Iranians and Their iPhones, and the Futility of Sanctions
by Paul R. Pillar U.S.-imposed economic sanctions often have been misdirected and counterproductive, but a new sanctions-related development involving Iran is especially illustrative.
Paul Pillar
Netanyahu’s Priorities and U.S. Responses
by Paul R. Pillar Recently I wrote about the two-sided Saudi policy on Iran, in which Riyadh sees good reason to take quiet steps to reduce tension with its neighbor across the Persian Gulf while still making alarm about a… Continue Reading
Détente in the Persian Gulf is in Everyone’s Interests
by Paul R. Pillar Regimes that crave U.S. support in their regional rivalries are apt to strike two different postures that may seem contradictory but really aren’t. They publicly play up the supposed threatening nature and incorrigibility of the rival,… Continue Reading
Why The Adults Are Not Reining in Trump
By Paul Pillar Optimism has repeatedly been expressed, especially after any qualified and respected person has been appointed to a senior position in the current administration, that the “adults in the room” will check the excesses and compensate for the… Continue Reading
Hezbollah and the Simplistic School of Counterterrorism
by Paul R. Pillar Last month, President Trump made a joint appearance at the White House with a visiting head of government, during which Trump spoke of the visitor’s country being “on the front lines in the fight against” an… Continue Reading