Obama

Syria and the Lessons of Iraq

Joshua Landis and Murhaf Jouejati were on the PBS Newshour a few nights ago discussing the Obama administration’s stance on Syria in the wake of its decision to withhold non-lethal aid from the Free Syrian Army. The interview is brief; I recommend watching it all. After the PBS clip went live there was a discussion … Continue reading →

Only the Brave

Syrian-Israeli Peace: A Conversation With Joshua Landis

Moving right along in our series of interviews with various experts and friends of the blog, I’m pleased to bring you this conversation with Dr. Joshua Landis, Associate Professor of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and author of the widely-read Syrian affairs blog, Syria Comment. Josh and I sat down over a … Continue reading →

Scudding Right Along

DAMASCUS, Syria — U.S. and Israeli officials have reacted negatively to reports that Syria has transferred Scud missiles to the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Israel has called the development a “game-changing” move by Syria which has the potential to tip the region into a military conflagration. “Syria claims it wants peace while at the same … Continue reading →

3000 Years Building Jerusalem…

In a speech given at AIPAC on Monday night, Benjamin Netanyahu declared to a roaring crowd: “The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years, and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today. Jerusalem is not a settlement; It’s our capital.” The game of chicken continues. As Netanyahu continues to pursue a hard line on the … Continue reading →