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Negotiations stall on Israeli unity government
Talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White head Benny Gantz on an emergency government have hit an impasse over the Likud's priority of annexing the West Bank.
What can we learn from the left's disappointment in Gantz?
The left-wing camp is disappointed after perceiving Blue and White leader Benny Gantz as a 2020 model of late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
Israel’s Political and Constitutional Crisis with Ambassador Daniel C. Kurtzer
Turkey's Syria Intervention Serves Israeli Strategic Interests
By Dmitri Shufutinsky, March 29, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Turkey’s invasion of Syria to protect Idlib will bog it down in a war it cannot win. At the same time, it severely weakens the Assad regime and could help oust Iran from Syria. Continue to full article ->
Political crisis proves Israel needs constitution
Ignoring Israel’s laws and rules and in order to avoid complying with the High Court’s directives, Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein chose to resign.
Over the past few days, the ongoing political turmoil in Israel seems to have morphed into a potential constitutional crisis (albeit for a state without a written Constitution). At the core of the issue: the ongoing conflict between Israel's High Court of Justice—its leading judicial body—and the Knesset—the country's parliament. For some deeper perspective on this issue, I recommend a 2016 essay in Mosaic, "Disorder in the Court," by Israeli intellectual Evelyn Gordon, with responses by Haviv Rettig Gur and Jeremy Rabkin. The piece takes a hard look at how judicial activism in Israel has undermined democratic self-government and public confidence in the rule of law.
Read it here now.
Gantz made a tough decision. Will he regret it?
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz slammed the door on his anti-Netanyahu partners to join a unity government with the Likud, but will he ever occupy the Prime Minister's Office?
Israel: Maybe the Dog Will Talk
Editorial of The New York Sun | March 27, 2020 https://www.nysun.com/editorials/israel-maybe-the-dog-will-talk/91065/
"IMF Should Reject Islamic Republic’s Loan Request," Richard Goldberg and Saeed Ghasseminejad, FDD Policy Brief
Farzin Nadimi writes: Finally, the pandemic’s serious effects inside Iran should not be regarded as evidence that the Iranian military threat has decreased. Washington should continue taking the IRGC threat to its regional military presence seriously, deploying a viable air and missile defense capability in Iraq and perhaps even Afghanistan in order to deter any attacks. And while it cannot maintain a two-carrier force posture in the region indefinitely, it still needs to maintain a demonstrated qualitative and quantitative advantage in Iran’s neighborhood—and, perhaps more important, credibility that it will respond at the right time and place. – Washington Institute
Anthony H. Cordesman writes: It should be stressed that all of the current trends in both Iran’s missile forces and in the speculation regarding its efforts to develop and deploy weapons of mass destruction continue to assume that the Iranian regime will give priority to military forces over civil needs in spite of the steady hardening of U.S. sanctions and the growing impact of the Coronavirus. – Center for Strategic and International Studies
Ali Bakeer writes: As the Turkish defense sector grows though, it will need to overcome significant internal challenges to sustain its momentum in the long run, such as halting brain drain, securing large-scale funding, accessing critical markets, and avoiding potential negative knock-on effects from Turkey’s foreign policy endeavors that might deprive it of advanced technology and important customers. The challenges are substantial, but as the success of the Syrian drone campaign has made clear, Turkey’s defense industry has undoubtedly made significant progress. – Middle East Institute
 Hoover Fellow Profile: Cole Bunzel On The Past, Present And Future Of Wahhabism via Hoover Daily Report Cole Bunzel is a Hoover fellow at the Hoover Institution. A historian and Arabist, he studies the history and contemporary affairs of the Islamic Middle East, with a particular focus on violent Islamism and the Arabian Peninsula. He is currently writing a book about the origins and history of Wahhabism, a fundamentalist sect of Sunni Islam. In this interview, Bunzel discussed his work on the origins and evolution of Wahhabism, how the ideology animates modern jihadist movements, and its role in the political life of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The evolution of the revolution: The changing nature of Iran’s Axis of Resistance
Kenneth Pollack | American Enterprise Institute After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian-led “Axis of Resistance” was little more than rhetoric. Today, the Axis is comprised of an increasingly cohesive coalition of groups functioning more directly under Iranian guidance.
The Evolution Of Arab Popular Opinion Toward Iran, And Iranian Self-Perceptions
by Karim Sadjadpour via The Caravan The Middle East’s conflicts and autocracies—hostile to independent researchers and pollsters—make it one of the most challenging regions of the world to accurately assess public opinion. The competing popular demonstrations in the region both before and after the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani illustrates the confusion.
Zeinab Soleimani: Islam's Female Avenger
By Dr. Edy Cohen, March 10, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The jihad against America and the West has a new, more feminine face after the assassination of Qassem Soleimani: his daughter Zeinab, who has vowed revenge. Continue to full article ->
After Soleimani, Iran Sends Shamkhani to Iraq to Take Control by Seth Frantzman
The Jerusalem Post March 10, 2020 https://www.meforum.org/60554/iran-sends-shamkhani-to-iraq-to-take-control
US deploys missile defenses to Iraq after attacks from Iran
The United States is deploying missile defenses to Iraq in the wake of attacks in January from Iran, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of US forces in the Middle East, said Tuesday. “[The Pentagon is] in the process of bringing air defense systems, ballistic missile defense systems, into Iraq in particular, to protect ourselves against another potential Iranian attack,” McKenzie said. Iran retaliated for the Jan. 3 assassination of Commander Qasem Soleimani by firing missiles at Iraqi bases hosting US troops, causing traumatic brain injuries to more than 100 service members. Last month, Iran inaugurated a new missile that is lighter and has a longer range than the ones used in those attacks. Meanwhile, the US military, after concluding that the spike in tensions with Iran has begun to subside, has withdrawn about 1,000 combat troops deployed to Kuwait days after the Soleimani strike, the Wall Street Journal reports. Read More newsweek.co 
Saudi Arabia moves to show king still in charge after palace 'coup' averted
Saudi state media on Sunday released photographs of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud performing his royal duties, shrugging off speculation that he is in poor health and could soon step down. The king is shown attending the swearing-in ceremony of new ambassadors to Ukraine and Uruguay. Saudi authorities released the images after detaining three princes on Friday for allegedly plotting a coup, raising speculation that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman could accede to the throne sooner than expected. Masked guards reportedly arrested the king’s younger brother Prince Ahmed and his nephew Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, both of whom were potential contenders for the throne. Prince Nayef's younger brother Prince Nawaf bin Nayef was also detained. Read More al-monitor.com
History Won't Wait For Gantz To Bow To Israel's Voters
By CONRAD BLACK, Special to the Sun | March 20, 2020 https://www.nysun.com/foreign/history-wont-wait-for-gantz-to-bow-to-israels/91056/
Israel faces showdown over Knesset reopening
Israel faces a political showdown over the functioning of the Knesset as speaker Yuli Edelstein of the ruling Likud party tries to shut down parliament, citing coronavirus concerns, while rival parties cry foul. The main opposition Blue and White party has accused Edelstein of trying to prevent the Knesset from forming new committees following this month's general elections, in order to block legal action against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following his indictment on corruption charges. Several parties are seeking to replace Edelstein while pushing bills that would prevent an indicted politician from leading the government. Israel's High Court this week ordered that Knesset committees be formed by March 23. The showdown comes as negotiations continue over the formation of Israel's next government. Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has 24 more days to try to cobble together a ruling coalition before his mandate expires and another political leader is given the chance. Gantz has the support of a bare majority of 61 Knesset members for the task, but two members of his own party refuse to back any government supported by the Joint List of major Arab Israeli parties, making the task appear insurmountable. Meanwhile, negotiations continue between Blue and White and the Likud on a possible unity government in which Gantz and Netanyahu would rotate as head of government.
