The bold military gamble in Syria surprised and confused the international community, but Putin has given the United States and Turkey a reason to more assertively counter Russia’s ambitions in its own backyard. While all eyes are on Moscow’s dramatic entry into the Syria conflict, policymakers and military planners should not forget about Vladimir Putin’s… Keep reading →
Three experts discuss the need to better inform U.S. and European companies about the continued risks of doing business with Iran, including the particulars of how secondary sanctions will be enforced once the nuclear deal is implemented. On September 16, The Washington Institute held a special one-day conference on the ramifications of the Iran nuclear… Keep reading →
A former U.S. Army commander and a distinguished diplomat discuss how the nuclear deal could compromise longstanding U.S. interests in the Middle East if Washington does not do a better job of countering Iran’s destabilizing ambitions. DAVID PETRAEUS Although it is far too soon to assess the nuclear deal’s impact on the Middle East, it… Keep reading →
“The announcement between the P5+1 and Iran is a historic accomplishment. Building on the Lausanne framework, it will ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is – and will remain – a peaceful one, or that the international community will have more than enough time to respond if Iran’s program proves otherwise. This deal will extend the… Keep reading →
The House and Senate return this week from the annual Memorial Day recess for a four-week work period that runs through June. Both chambers then break for one week for Independence Day. After that, the House is scheduled to be in session for four weeks and the Senate in session for five weeks, leading up to the August recess.
On May 7, 2015, the US Senate voted 98-1 to adopt the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 (the “Act”).1 The Act is the culmination of months of legislative maneuvering and a debate over foreign policy and separation of powers issues that has cut across ordinary political and partisan lines—notwithstanding the final vote.
Whether by advocating careful congressional action or simply waiting until a new administration is in place, those who question the president’s apparent Iran strategy will have several means of correcting course once an agreement is signed. The Obama administration and the rest of the P5+1 will likely agree soon on a limited-duration agreement with Iran… Keep reading →
Four Washington Institute fellows discuss what the president’s address shows about his priorities in the Middle East, analyzing what he did and did not say and comparing his latest remarks to his past speeches. JAMES JEFFREY In his State of the Union speech, President Obama had the opportunity to educate the American people on the… Keep reading →
With King Abdullah in the hospital, the West should be bracing for a stormy succession battle in the House of Saud. The latest news from Saudi Arabia is that 90-year-old King Abdullah is, in the words of the crown prince, “recovering from [his] illness.” That could be about right: The king went into a hospital… Keep reading →
The decline in oil prices will depress the regime’s revenues, and the threat of increased sanctions is newly credible given the composition of the next Congress. With another deadline missed and another extension inked in the Iran nuclear negotiations, the White House finds itself squeezed on two sides. It faces pressure from Iranian negotiators —… Keep reading →
