JPost.com - Barry Rubin Reporter

The Region: Where does Israel’s greatest threat lie?

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:18:45 GMT

Iran is still the greatest strategic threat in the region.

The Region: The Israel card has been overplayed

Sun, 12 May 2013 21:30:55 GMT

The fact is that Syria is wrecked for years to come; Iraq is not in good shape due to internal battles; and Egypt is on the verge of disaster.

The Region: Syria: The empire strikes back

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:25:27 GMT

US strategy, and that of the West and international organizations, has been based on two ideas that have proven to be wishful thinking.

The Region: The situation is looking better

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:45:10 GMT

What often seems to be the world’s most slandered and reviled country is doing quite well.

The Region: The prophet Micaiah teaches me my job

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 22:26:58 GMT

Micaiah (not to be confused with Micah) could be the patron saint of political analysts, so to speak.

The Region: Where is Egypt’s crisis heading?

Sun, 14 Apr 2013 21:52:43 GMT

None of the many articles pointing to the disaster in Egypt have mentioned this was all totally predictable and yet no one in the establishment predicted it.

The Region: What American Jewish leaders got wrong

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 22:04:01 GMT

The April 3 letter 100 American Jewish leaders have sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is distressing.

Anti-Semitism in the Netherlands?

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:40:25 GMT

Despite Dutch history, the growing trend of European anti-Semitism is pervading through the Netherlands.

The region: The Obama visit, a parable

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:26:37 GMT

While Obama still claims Syria will produce a democratic and moderate regime, that outcome seems increasingly unlikely.

The Region: Note to Obama

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:21:39 GMT

Note to US president: Don’t back America’s and Israel’s enemies with arms and money, believing that “it pays off in the end.”

The Region: Obama: Bad president, good for Israel?

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:21:50 GMT

Israeli leaders should applaud Obama, say what a good friend he is, and do everything possible to maximize cooperation on the critical issues that both countries face.

The Book of Esther: A political analysis

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 21:59:49 GMT

The Region: The Book of Esther, which is read on Purim and to which that holiday is dedicated, has been interpreted many ways.

The Region: Hand over your property!

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 22:19:45 GMT

The world is constantly held up by terrorists and nowadays it tends to give in to the narrative being imposed on it.

The Region: What Obama faces in Israel

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 21:51:15 GMT

So what does Israel want to tell Obama and what is he likely to offer or do on his upcoming visit?

The Region: ‘Children of Dolhinov’

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:46:54 GMT

Being a historian, I decided that it was ridiculous for me not to have researched my own history.

The Region: A deliberate campaign to bash Israel

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:20:08 GMT

Not a mistake, misunderstanding, or well-intended criticism.

The Region: The Arab Left

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 21:39:07 GMT

The Western Left has sided with the reactionaries because they hate their own countries’ systems more. This is a mistake and their compatriots will pay for it in blood.

Israeli-Palestinian/Arab conflicts enter new era

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:47:54 GMT

The Region:

The Region: Is Israel losing support?

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 21:53:44 GMT

This isn’t really about Israel, it’s about the liberal Democratic intellectual (or pseudo-intellectual) upper middle class milieu claiming Israel is wantonly throwing away support by acting irrationally.

The useful myth that Obama now likes Israel

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 22:01:53 GMT

Yet a president who helps to empower Israel’s worst enemies – who also happen to be America’s worst enemies – cannot be said to be a friend.

The Region: Is Iron Dome anti-peace?

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:02:48 GMT

Following the logic of the 'Washington Post' we should hope lots of Israelis are killed by terrorists as a way to pressure those obdurate Israelis to make peace.

The Region: Israel’s only alternative

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 21:56:05 GMT

By essentially unilaterally declaring the existence of an Arab Palestine, the world has abrogated the Oslo accords.

The Region: Where is the Middle East going?

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 22:48:57 GMT

An attack from Lebanon on Israel is increasingly unlikely because that country is moving toward a civil war of its own.

The Region: Who won in Gaza?

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:03:50 GMT

One might better conclude that Hamas set back this timetable by showing its Egyptian sponsor that it was not a good team player.

The Region: Notes on the new Mideast

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 22:49:45 GMT

An attack from Lebanon on Israel is increasingly unlikely because that country is moving toward a civil war of its own.

Israel’s situation, strategy in Obama’s second term

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 22:27:37 GMT

The Region: For the first time in more than four decades, Israeli leaders – and not just Netanyahu – understand that the country cannot depend on the United States as a protector.

Sunni-Shia conflict: Major feature of ME politics

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 22:23:55 GMT

The Region: Once upon a time, Arab nationalism ruled the Middle East. We are now in the era of Sunni Arab identity and especially of Sunni Arab Islamism.