The Struggle for Israel's Jewish Soul
By Prof. Efraim Karsh and Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen, March 16, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The possibility of an Israeli minority government that relies on the Joint Arab List underscores the clear and present danger of accommodating political parties and movements that reject the existence of the Jewish state and propagate Israel’s transformation into a Palestinian Arab (Muslim) state. Continue to full article ->
Netanyahu rival gets first shot at forming next government
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin today officially tasked Benny Gantz, the leader of the Blue and White party, with trying to form the next government. The move comes after Gantz picked up endorsements from a diverse coalition including the secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party of former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, the Joint List of major Arab-Israeli parties and six out of seven members of the center-left Labor-Gesher-Meretz party. Gantz now has one month to try to assemble a governing coalition. Adding to the political uncertainty, Rivlin summoned Gantz and Netanyahu Sunday evening for an “urgent conversation” regarding the “possibility of forming a government immediately,” according to a statement from the president's residence. Netanyahu has been calling for Blue and White to join a unity government with his Likud party to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Separately, the government on Sunday approved short-term mass surveillance of Israelis’ phones to help track the interactions of people diagnosed with the virus. The measure, which has raised privacy concerns, requires final approval from the Knesset’s subcommittee on clandestine services. Read More timesofisrael.com
Netanyahu goes on trial
After an unprecedented third election in less than 12 months, Israel's political system experiences another seismic shock this coming week as a sitting prime minister goes on trial for the first time in the country's history. Benjamin Netanyahu is set to appear Tuesday in Jerusalem District Court for the start of his trial in three separate criminal cases in which he is accused of exchanging political favors for personal gain. Last week, the prime minister's defense team asked for a 45-day delay, arguing that they did not receive all the documents they are entitled to from the prosecution. But the court rejected the request and said the trial will go ahead as planned, with Netanyahu in person expected to attend. The trial comes as Israel struggles to form a government following March 2 elections that once again resulted in a deadlock between Netanyahu's coalition of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties and a center-left bloc dominated by the Blue and White party of Benny Gantz. President Reuven Rivlin is expected to begin consultations on Sunday with party leaders to decide who should get the first stab at trying to cobble together a governing coalition. Netanyahu initially proclaimed victory after his coalition won 58 seats — three shy of the 61 needed for a majority — but since then Gantz has worked to assemble a minority government supported on the outside by the Arab Joint List. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus has added another layer of uncertainty to the mix. With the number of cases now topping 100 and the government banning large gatherings and closing schools for a month, Netanyahu on Thursday called for the formation of a short-term national unity government to combat the epidemic. Such a government, Netanyahu said, “would be an emergency government for a limited time, and we will fight together to save the lives of tens of thousands of citizens.”
Israel’s Gantz ready to do whatever it takes to topple Netanyahu
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is now ready to do whatever it takes to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including going back on his promise not to establish a government backed by the Arab Joint List.
Israel’s right engaged in wild anti-Arab incitement
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz’s attempts to establish a minority government with the support of the Arab Joint List is leading right-wing ministers to intensify their inciteful tone against Arab legislators.
Is Israel's 'Sovereignty Road' project step toward annexation?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s interim government is busily advancing various annexation moves with the excuse of addressing the settlers’ living conditions
A Gantz-led government, recipe for Jewish-Arab reconciliation?
Partnership with Arab and Muslim parties is not a "problem," but an opportunity to heal Israeli society and advance Jewish-Muslim reconciliation. 
China's New Silk Road Strategy and the Middle East
By Dr. Mordechai Chaziza, March 8, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: In recent years, the People’s Republic of China has significantly increased its economic and diplomatic engagement with the Middle East. Most of Beijing’s investment in the region focuses on energy, infrastructure construction, nuclear power, new energy sources, agriculture, and finance. These investments serve not only China’s interests but also those of Middle Eastern countries hoping to boost their economies as a means of strengthening social stability. Continue to full article ->
Does Jewish-Arab partnership to form government stand a chance in Israel?
The Likud is continuing its campaign of incitement against Arab party representatives to head off their helping form a minority government led by Blue and White.
Does Israel's Gantz stand a chance at establishing a government?
The chances of Blue and White leader Benny Gantz establishing a minority government with Avigdor Liberman and the support of the Arab Joint List are not high, yet the risks he is taking are huge.
