Levant
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Snapshot,
May 13, 2013
The debate about what to do in Syria has been sidetracked by discussions of credibility and reputation. But both logic and evidence prove that reputations are mostly imaginary. Obama should not let fears that others might think him irresolute drive him to disaster. Instead, he should refocus on what U.S. interests really are in Syria, and how he can best obtain them.
Snapshot,
May 10, 2013
Israeli intervention in Syria's civil war has remained very limited. In part, that is because of Israel's long history with the Assad regime, which has consistently maintained peace along the two countries' border. Ultimately, Israel has more confidence in President Bashar al-Assad than in any foreseeable successor.
Response,
May 7, 2013
Given that there are few appealing policy options for Syria, it might be tempting to downplay Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons and brush aside earlier rhetoric about red lines. But that would be a mistake: chemical weapons can kill thousands in a single day, their use becomes a national trauma, and their debilitating effects linger for decades.
Snapshot,
May 2, 2013
The Obama administration is still looking for hard evidence that the Assad regime used chemical weapons in Syria. Although finding it is easier said than done, it is possible. The really important question is how the government will use evidence after it is collected.
Snapshot,
April 30, 2013
Although chemical weapons are often considered weapons of mass destruction, they are not. In the case of sarin gas, many tons must be released under favorable conditions before it can inflict significantly more damage than conventional explosives. However repugnant Assad's use of chemical weapons in Syria might be, in other words, it should not change the United States' basic calculations.
Snapshot,
April 18, 2013
Whoever replaces Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad will have to commit to one of two strategies: winning domestic favor through confrontation with Israel or winning desperately needed Western support through cooperation. For years, the West Bank leadership has tried to straddle the two and, in turn, has born all the costs of both strategies while reaping none of the benefits.
Snapshot,
March 26, 2013
If the 2011 intervention in Libya revived the responsibility to protect (R2P), the lack of intervention in Syria has seemed to bury it. But the doctrine was never meant as a panacea and could still work in future contexts, especially if decoupled from regime change.
Snapshot,
March 25, 2013
Last week, Lebanon's prime minister resigned under intimidation from Hezbollah. The party is trying to fortify its position in Lebanon, since it can no longer count on its Syrian ally, Bashar al-Assad. But Hezbollah ought to know by now that it will not be able to rule Lebanon alone or with an iron fist.
Snapshot,
March 25, 2013
Vladimir Putin's unwavering support for the Assad regime in Syria is best explained by his dread of fracturing states and Sunni Islamism -- fears he confronted most directly while brutally suppressing Chechnya's attempted secession from Russia.
Snapshot,
March 23, 2013
Israel apologized, Turkey accepted, and the two countries have resolved a three-year dispute -- all because Turkey's leaders realized that they stood to benefit more from cooperating with Israel than from exploiting the dispute for domestic political gain.
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