The Region: A friend who acts like an enemy is an enemy

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 22:45:54 GMT

The expression, “With friends like you, who needs enemies?” is an apt summary of a major problem for current US foreign policy.

They got it right: America is their enemy

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:25:19 GMT

The Region: One of President Barack Obama’s main themes is to convince Middle East Islamists that America is not their enemy. But the reason this strategy never works is that the radicals know better. The United States is their enemy.

The Region: Empowering the Middle East’s radicals

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 21:38:39 GMT

There are two problems with US policy toward the Middle East: both the analysis and response aren’t just wrong, they make things much worse.

The Region: Middle East scoreboard

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:05:20 GMT

Libya is now an American puppet state, says Rubin.

The Region: Middle East scoreboard

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 22:16:50 GMT

It is amazing how events in international affairs that would have been easily and accurately understood decades ago are now surrounded by obfuscation and misunderstanding.

The Region: Islam tackles domestic violence

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 21:21:13 GMT

If the strength of Islam in a society is so tremendous, can women make a secularist argument knowing it has no chance of success?

The Region: Egypt kicks sand in Obama’s face

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 21:57:42 GMT

Brotherhood’s leading liberal ally defects; West still doesn’t get it

The Region: What happened in Egypt?

Sat, 01 Sep 2012 22:07:53 GMT

Within a year, Egypt will be fundamentally transformed. Irretrievably transformed.

Why Sunni Islamism is the world’s greatest threat

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 22:43:59 GMT

To understand al-Qaida, which of course goes under many names and regional local groups, is simple. It has one strategy: kill!

The Region: What happened in Egypt?

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:43:39 GMT

Within a year, Egypt will be fundamentally transformed. Irretrievably transformed.

The Region: Third time’s a charm

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:27:00 GMT

Focus is everything – knowing what the central problem is and dealing with it.

The Region: Why Israel is economically advanced

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 23:46:49 GMT

Romney mentioned the gap between the Israeli and Palestinian economies, by which he meant democracy, liberty, free enterprise and the rule of law.

The Region: The future of Israeli politics

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 21:09:00 GMT

“Can’t anybody here play this game?” –Casey Stengel, New York Mets’ manager.

The region: Obama's Egypt policy

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:46:05 GMT

“Which Side Are You On? / They say in Harlan County / There are no neutrals there / You’ll either be a union man / Or a thug for J.H. Blair."– Florence Reece, Which Side are You On?, 1931.

The Region: Israel is in good shape

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:47:16 GMT

The big Middle East conflict of the future is not the Arab-Israeli but the Sunni-Shia one.

The Region: My message to the Iraqis

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 21:27:09 GMT

In the new Middle East, we have far more frequent interactions with people who live in countries ostensibly at war with Israel.

The Region: On China

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:36:11 GMT

On a strategic level, Israel and China have some differing interests, but these are less important than they may appear to be.

The Region: Obama, his rabbi and political Islam

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 21:01:58 GMT

Obama’s view of Judaism, Zionism and Israel was very much shaped by his liberal and left-wing Jewish contacts in Chicago.

The Region: Turkey trots toward Islamism

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:03:46 GMT

The spending, restrictions and anti-intellectual policies might undermine Turkish democracy, stability and economic progress.

Syria is in civil war

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 22:00:59 GMT

Spain, 1936. An army revolt against the democratically elected government sets off a civil war.

Where did the PA’s money go?

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 23:06:00 GMT

Giving money to the PA supposedly supports the cause of peace and therefore is considered sacrosanct in the West, even though the PA isn’t negotiating for peace.

Bush and Obama together at last – in misunderstanding

Sun, 27 May 2012 22:10:23 GMT

The Region: That’s most amazing of all on the Western scene is how thin the arguments made by Obama, Bush, the mass media and most “experts” are.

The Region: The scariest sentence

Sun, 20 May 2012 22:38:07 GMT

Do radical ideological movements say things in their campaigns to gain power, including election campaigns, which disappear due to the pragmatism forced by the need to govern?

The Region: What do Egyptians want?

Sun, 13 May 2012 21:53:40 GMT

Many Egyptians will die, as will US interests. Will the Western apologists and enablers have a clear conscience?

The Region: A disgrace in the making

Sun, 06 May 2012 22:12:11 GMT

US policy toward Syria is turning into a scandal on both strategic and humanitarian grounds.

The Region: Frozen in time

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 22:44:18 GMT

There was not a word of hatred, of reviling any enemy. No smugness of triumph, no desire for conquest; no thirst for revenge or punishment. Thus behaves the world’s most slandered nation.

The Region: One day in my family’s Polish town

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:07:39 GMT

Every Holocaust Remembrance Day I try to write something from my family’s history as an illustration of wider themes.