Protesters Push Arab Militaries Off Their Pedestal
By Dr. James M. Dorsey, March 6, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A decade of anti-government protests in the Arab world have thrown popular trust in the military into the garbage bin and undermined the military’s position as one of the most trusted institutions. Continue to full article ->
Israel tries (again) to form a government
Political horse-trading begins in earnest in the next few days as Israelis try once again to cobble together a government and avoid a fourth election in a row. President Reuven Rivlin is expected to open talks with party leaders as early as Sunday on who should get the first shot at trying to assemble a ruling coalition after two previous failed attempts. The central election committee has until Tuesday to submit final election results, after which talks begin in earnest. With Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance of right-wing and religious parties winning 58 Knesset seats in Monday’s election – three short of an outright majority – the prime minister is the favorite. Netanyahu has already started talks with his allies to ensure that he is the nominee. Talks this time are complicated by Netanyahu’s indictment on corruption charges. His trial is scheduled to begin March 17, which is also the deadline for Rivlin to assign the task of forming a government to one of the candidates. Netanyahu’s chief rival, Benny Gantz, refuses to back a unity government led by Netanyahu and is pushing legislation to bar an indicted politician from serving as head of government. The bill’s unexpected endorsement by Avigdor Liberman, the head of the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, has drastically increased the bill’s chances. But Gantz faces his own set of obstacles. His Blue and White party came in second behind Netanyahu’s Likud, which it had bested in the previous elections in September. Israel’s alliance of major Arab parties, the Arab Joint List, has said it won’t endorse Gantz unless he stands against annexation of the Jordan Valley and reverses course on his refusal to include the Arab alliance in his coalition. Liberman for his part insists he will not sit in a government that is either headed by Netanyahu or backed by the Arab Joint List.
Israel's election committee has published the results of Monday's election showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc with 58 seats — three short of the parliamentary majority needed to form a government.
Why it matters: Worse still for Netanyahu, particularly in the wake of what looked like a remarkable victory, a majority might now be uniting behind an effort to effectively end his political career. Breaking it down: Netanyahu's Likud Party won the most seats in Monday's election, with 36. Allied right-wing parties won an additional 22.
Driving the news: This time could be different. Lieberman now says he will recommend Gantz to form the next government.
A Shia 'Awakening'?
by Nibras Kazimi via The Caravan The proponents of America’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign against Iran have argued that the four-month-long anti-status quo protests that have wracked Iraq, Lebanon and Iran are transnational in character and seek to limit or end the influence of Iran’s current leadership both regionally and internally. The Shia Vs. The "Shia Crescent" by Hanin Ghaddar via The Caravan On February 15, 2020, Hezbollah organized a ceremony to unveil a statue of Qassem Soleimani in the Lebanese town of Maroun al-Ras, roughly half a mile from the border with Israel. The statue shows Soleimani with his arm stretched out in front of him, pointing toward Israel.
The 100th Anniversary of the Battle of Tel Hai… and the Election Results
By Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen, March 5, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: At the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Tel Hai (which occurred on March 1, 1920), it is instructive to recall the heated debate that preceded it among the Yishuv leadership concerning the question of abandoning the site. This debate sheds light on the decline of the Zionist left in general and the results of the latest Israeli elections in particular. Continue to full article ->
JUDITH MILLER
Bibi’s Next Act Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to extend his reign as Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
Israel's New Diplomatic Moment by Jonathan Spyer
The Wall Street Journal March 3, 2020 https://www.meforum.org/60527/israel-new-diplomatic-moment
The Mind Is A Map-Maker
by Charles Hill via The Caravan A map of the Middle East after the World War I collapse of the Ottoman Empire and Caliphate shows no state boundaries, only lines of control by European powers over the territories vacated by “The Sublime Porte” -- the Islamic hegemon in Istanbul.
Israel vs. Hezbollah: The Third Lebanon War
By Dr. Ehud Eilam, March 9, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Ever since the 2006 war, Israel has preferred to contain Hezbollah rather than fight it directly. So determined was Israel to avoid going to war with the terrorist group that it tolerated its significant military buildup. Since 2012, however, the IAF has carried out hundreds of sorties inside Syria aimed at stopping the delivery of advanced weapons to Hezbollah. Israel can continue to delay the arming of Hezbollah, but it has already become quite strong, and a war could occur even if neither side wants it. Continue to full article ->
Why Otzmah Yehudit flamed out in Israeli elections
The decline in support for Otzmah Yehudit, which once again failed to pass the vote threshold to enter the Knesset, was especially notable in the settlements.
Does Jewish-Arab partnership to form government stand a chance in Israel?
The Likud is continuing its campaign of incitement against Arab party representatives to head off their helping form a minority government led by Blue and White.
UAE shows path for peaceful nuclear development
Fuel assemblies have been loaded into the first of four UAE nuclear power plants following the country's yearslong effort to develop major national and international support for nuclear energy.
Game of power politics far from over in Pakistan
Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the leader of Pakistan’s Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam Fazal, has failed to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan despite being backed by a faction within the military establishment. But in doing so he has strengthened the hands of the main opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party, reports Imad Zafar.
How Can Negotiations Bring Wars to an End? by Patrick S. Roberts and Ariel I. Ahram
For peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan is the key
The chasm between illusion and reality in politics remains perennial. Wars seldom end according to the script of peace agreements. The fall of Saigon in April, 1975, ending the Vietnam War, with defeated Americans hastily retreating in helicopters from the rooftop of their embassy, was not anticipated in the Paris Peace Accords of January 1973 that were painstakingly negotiated by Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese politburo member Le Duc Tho. Read Mor
How Can Negotiations Bring Wars to an End?
By Patrick S. Roberts & Ariel I. Ahram, War on the Rocks: “The peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban raises a lot of questions. The most important question is this — what took so long?" The U.S. Wants Peace. The Taliban Wants an Emirate. By Anchal Vohra, Foreign Policy: "At the pyramid-shaped seaside luxury hotel in Doha where the United States and the Taliban signed their long-awaited agreement, the 100 or so black turbans in attendance occasionally fluttered in the wind. The bearded Taliban leaders nonetheless had cheerful looks on their faces. For them, the Americans' agreement to leave Afghanistan, even without any commitment to a cease-fire, was a declaration of victory for their side."
Breaking: CNN's Barbara Starr tweeting this morning: "Two U.S. service members were killed by enemy forces while advising and accompanying Iraqi Security Forces during a mission to eliminate an ISIS terrorist stronghold in a mountainous area of north central Iraq" on Mar 8.Names w/held pending family notification. Twitter
Afghanistan Ready to Attack Taliban if Violence Continues. Afghanistan’s minister of defense on Sunday announced that, if the Taliban does not cease attacks by the end of the week, they would switch from “defense mode” to attacking the militant group. “Afghan forces will remain in defense mode until the end of this week under the guidance of President Ashraf Ghani because of the peace agreement, but if the Taliban do not stop their attacks by the end of the week, our troops will target the enemy everywhere,” the minister stated. The Taliban announced earlier this month that they were resuming attacks on Afghan forces. Reuters U.S. and World News Report
Last week, the United States and Taliban signed an agreement to end violence in Afghanistan. Even though violence in Afghanistan did not come to a halt, the agreement follows the same model as last fall’s abandonment of the Syrian Kurds. In a Washington Examiner op-ed, Michael Rubin notes that as Trump’s first term comes to a close, there is one consistency to his foreign policy vision: US allies do not matter. Ending “endless wars” may seem like a compelling, populist slogan, but the agreement signed in Doha no more ends the Afghanistan war than President Trump’s flurry of tweets last autumn ended the Syrian conflict. Read it here.
