In Beirut: Fractured Summit, Deadlocked Government

by Ghassan Michel Rubeiz The Arab Economic and Social Development Summit, which ended in Beirut on January 20, was trivialized by politics. Lebanon convened this important regional event before forming a new government that has been in the making for… Continue Reading

The Middle East After Pompeo’s Cairo Speech

by Emile Nakhleh Those who had wishfully hoped that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s Cairo speech would enunciate a new Trumpian doctrine toward the Middle East were sorely disappointed. The speech was no more than a mean attack on former… Continue Reading

Brussels, not Tehran, in Pompeo’s Crosshairs

by Eldar Mamedov During his trip to the Middle East the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced an international summit in Warsaw on February 13-14 to “promote freedom, peace and stability in the Middle East.” Such objectives, judging by his… Continue Reading

Don’t Rule Out the Possibility of War with Iran

by Shireen T. Hunter      According to press reports, Iran has all but despaired of the European Union’s ability—or, perhaps more accurately, willingness—to work out a system of financial transactions that could facilitate Tehran’s trade with Europe. Not only that,… Continue Reading

Making Sausage Out of Syria Policy

by Gary Sick Foreign policy, to paraphrase Bismarck, is like sausage: you’d rather not see it being made. In fact, even when the final results are not particularly appetizing, the foreign policy process gains nothing by being carried out in… Continue Reading