As with so much of what Donald Trump has said in recent months, his positions on Pentagon spending are, to be polite, a bundle of contradictions.  Early signs suggest, however, that those contradictions are likely to resolve… Continue Reading

Deputy NSC Advisor Pick McFarland: Treat Middle Easterners Like Kids

by Derek Davison On Friday, Donald Trump’s transition team announced that Fox News national security analyst Kathleen Troia McFarland will serve as his Deputy National Security Advisor, working under National Security Advisor–designate Michael Flynn. McFarland previously served on Gerald Ford’s… Continue Reading

Turkey’s Relations with Syria

by Robert Olson Turkey’s relations with Syria are different from its relations with Iraq. The main difference is that Ankara has no close partners in Syria as it does in the form of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) which works… Continue Reading

“Iron Rules” for Trump in Choosing his Foreign Policy Team

by Robert E. Hunter The appointments that President-elect Donald Trump is making in foreign policy and national security will be among the most important decisions of his entire presidency. “Personnel is policy” is not just a slogan; it’s a fact.… Continue Reading