Mehdi Khalaji writes: Yet even if the regime founders, the damage it has done to Iranian society leaves little hope for a smooth, speedy transition to a democratic, relatively U.S.-friendly state in the near term. […]In all likelihood, then, only a small subset of actors would be willing and able to fill the vacuum that follows the regime’s ultimate collapse—namely, existing factions that already hold the keys to Iran’s military arsenal and prisons. Such a replacement government would hardly choose to denounce the police state from which it was birthed, nor the defiant anti-Western animosity that has been Khamenei’s calling card. – Washington Institute
Neville Teller writes: Three basic factors underlie Turkey’s stance in the confused military situation in northwest Syria. The first is that Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a Sunni Muslim while Syria’s President Bashar Assad adheres to the Shia branch of Islam. […]This is why Erdogan has been supporting Syria’s anti-government forces, and explains how the opposition have recently brought Assad’s apparently inexorable advance into Idlib Province to a shuddering halt. – Jerusalem Post
Shahla Al-Kli writes: Iraq is likely to remain challenged throughout much of 2020 by a crisis pitting a flagging political establishment against a nascent popular movement. […]Over the next few years, Iraq’s traditional leadership will likely go into “survival mode,” guarding the status quo or making ineffective, incremental changes until the popular protest movement develops more mature leadership and political conduct. Once that happens, the changes will no longer be gradual, but swift and radical. – Middle East Institute
PAKISTANI REGIME WANTS ANOTHER SOCIAL CONTRACT & CHAOS REIGNS IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS EXCEPT TUNISIA2/13/2020
Tunisian government wins key confidence vote
Tunisia’s parliament today granted a vote of confidence for a new coalition government headed by Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh, ending months of political paralysis. President Kais Saied had threatened to dissolve parliament and call for early elections if Fakhfakh’s proposed Cabinet lineup failed to win a confidence vote. Parliament's largest party, the moderate Islamist Ennahda, ended up voting in favor of the government despite its earlier opposition after being handed six portfolios. Read More france24.com
The Trump plan for Afghanistan The U.S. presence provides a better return on investment than most people realize
TRUMP'S IRAN POLICY IS WORKING: HERE'S WHY; a look at the afghan crossroads & trump's pla deal2/6/2020  Crossroads Afghanistan: Alternatives to a Forlorn Deal By Karl Nicolas Lindenlaub, Strategy Bridge: “In Afghanistan, the United States has reached a strategic crossroads." Alex Vatanka writes: Whether or not it will be the regime’s “Chernobyl moment” remains to be seen but some realities are irrefutable. Khamenei’s instinct so far has not been to engage in any discernible introspection. Instead, he has simply overseen the regime’s effort to do whatever is necessary to escape blame. Khamenei is no Gorbachev and is not yet ready or able to accept the inevitability of political reform. – Middle East Institute Oula A. Alrifai writes: Since mid-January, shop owners, government employees, students, and even children have been gathering in the streets of various Syrian communities to express their frustration with the Assad regime’s economic policies and untruths. Although the protests remain small for now, the fact that they have persistently carried on in the middle of regime-controlled territory highlights Bashar al-Assad’s potential vulnerability on these issues. – Washington Institute Iran’s Tasnim media emphasized an explosion it says targeted a “US military vehicle south of Baghdad.” It used an image of the Popular Mobilization Units or Shi’ite militias in Iraq to emphasize an Iranian connection to the attack. The PMU are part of Iraq’s paramilitary forces and have opposed the US presence in Iraq. – Jerusalem Post Protesters rally against Iraq's new prime minister Iraqi President Barham Salih nominated a new prime minister on Saturday after squabbling rival parties failed to find a successor for Adel Abdul Mahdi since his resignation in November. Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, a former communications minister in the pro-Shiite government of Nouri al-Maliki, pledged in a televised address to help create a “state of freedom and justice.” But anti-government protesters gathered by the thousands in Baghdad and southern cities to reject him for his ties to the ruling elite. Hours before Allawi's appointment, supporters of populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr attacked protesters and demanded quick action on setting up a new government. Sadr later said Allawi had been “chosen by the people” and that his appointment was a “good step” for Iraq. Read More reuters.com Pletka recommends that the US increase pressure on Iran politically, militarily, and diplomatically. Warning that Iran will employ proxies to retaliate against the US and its allies, the US needs a more consistent Middle East policy that works with Iranian opponents and dissidents. Read the full testimony here. Before the killing of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, most Americans, and even many politicians, probably never even heard his name. But the events leading the US and Iran to this point were decades in the making. In a new Washington Examiner Magazine article, Michael Rubin notes the rise of Soleimani and debunks critics who claim that his death destroyed any possibility of détente with Tehran. Vowing to stop “endless war” is a noble goal, but it was not the US that was waging a unilateral goal against Iran, but rather Iran, in the guise of Gen. Soleimani, that was waging an endless war against the US. Read it here. Occupied Elsewhere: Selective Policies on Occupations, Protracted Conflicts, and Territorial Disputes Svante Cornell and Brenda Shaffer — FDD Report Setting policies toward territories involved in protracted conflicts poses an ongoing challenge for governments, companies, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Since there are multiple zones of disputed territories and occupation around the globe, setting policy toward one conflict raises the question of whether similar policies will be enacted toward others. Where different policies are implemented, the question arises: On what principle or toward what goal are the differences based? Read More Iran is increasingly using missiles in its military operations — that’s a problem Behnam Ben Taleblu — The Hill “More important than a military strike, it was a serious blow to dignity, a blow to the dignity of the U.S. as a superpower.” That’s how Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, described recent missile strikes against bases in Iraq housing American troops during a rare Friday prayer sermon in Tehran last week. Earlier, Khamenei likened the strikes to a “slap” against America. While Iranian officials are no stranger to bombast and invective against the U.S., Iran’s broadcasting of the