Posts Tagged ‘Iran’
THE ABRAHAM ACCORDS
Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain just signed the “Abraham Accords” establishing full diplomatic recognition between the Jewish State and two Persian Gulf nations. President Trump can wear this particular feather in his cap. But as with all agreements, questions arise. Establishing embassies, exchanging ambassadors and doing business deals are good. Yet Israel, the…
Read MoreSHAME ON AMERICA!
The Syrian Kurds fought alongside Americans and suffered 11,000 dead. American troops hailed their bravery. So what did Generalissimo Donald Trump do? After a phone call with Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump ordered the withdrawal of 50–100 Special Forces advisors from Kurdish-held territory in northern Syria and 1,000 troops elsewhere in Syria. Turkey attacked…
Read MoreMBS SPEAKS
My dear American friends: I, Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, wish to offer perspective on the unfortunate passing of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi. Prepare yourselves. To begin, your CIA is mistaken—again. I told your president I had nothing to do with Mr. Khashoggi’s untimely demise. As he knows, when a foreign leader says…
Read MoreTRUMP’S RESIGNATION SPEECH
Jan. 20, 2018. President Donald J. Trump resigned today on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration. His resignation came three weeks before special investigator Robert Mueller will release his report on alleged collusion between Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Leaked highlights of the report have produced negative reactions from Congressional leaders and the…
Read MoreALEPPO REVISITED
Two months ago, I wrote about the battle of Aleppo pitting Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, Iran and Russia against a hodgepodge of rebels, from secular to Islamist. Despite the horrific violence, I thought major U.S. involvement unwise: “Only the peoples of the Middle East can create lasting peace for themselves.” The battle’s over. I haven’t…
Read MoreSEND ME A DOLLAR—NOW!
Donald Trump’s big showing on Super Tuesday inspired me. A year ago, who would have thought him a serious presidential candidate? So in response to his triumph, I want to say this: Send me a dollar—now! I’m gonna make America great again. It’s simple. There are 320 million Americans. Some are legal. All I’m asking…
Read MoreLOYALTY AND BETRAYAL
Something ordinary drew my attention during President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. The ordinary being rather sense numbing, most Americans undoubtedly noticed but had no particular response. We should all be concerned. If you saw the speech on TV, you know that Vice President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and Speaker of the…
Read MorePARIS AND BEIRUT
Last Friday’s terror attacks in Paris continue to dominate the news. Not everyone thinks that’s good. Lebanese commentators ask why Paris eclipses ISIS suicide bombings that killed 41 in a southern suburb of Beirut. That was a horror. But there are understandable reasons why the West cries for Paris. Yes, the City of Light represents…
Read MoreFINGERS ON THE TRIGGER
Two weeks ago, I wrote about paranoia in Middle America. Last week, I wondered about the nuclear deal with Iran. A recent experience and a reader’s comments induce me to amplify my remarks. Regarding paranoia, many Americans fear both crime and an encroaching federal government. They often turn to guns for protection. Fear of Washington…
Read MoreIRAN: NOW WHAT?
The Iran deal is done—at least until Congress votes on it. President Obama will veto a “no” vote, and overriding that veto will be difficult. So what lies ahead? We can only speculate. But I do have a warning. First, let’s look at some possibilities. We’ve bought time, but following the ten-year agreement, Iran—unless a…
Read MoreCANCER IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Last Friday, Iran’s parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani referred to Israel as a “cancer” in the Middle East. He accused Israel and the United States of trying to “sterilize” the Arab Spring. But what happened last week in “non-cancerous” countries? Sunday: Six hundred Syrians fled besieged Homs under attack by snipers… A Pakistani family of eight…
Read MoreCRYSTAL BALL 2014
What’s ahead in 2014? I polished my Swarovski crystal ball, and here’s what I saw… — President Obama hands over healthcare.gov to Amazon. The revised website also offers medical supplies, vitamins and supplements, books and periodicals, hairpieces for men and women, and a button for making donations for site maintenance. — Sarah Palin and Michelle…
Read MoreTRUE BELIEF IN TEHRAN
In 1951, Eric Hoffer’s book The True Believer presented a chilling subject. Political and religious mass movements form when leaders promise ultimate truth. Those leaders remain in power by defining truth, no matter how much they have to lie. See: Iran, Islamic Republic of. In the September/October issue of FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Akbar Ganji profiles Iran’s…
Read MoreTHE SUN ALSO RISES
Only four years ago, a friend echoed a common sentiment as the stock market plummeted. “We’ll never see the Dow back at fourteen thousand in our lifetimes.” On May 7, the Dow closed at 15,056. Yesterday it closed at 15,233. I’m not touting the stock market, although my portfolio—conservative at this stage in my life—maintains…
Read MoreSNAKE EYES
Following last Monday’s presidential debate on foreign policy, San Francisco Chronicle columnist Debra J. Saunders offered sage advice. “Foreign policy is an oxymoron. When U.S. presidents deal with countries like Libya, Syria or Iran, whatever they do is a roll of the dice.” The Middle East is a complex place. We must navigate it carefully.…
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