By Joe Macaron It has been over a month since the Lebanese uprising began and there are no indications that the country’s ruling oligarchy is willing or ready to offer concrete concessions in giving up power. The political class seems united in… Continue Reading
by Joe Macaron While the latest American sanctions, imposed on July 9, continue a trend of US pressure on Hezbollah, they symbolize an imperfect realignment of interests between the Trump Administration’s Iran approach and Lebanese leaders’ aim to alter their… Continue Reading
by Joe Macaron US officials appear to be overselling a potential deal with Turkey on establishing a “safe zone” in northeastern Syria, one they hope could peel Ankara away from Moscow. However, this approach might accelerate the confrontation between Turkish… Continue Reading
by Joe Macaron On May 13, while The New York Times reported that the White House was reviewing military plans to attack Iran, a plane carrying the State Department’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield quietly landed… Continue Reading
by Joe Macaron In the past two months, US officials have been baffled by how to spin President Donald Trump’s hasty decision last December to withdraw US forces from Syria. Once again, they were unable to come up with an… Continue Reading