missile strike, and Khamenei’s repeated touting of it, does not neatly comport with Tehran’s long-established preference for proxy warfare and deniability. Read More Iran can obtain nuclear weapons far quicker than widely recognized Andrea Stricker — Al Arabiya Hafsa Halawa writes: The region is no stranger to social movements, nor is Iraq immune from instability. […]But whether this social change can morph into a coherent political movement that can prove itself ready and able to take on power is a question that remains unanswered. It is a question for the movement, but also for those current leaders that can find the political courage to stand up from within. In supporting the movement to develop a more egalitarian, transparent, and accountable political system, they can avert another conflict in the country and begin building a durable and strong society that governs its people in a fair, just, and equitable manner. – Middle East Institute R. David Harden writes: The Middle East will remain a strategic interest for the indefinite future. Yet, there is a growing demand for a foreign policy reset where the U.S. minimizes the blood and treasure of war but projects power through economic diplomacy and statecraft. In this reset, the U.S. will be better positioned to seize the enormous opportunities in energy, water, agriculture, and health technologies that will re-shape society. As a less militarized but more robust economic power, America can support the aspirations of the next generation by leveraging capital and technology to drive enduring hope. – The Hill Eric R. Mandel writes: Since the elimination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, leader of its Quds Force, the U.S. has regained leverage with its sanctions campaign against Iran. Iran might not agree to make any significant concessions, but America needs to continue the pressure. The Iranian strategy has a set date: November 2020. If Trump wins a second term, the negotiations begin. – The Hill Seth J. Frantzman writes: In this view, Iran is the great leader of a mass of fighters across the regional all arrayed against the US, Israel, Saudi Arabia and some other states. Iran’s rhetoric seeks to instill in a new generation this imperial impulse to dominate the Middle East via these factions and see them all as not only allies but directed from Tehran. – Jerusalem Post Giorgio Cafiero writes: Looking ahead, there is a high probability that China and the West’s divergent positions on the Syrian conflict and questions regarding Assad’s (il)legitimacy will make Syria — in addition to other files ranging from Hong Kong and human rights to trade and technology — more of a hot-button issue in Sino-Western relations against the backdrop of a strengthening Beijing-Damascus partnership. – Middle East Institute Michael Rubin writes: Perhaps the latest Kurdish tragedy, then, is that Kurds are saddled with a leadership that rather speak about justice for the Yezidis and buy mansions, apartments, and luxury cars, rather than spend a fraction of that cost on affecting freedom for those who still suffer under their kidnappers and tormentors. – 1001 Iraqi Thoughts
The Classicist: Time To Leave The Middle East?
interview with Victor Davis Hanson via The Classicist Would America be better off ignoring t
Escalation in Syria and Libya tests limits of Erdogan-Putin ties
The recent escalation in Libya and Syria has put on display the limits of the relationship between the Turkish and Russian presidents. Read More
What brought Iranian forces to Idlib front?
A number of developments, including Turkey's greater involvement in Syria and the US assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, may be driving Iran's move to get more involved in Idlib battlefield operations.
Escalation in Syria and Libya tests limits of Erdogan-Putin ties
The recent escalation in Libya and Syria has put on display the limits of the relationship between the Turkish and Russian presidents.
Syrian mercenaries fight Turkey’s battles in Libya
Though the Free Syrian Army denies it has sent fighters to Libya, hundreds of Syrian fighters are now in Libya after being lured by high salaries.
Iraqi protests swell despite clash with Sadrist supporters
When their tents were burned, Iraqi protesters replaced them with concrete structures. And when influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr withdrew his support, even more protesters turned out despite fears of a crackdown by security forces. The Genesis of the Trump Plan Lies in the Israeli Left | An Interview with Efraim Inbarby Neri Zilber Fathom Journal February 2020 https://www.meforum.org/60414/the-genesis-of-the-trump-plan-lies-in-the-israeli  Democrats, Experts, and Peace Plans by Alex Joffe BESA Center Perspectives February 4, 2020 https://www.meforum.org/60366/democrats-experts-and-peace-plan Two Palestinian dreams The Trump plan is meant to foreclose one and facilitate the other
For Tunisia, recovery means modernizing economy
Tunisia’s new government faces the formidable task of reversing the economy's downward spiral of the post-revolutionary years with an eye toward becoming a gateway to Africa. 
Tunisia’s largest party rejects proposed government
Tunisia’s moderate Islamist Ennahda party rejected on Monday a proposal to form a government that excludes other parties and said it was ready to contest new elections. The remarks risk upending a second attempt to create a coalition government since October elections in which Ennahda came in first but failed to impose its candidate for prime minister. Tunisian President Kais Saied instead named former Finance Minister Elyes Fakhfakh to the post last week. Fakhfakh has said he wants to replace recent unity coalitions with a Cabinet of parties “aligned with the values of the revolution,” including Ennahda. Read More reuters.com
Tunisia names ex-finance minister as new prime minister
Tunisian President Kais Saied named former Finance Minister Elyes Fakhfakh as prime minister on Monday in a bid to end political deadlock in the country. Fakhfakh is tasked with forming a government “as soon as possible,” according to the presidency. Tunisia’s parliament rejected Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli's proposed government earlier this month. Tunisia’s moderate Islamist Ennahda party had nominated Jemli after coming in first in the Oct. 6 elections. Read More dailymail.co.uk
Iran’s man in Yemen and the al Houthis
Katherine Zimmerman | AEIdeas The Washington Post’s revelation of a second US military operation targeting an Iranian commander in Yemen the same night as the air strike that killed Qassem Soleimani has received far less attention than the spectacular Soleimani strike. But Abdul Reza Shahlai deserves some media love.
Erdoğan's 'Make-Turkey-More-Islamic' Campaign Is a Failure by Burak Bekdil
The Gatestone Institute January 15, 2020 https://www.meforum.org/60310/erdogans-make-turkey-more-islamic-campaign
From Russia with love: Turkish and Syrian spymasters meet in Moscow
The Moscow meeting between the Turkish and Syrian intelligence chiefs could suggest that a normalization process has finally kicked off between Ankara and Damascus.