The three myths that distort every discussion of Israel

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:56:09 GMT

‘It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.’ –William Shakespeare, ‘Macbeth’

The Region: The Iraqi model: as good as it gets.

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:11:48 GMT

Yet I suggest that with all these shortcomings, “Iraqi model” is best that can be expected for Middle East.

The region: Jewish, Israeli, liberal and cynical in 2012

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:35:45 GMT

There has been what is called an “Arab Spring” with fantasies about instant democracy.

The Region: France: Here comes the whitewash

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 23:00:17 GMT

Murders in Toulouse should be wake-up call for France. A big story can draw attention to a broader social trend.

The Region: In 2011, US primacy in the Middle East died

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:09:42 GMT

Any possibility that Obama’s policy might not bring disaster in the ME died in 2011. In 2012 we’re going to see the funeral.

The Region: Factors affecting a war with Iran

Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:56:18 GMT

It is quite right to be worried and hesitant about entering a war with Iran.

The Region: The new Middle East's internal divisions

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:23:08 GMT

The battle among the three strong Arab nationalist regimes has given way to the battle between Sunni and Shia blocs.

Iran war hysteria surpasses all bounds of sanity

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:29:09 GMT

The Region: The whole idea that the leaders of Iran are crazed, suicidally minded people who expect the twelfth imam to arrive next Thursday is simply not true.

The Hamas split and the Palestinian political mess

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:21:30 GMT

The Region: Hamas infighting weakens it, but the issues involved are tactical, not strategic.

The Region: Saved by our enemies

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:07:38 GMT

It’s not Western policy but Middle Eastern radicals’ extremism that, ironically, saves the day

When the moderates are radicals, you’re in trouble

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:57:44 GMT

The hopes for moderation and real democracy in Egypt is limited; neither the Islamists nor many alleged moderates are moderate.

The Region: Israel isn't about to hit Iran: Get used to it!

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:40:08 GMT

Of course, one might joke that the fact that Israeli leaders talk about attacking Iran is the biggest proof that they aren’t about to do it.

The Region: Who’s winning in the Middle East?

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:56:25 GMT

The West may misread the current atmosphere, but residents in the region know full well what’s going on.

The Region: 2012- the year of living dangerously

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:27:40 GMT

In Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and around the region, there is no reason for Islamists to turn from violence.

The Region: Bright future ahead for Erdogan

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:40:12 GMT

Turkey’s prime minister has moved against American interests in many ways. So why does President Obama continue to support him?

Shia, Sunni to battle for regional supremacy in 2012

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:13:09 GMT

The Region: No one should misunderstand the situation. This is fundamentally a struggle for political power and wealth.

The Region: Obama preaches, dictators sneer

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 21:45:24 GMT

Obama rejects US’s leadership role; Foreign leaders can only react with astonishment and – if they are hostile – laughter.

No way to please the American government, media, experts

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:01:44 GMT

In a world that has moved so far to the political Left, it is hard to know anymore just what a ‘centrist’ Israeli view would be.

Islamism: 21st century Communism

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 22:22:13 GMT

The Region: Formation of the Muslim Brotherhood International bodes poorly for West, 250 million Arabs

Majdalani Effect, Zawahiri Strategy, the M. East curse

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:33:32 GMT

The Region: A slip of the tongue by the PA labor minister illustrates the total contempt Arab leaders have for their people.

The Region: What next for Egypt?

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:20:13 GMT

Islamist parties are almost certain to be elected in Egypt. It isn’t yet clear exactly what that will mean for the country or the region.

Syria: No longer revolution, it’s a civil war

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:37:08 GMT

Two major enemies are blocking the way to a moderate, stable Syria. One is the regime itself; The other is a US-Turkish policy that is determined to force an Islamist regime on the country.

Nothing new about US political engineering in the Mideast

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:35:09 GMT

The United States did not create the monster that wrecked the Middle East in the second half of the 20th century, but it certainly helped.

The Region: Islamists in power; what could go wrong?

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:53:44 GMT

Jordan’s policy on Islamism has been based precisely on the idea that letting them take power would be the end of the regime and a disaster for the country.

The Region: Why Obama can't tame the Islamists

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:51:43 GMT

Western leaders fail to understand the radical nature of Islamism.

The Region: Distorting the truth in the Middle East

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 22:14:11 GMT

Every day in the Middle East, terrible things happen. The lies and distortions of truth help ensure things don’t get better.

The simple truth: They want it all

Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:17:00 GMT

PA wants an independent state on all the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem with no restrictions, no recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.

The Region: Israel isn’t in danger of disappearing

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:48:38 GMT

Israel’s survival shows that democratic societies can fight and defeat dictators and totalitarian ideologies.

Why isn’t there peace? Because of Israel, of course!

