Middle East

Germany, Italy Urge G8 Condemnation of Iran

By James Joyner

Two of Europe’s major powers are trying to build support for a strong statement of condemnation against Iran’s government  during the G8’s July 8-10 summit in L’Aquila. Deutsche Welle gives few details in a report titled “Germany presses G8 to take common stance on Iran.”

Obama Right on Iran: Islam Experts

By James Joyner

While President Obama continues attracting criticism for a too-tepid stance on the uprising in Iran from neoconservative Republicans and liberal interventionist Democrats alike, experts in Islamic affairs almost universally approve.

Election Protests in Iran: The View from Europe

By Brendan Boundy

Political leaders in Europe have responded more critically than U.S. politicians to the continually evolving situation in Iran. However, officials on both continents have struggled to balance necessary outrage with an increasing awareness that foreign condemnation could undermine support for the burgeoning opposition movement.

Iran: Why 2009 is Not 1979

By Don Snow

The images coming out of Tehran the past week–and especially today–are intoxicating. What is going on? Is there a new Iranian Revolution in the making? Is George W. Bush’s policy of democracy promotion being vindicated on the streets of Iran’s capital? Is there a fundamental change about to break out in Iran? Will 2009 be […]

Iran’s Elections: What Now?

By James Joyner

The debate over the legitimacy of Iran’s elections are, in the end, a sideshow.   First, because the office of president is essentially powerless.  While President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the most visible face of the government, he’s not the one making key decisions on nuclear weapons, regional relations, or human rights. 

Iran’s Elections: What We Know (And What We Don’t)

By James Joyner

Twitter, the blogosphere and the print media (but not, for a variety of reasons, the 24 hour cable news stations) have been abuzz with the Iranian election results, including allegations of fraud and the resulting mass demonstrations and police crackdown. We have more questions than answers at the moment.

Iran’s Election and U.S. Foreign Policy

By Bernard Finel

The Administration of George W. Bush was close to an unmitigated disaster for the image of the United States abroad. His ill-informed, often offensive, and counter-productive public statements and policy preferences set back American national security dramatically. Trying to undo some of the damage of the Bush years is the reason that President Obama has […]

The “Obama Effect” and Lebanon

By Bernard Finel

On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. On April 9, Baghdad fell, ending Saddam Hussein’s tyrannical rule.  The effect of this victory seemed to transform the globe.

Obama’s Cairo Speech

By James Joyner

President Obama’s Cairo University speech to the Muslim world was much like a State of the Union address, in that was a laundry list of items that tried to have a little something for everyone.   Also, as with his Strasborg town hall speech and his call for hitting the reset button with Russia, Obama said […]

Confidence Building between Turks and Iraqi Kurds

The Obama administration’s “responsible redeployment” from Iraq is made even more urgent by the requirements resulting from worsening conditions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. For redeployment to occur on scale and on schedule, the United States seeks an end-state in Iraq that is stable and at peace with its neighbors. Simmering sectarian violence is inevitable, but […]