Mehdi Khalaji writes: The danger of concentrating so much power in Khamenei’s hands is obvious: what happens when he is gone? Soleimani was an unparalleled alternative authority, someone who likely gave Khamenei peace of mind that the regime could remain stable when the time for transition came around. Even authoritarian regimes benefit from having such safety valves—figures who can offer guidance during times of crisis and expect it to be followed without resorting to coercive measures. Now the prospect of succession likely seems more unnerving to Tehran, and the regime’s future less certain. – Washington Institute
Amin Mohseni-Cheraghlou writes: Thus, it seems that the only real effective strategy in Iran’s “harsh revenge” campaign is to increase the human and financial costs of the U.S. presence in the Gulf. To this end, Iran will likely leverage its extensive network of sympathizers and proxies in neighboring countries and beyond to carry out attacks against U.S.-only targets. Not only would this approach be in line with the regime’s ultimate objective, it would also allow the Iranian leadership to make good on its threats incrementally, at the time and location of its choosing. – Middle East Institute
Ali Alfoneh writes: On January 20, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), appointed Brig. Gen. Mohammad Hossein-Zadeh Hejazi as deputy chief of the Qods Force following Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani’s elevation to the top post. Who is Hejazi, and what was his background prior to his relatively recent involvement with the Qods Force? – Washington Institute
Alexa Santry writes: Today looks remarkably similar to that pivotal Obama moment. ISIS’s territorial caliphate is gone and al Qaeda is quiet. So we’re back to the “not worth it” arguments. But a US abandonment of the region would be catastrophic for American allies, credibility, and power. […]Looking back on US involvement in the Middle East over the past several decades, has American policy been flawed? Yes. Have US presidents been “incapable of mustering a consensus or pursuing a consistent policy” in the region? Also yes. But to argue that “few vital interests of the US continue to be at stake” is a misconception that Americans must not accept. – American Enterprise Institute
Anthony H. Cordesman writes: After all, almost all current U.S. and other international peace efforts lack a clear strategy that goes beyond military victory or conflict termination. […]There is no clear effort or plan to produce a stable peace and create both a workable and lasting structure in any country’s governance, security, or economy. Looking for a hidden motive in the lack of a meaningful peace strategy for Afghanistan can easily end in discovering that a motive does not even exist. – Center for Strategic and International Studies
Baghdad. DaqDuk: visiting Nasrallah in Lebanon. [Ali Mussa Daqduq (علي موسى دقدوق) is a senior Hezbollah leader and senior advisor to Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali.] DaqDuk is afraid now that he knows he’s a target; is hiding hither and yon. A slew of upper Iraqis are trying to blame ISIS or Ba'athist remnants for the rocket attack on the US embassy compound. DaqDuq is keeping all the militia leaders & Nasrallah from killing each other. Mohandas had primacy over Iraqi operations, but with him gone, you see sporadic attacks around Iraq.
America needs the Middle East to grow
Karen E. Young | NationalReview.com It is an unpopular view in Washington now to say that the Middle East matters, but it does. Not only does the Middle East sit in the middle of a global market that secures our global energy supply, but the region also facilitates the transit of the goods that we and other countries use to grow.
The Turkish-Qatari Axis Challenges Washington
Turkey and Qatar have become brothers in arms, pursuing joint ventures in illicit finance and promoting extremist ideologies. Washington needs to develop a multipronged response to compel Ankara and Doha to curb their malign conduct.
COULD NETANYAHU’S CORRUPTION CASE SCUPPER HIS RE-ELECTION CHANCES?By EPPC Fellow Luma Simms
The Spectator The Israeli prime minister has shown tremendous political skill over the years. Read More
Sovereign risk: Gulf sovereign wealth funds as engines of growth and political resource
Karen E. Young | British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies
Israel: A Thriving First-World Economy in a Third-World Sea
By Frank Musmar, January 22, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Israel possesses assets and innovations that can solve many of the problems that plague its Arab neighbors. If peace can possibly be achieved between Israel and the Arab world, the potential for mutually beneficial practical and economic relationships is astronomical. Continue to full article -
Beware The Fool's Gold Of Diplomacy
by Bruce Thornton via FrontPage Mag.com Negotiation only gives the Mullahs time.
Behnam Ben Taleblu is a senior fellow at FDD where he focuses on Iranian security and political issues. Behnam previously served as a research fellow and senior Iran analyst at FDD. Prior to his time at FDD, Behnam worked on non-proliferation issues at an arms control think-tank in Washington. Leveraging his subject-matter expertise and native Farsi skills, Behnam has closely tracked a wide range of Iran-related topics including: nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missiles, sanctions, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the foreign and security policy of the Islamic Republic, and internal Iranian politics.
Related articles: ● https://thehill.com/opinion/international/479076-iran-is-increasingly-using-missiles-in-its-military-operations-thats-a ● https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2020/01/21/arms-embargo-on-iran-set-to-expire-in-less-than-a-year/ ● https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/lifting-the-arms-restrictions-on-iran-what-will-and-wont-change ● https://www.ft.com/content/740a385a-3924-11ea-a6d3-9a26f8c3cba4 ● https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-deploy-anti-missile-system-protect-american-troops-iraq ● https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-israelis-iron-dome-just-cant-be-stopped-110841 ● https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Mystery-surrounds-US-report-that-anti-missile-air-defense-on-way-to-Iraq-615154
Denial of Citizenship as a Weapon of Repression in the Arab World
By Dr. Edy Cohen, January 23, 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia recently announced that they were revoking the citizenship of individuals whose “sin” was a connection to Judaism and a pro-Israeli attitude. Apart from the institutional antisemitism these measures reflect, they are a blunt reminder that these are tyrannical states and regimes in which the legal system is little more than a fig leaf. Continue to full article ->
Erdogan's Bold Plan for a New Muslim Brotherhood Regime in Libya by Con Coughlin
Dr. Aykan Erdemir, senior director of FDD’s Turkey program, is a former member of the Turkish Parliament (2011 to 2015) who served in the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, EU Harmonization Committee, and the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee on the IT Sector and the Internet. As an outspoken defender of pluralism, minority rights, and religious freedoms in the Middle East, Aykan has been at the forefront of the struggle against religious persecution, hate crimes, and hate speech in Turkey.
