Pompeo, Religion, and Regime Change in Iran

by Esfandyar Batmanghelidj In his brief stint as CIA director, Mike Pompeo brought God to Langley. At least that’s how it felt it to many in the intelligence community. According to Foreign Policy, Pompeo attended “weekly Bible studies held in… Continue Reading

The Election That Killed Foreign Policy

by Paul R. Pillar The current election campaign has done more to set back U.S. foreign relations, and the cause of good foreign policy, than has any other American presidential election within memory.  One reason is the overall sordid image… Continue Reading

Turmoil in Eastern Saudi Arabia

by Giorgio Cafiero and Alex Stout The January 2 execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a popular Shi’ite cleric from Awamiya in eastern Saudi Arabia, set off angry protests worldwide. From Michigan to London, and from Bahrain to Kashmir, Shi’ite… Continue Reading

Iran and the Diplomatic Jackpot

by John Feffer In 1748, as part of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, France regained Cape Breton from Great Britain. The island, off the coast of Nova Scotia, had passed back and forth between the two countries over the years, and… Continue Reading

The Iran Nuclear Deal and the Question of “Trust”

by Derek Davison Politico reports that the White House effort to lobby Senate Democrats on the Iran deal has already started, and the theme that seems to be common among skeptical Dems is that we can’t trust Iran. Here are… Continue Reading