Relevant articles: · https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-cyprus-idUSKBN1ZI0G0?taid=5e24a0730a3ab60001228917&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter · https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/turkey-sends-forces-libya-play-natural-gas · https://finance.yahoo.com/news/u-seeks-big-contempt-fines-194037063.html · https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/01/israel-turkey-greece-cyprus-benjamin-netanyahu-natural-gas.html · https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2020/01/berlin-conference-libya-turkey-clout-negotiations.htm
Joseph M. Humire is a global security expert, specializing on trans-regional threats in the Western Hemisphere. Mr. Humire provides regular briefings and lectures on international terrorism, transnational organized crime, Islamism and Iran and Hezbollah’s influence in the Americas to various entities within the U.S. national security community, as well as prominent think tanks and universities worldwide.
Related articles: ● https://www.timesofisrael.com/pompeo-praises-3-south-american-countries-for-declaring-hezbollah-a-terror-group/ ● https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-deas-targeting-of-hezbollahs-global-criminal-support-network ● https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/trump-prioritizes-fight-against-iran-backed-narcoterrorist-network-obama-neglected-dea-official ● https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/nightmare-in-venezuela-maduros-alliance-with-hezbollah-raises-specter-of-terror-threat-analysts-say ● https://www.wsj.com/articles/soleimanis-latin-america-terror-11578863631 ● https://www.politico.eu/article/us-ambassadors-push-eu-to-ban-hezbollah/ ● https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/hezbollah-major-architect-lebanons-government-200122143439455.html
France's Counterterrorism Efforts in West Africa and the Sahel with Michael Shurkin
Is the Trump Administration trying to find an exit, or rather to change our posture in the Middle East? It’s trying to collapse all the reasons we’ve been there for 70 years down to a smaller footprint. Those currently dependent on Middle Eastern oil are primarily China and the EU. Why do we still have troops there? Because we don't want the oil wealth to accumulate in hands that will create a nuclear bomb; and we don't want to create a platform for the likes of Black September, or the later al Q and ISIS.
Soleimani had one great gift: he understood the Obama Administration . . . China takes about 40% of the oil that goes through the Strait of Hormuz. https://amgreatness.com/2020/01/05/what-is-the-middle-east-in-the-middle-of-anymore/  Anticipating Pakistan’s Next Move in Kashmir by Nishank Motwani
Algeria appoints new government Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad formed his government on Thursday after being appointed Saturday by newly elected President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Several key posts remained unchanged, however, seemingly signaling unchanged state policies. Algeria is facing its biggest political crisis in decades while it grapples with declining energy revenues. In a separate development, Algeria on Thursday released Lakhdar Bouregaa, a prominent opposition activist who was detained last June for allegedly insulting the army, along with dozens of others arrested in a crackdown on the mass protests that toppled President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Read More reuters.com Tunisian president says parliament to vote on Cabinet lineup Tunisian President Kais Saied approved on Thursday a proposed new Cabinet lineup made up of independent members and passed it to parliament for a vote to be scheduled by Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. Designated Prime Minister Habib Jemli said his government would focus on the weak economy. According to Jemli, his proposed lineup will win majority support in the deeply divided parliament that was elected about three months ago. Read More reuters.com  IRAQ: Sistani: The (Not-So) Hidden Hand Behind Iraqi Politics By Lydia Khalil, the interpreter: "The influential Shiite cleric has avoided formal participation in government, but what he does now could be critical." Jonathan S. Tobin: Iran's Regime Will Fall if U.S. "Keeps Pressure On"by Gary C. Gambill and Marilyn Stern Middle East Forum Radio December 11, 2019 https://www.meforum.org/60091/jonathan-s-tobin-irans-regime-will-fall Tunisia’s new president commemorates Arab Spring uprising Tunisia’s President Kais Saied on Tuesday vowed to meet the demands of the 2011 revolution that toppled autocrat Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. “I will work despite manipulations … and plots … to honor your demands,” he said during a gathering commemorating the start of the uprising in Sidi Bouzid. The central province has been the scene of regular protests against unemployment and poverty ever since street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi's immolation in December 2010 ignited the Arab Spring. Ben Ali died in September while in exile in Saudi Arabia. Read More al-monitor.com Algerians protest new president
Thousands of people took to the streets of Algiers on Tuesday against Algeria’s newly elected president. Former Prime Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune won last week's presidential election with 58% of the vote despite widespread public opposition that led to a low turnout. Algeria's high court confirmed his election on Monday, paving the way for his inauguration on Thursday. Tebboune said he was ready to hold talks to “build a new Algeria.” But protesters rejected the call, with many questioning the legitimacy of elections they see as a tool for ruling elites to keep their hold on the country. Read More alaraby.co.uk  More Distractions Loom for the US in 202 By Emil Avdaliani, December 22, 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Impeachment hearings in the US have overshadowed important geopolitical developments in Eurasia that will affect Washington’s position in 2020 and beyond. The US’s failure to improve relations with Seoul and Tokyo strengthens China’s position in the Asia-Pacific. Similar processes are unfolding around Ukraine, where Kyiv might—in the absence of US support—be pressured into accepting Russian demands on Donbas. Continue to full article -> Japan’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Shaping a Hybrid Regional Order by Céline Pajon
Trump reelection likely despite impeachment, buoying defense industry outlook
(Forbes) The share prices of the nation’s top three defense pure-plays (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon) are all up about 50% since Trump’s inauguration, thanks to a demand environment in which military contractors don’t need to take market share in order to grow revenues and returns.
Blue and White's nightmare scenario: Saar defeating Netanyahu
The Blue and White party needs Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a rival, or else it would loose its energy.
Trump’s Iran strategy is working. Here’s why
Saeed Ghasseminejad — Fox News President Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran is working, despite warnings of a backlash against the U.S. for the economic sanctions he has imposed on the Islamic Republic. As protests continue in Iran, security forces may have killed over 1,000 people who are calling for an end to the country’s dictatorship, U.S. Special Envoy for Iran Brian Hook told reporters recently. The continuing protests show that the Iranian people are directing their anger at Tehran’s corrupt and oppressive regime, even though American sanctions helped push Iran into a deep recession. Read More
Democratic Frontrunners Are Wrong About Aid for Israel
Putting America’s annual $3.8 billion of military assistance to Israel on the chopping block makes for good politics. But it makes no sense for U.S. national security.
Saudi Arabia and Israel: Who Needs Whom?
By Frank Musmar, December 12, 2019 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Extreme instability and mistrust are heightening tensions in the Persian Gulf, especially between Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia. America’s appetite for military engagement has waned after nearly two decades of war and the region lacks any form of collective security framework, leaving a considerable security vacuum. The Gulf states’ overtures to Israel are part of an effort to salvage America’s security commitment to the area while shoring up a relationship that can mitigate Tehran’s rising influence. Continue to full article ->
Iran fills the Vacuum Created by Trump's Withdrawal by Con Coughlin •
Brothers in Arms
Aykan Erdemir and Varsha Koduvayur — FDD Report On June 5, 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, enacting a land, sea, and air blockade. Qatar’s neighbors charged the country with supporting terrorists, collaborating with Iran, and sowing the seeds of chaos around the Middle East. The sudden move closed Qatar’s only road link to foreign markets, through which it received nearly 40 percent of its food requirements. Qatari residents panicked, picking clean supermarket shelves. But the panic subsided less than 48 hours later, as Turkey began sending cargo planes with food and other goods. Read Mor
Netanyahu’s plan for winning an outright majority in the Knesset
If he wants his right-wing ultra-Orthodox bloc to win 61 seats so he can form an immunity coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will need Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked to run as part of the New Right list and pass the electoral threshold.
The ultra-Orthodox dilemma on slamming Liberman
Ultra-Orthodox politicians fear that any attacks against Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman would actually reinforce him within secular electorate.
Netanyahu’s relations with Likud members: The ultimate test
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nurtured his relationship with Likud members for more than three decades. Now he's not sure that they will continue to follow him.
Iraq's Ninevah province turns back on Shiite forces
The Ninevah provincial council has voted to replace a governor who was close to Iran-backed forces.
Who is responsible for the new wave of killings in Aden?
It's hard to determine which side or sides are behind the latest wave of killings as a new round of military escalation looms in Yemen’s south, which has seen skirmishes in Abyan province between the two partners of the Saudi-led coalition.
Afghanistan is not Vietnam
Frederick W. Kagan | AEIdeas Afghanistan isn’t Vietnam. It isn’t even Iraq. George W. Bush did not lie America into this war. The “revelations” in The Washington Post are only new to people who have forgotten front-page news from a few years ago
US-India declaration has a Sino subtext
(The Sunday Guardian) Mutual concern regarding multi-faceted authoritarian challenge posed by Beijing is manifest throughout it.
Flight Risk
By Paul Morris, Strategy Bridge: "Airpower and Afghanistan have been linked intrinsically since before the nation became independent from British control in 1921."
Musharraf Sentenced to Death in Absentia for Treason with Sameer Lalwani
Analysis: How the US arrived at this critical crossroads in Afghanistan
The decades of mistakes and deceit has led us to the brink of a major foreign policy failure. A peace deal will absolve the Taliban for its decades of steadfast alliance with al Qaeda. IRAN MOVES MISSILES INTO IRAQ WHILE LEAVING NUCLEAR ACCORD WHILE DOMESTIC DISSENT RISING FAST12/7/2019
The Mullahs' Losing Game by Amir Taheri •
MIDDLE EAST:
U.S. Officials: Iran Is Secretly Moving Missiles Into Iraq By Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post: “Iraq is suffering from protests, ISIS threats and the need to find a new prime minister after Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned earlier this week, and Iran wants to exploit the power vacuum in Iraq." 
As protests in Iran become more frequent, Iran's top leaders and security forces fear that popular unrest threatens the future of the Islamic Republic. In a new National Interest op-ed, Michael Rubin analyzes the protests of 1999, 2001, 2009, and 2017 and concludes that a regime crackdown may lead to a civil war. The result? A military dictatorship that eliminates the enforcement of Islamic law. Continue here.
As anti-government protests in Iran escalate, AEI’s Danielle Pletka took to Twitter to ask colleagues and close observers whether the regime is at risk. Experts provided their feedback, detailing events on the ground, the nature of Iran’s police state, the risks a collapsing economy poses to the system of the Islamic Republic, and the stakes for the United States and, ultimately, for the people of Iran. View the responses here. Two months after the US abandoned its allies in Syria, Paul Wolfowitz in The New York Times reflected on alternative ways to limit American involvement in the still-critical region of the Middle East. Wolfowitz discusses the success of the Gulf War, in which America's mission to protect the Kurds was a model for low-cost and low-risk intervention, as a prototype for President Donald Trump's future operations in Syria. Finish here.
The second battle of Fallujah: 15 years later
(Marine Corps Times) The dust and grime were finally starting to settle as the sun set in Iraq.
Netanyahu’s rival accelerates campaign for party leadership
Gideon Saar wants to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: He’s more hawkish than Netanyahu; he campaigns for a new status quo with the ultra-Orthodox; and he stresses the importance of engaging Israel’s Arab citizens in dialogue.
Israeli opposition leader rejects defense pact with US
The leader of Israel's main opposition Blue and White party on Monday opposed the prospect of a mutual defense pact with the United States, warning it would endanger the Israeli army's freedom of action and break with decades of defense policy. “Blue and White under my leadership will not support an international agreement that will limit Israel’s actions and the IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] ability to protect the country from the threats it faces,” Benny Gantz tweeted. The remarks come after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he briefly broached the subject with US President Donald Trump ahead of the September elections. Read More timesofisrael.com
How Palestinian Leaders Sabotage Palestinians' Interests by Khaled Abu Toameh •
Israel Will Only Attain Peace through Victory by Nave Dromi
JNS November 24, 2019 https://www.meforum.org/59971/israel-will-only-attain-peace-through-victory
Liberman, Lapid miscalculate about Likud rebellion
Both Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman and Blue and White co-leader Yair Lapid mistakenly assumed that some Likud members would break ranks and join a Gantz-led unity coalition.
Israel Comes Down With the American Disease
Editorial of The New York Sun | November 23, 2019 https://www.nysun.com/editorials/israel-comes-down-with-the-american-disease/90914/
Netanyahu at war with legal system
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be standing now with his back against the wall, but he still succeeds in keeping his supporters on his side.
Avigdor Liberman drives Israeli politics crazy
Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman had promised that he would not accept any other solution than a "liberal unity government," and so far, he has kept every last letter of that promise, even if driving all politicians crazy.
Why Liberman ends alliance with ultra-Orthodox
After he prevented the formation of a right, ultra-Orthodox government following the April and September elections, Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman has sharpened his statements toward the ultra-Orthodox. |
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