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:38:49 GMT

The main element of Israeli-Palestinian talks is that only the Palestinian side is allowed to make demands.

The ‘unsustainable status quo’ status quo is unsustainable

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 21:11:33 GMT

Implication of unsustainable status quo is that things are so bad you better jump off sinking ship – into shark-infested waters – before it's too late.

The failed policies of the West

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:53:43 GMT

Western countries don’t keep their commitments to Israel and also don’t deliver on their supposed sympathy for Arab peoples.

The Region: What Jews should know about Christians

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:46:31 GMT

Israel and Jews should shake the extended hand of conservatives and Christians which is so often sincerely offered.

The Region: Plenty to worry about but little to fear

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:18:46 GMT

Time is not against Israel, but against the Arabs.

The Region: What Middle East pundits get wrong

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:21:49 GMT

A British writer named David Hearst has suggested in the 'Guardian' that Israel will disappear because Arabs and Muslims continue to “resist” its existence.

Beck gets it right when it comes to the big picture issues

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:32:34 GMT

As Jews, and Israelis most of all, should know, to be falsely reviled is not proof of being wrong or evil.

The Region: The revolutionary movement's big split

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 22:28:00 GMT

As Sunni and Shi’ite blocs emerge among revolutionary Islamists, attacks may increase as each side tries to prove it's "authentic."

Norway and terror: Repressing discussion doesn’t help

Sat, 06 Aug 2011 22:50:51 GMT

Comment: People who accept rationales for terrorism and reward those movements politically increase terrorism.

The Region: The Oslo Syndrome

Sun, 31 Jul 2011 23:57:50 GMT

Many Europeans will accept terrorism against Israelis or even Americans; very few will applaud terrorism against fellow Europeans.

The Region: The nightmare of international guarantees

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:50:58 GMT

History has taught us that on security matters we can only trust ourselves.

An Obama peace plan?

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 23:11:22 GMT

The Region: Security guarantees, not land swaps, are what Israel must be wary of.

The benefits of the 'Arab Spring'

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 23:40:44 GMT

Israel’s strategic standpoints are changing, and although there are some serious challenges ahead, there are also some silver linings.

The Region: The Middle East fantasy world

Sun, 19 Jun 2011 21:28:26 GMT

Spinning the Palestinian economy to claim the opposite of reality is one example of the West’s biggest problem.

Stealth Islamism in Turkey

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 23:23:34 GMT

Lenin once reportedly remarked that he would get the capitalists to sell him the rope with which to hang them; the AKP has gotten the West to provide that rope as a gift.

The Region: Rahm Emanuel? Really?

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 22:47:10 GMT

When President Barack Obama trots out his former chief of staff to write an article in defense of his love for Israel, you know he understands that he’s in trouble.

Where fear and blindness dominate

Sun, 29 May 2011 23:46:57 GMT

Egypt is well on its way to becoming the next Iran.

The Region: Just what was Obama asking of Israel?

Sun, 22 May 2011 23:28:30 GMT

The president’s speech was not intended to bash this country. But the fact that it came off that way tells us a lot about Obama and his policies.

The Region: A taste of the future

Sun, 15 May 2011 22:42:05 GMT

Events in Egypt over the weekend do not bode well for what’s ahead

The Region: The last Nasserist

Sun, 08 May 2011 23:11:33 GMT

Former Egyptian foreign minister and current head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, seen as most likely to become "new" Egypt’s next president, is actually a figure from the old Egyptian regime.

The Region: Egypt pipeline bombing is only the beginning

Sun, 01 May 2011 23:26:17 GMT

A real revolution and full-scale regional war might be the end.

Why Syria isn’t likely to see an Islamist takeover

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:41:28 GMT

THE REGION: The tough repression of radical Islamists by the Assad regime has weakened their forces and made them less organized, unlike in Egypt.

Oops! The law of unintended consequences in the Mideast

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:05:17 GMT

The region: Regional developments and US policies – including coddling Syria – make the Iranian leaders feel they are winning.

The region: The future of Egyptian politics, religion

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 03:44:41 GMT

How can Marxists, radical nationalists and Islamists all work together? Well, that’s Egypt for you.

The Region: Keeping score in the Middle East

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 22:56:49 GMT

Events in this region move and change so quickly, we might be better able to understand things using a point system.

Another Israel-Hamas war is inevitable

Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:53:44 GMT

The Region: Egyptian revolution, incompetent and mistaken US policy make conflict with Gaza certain.

The Region: The Israel treatment

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 21:34:25 GMT

The Obama administration is now approaching the shrinking list of relatively moderate, anti-Islamist, anti-Iranian states with the same behavior it has dished out to the Jewish state over the past two years.

The Region: The West gets an F

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 22:57:14 GMT

Assumption: If US proves itself to be on ‘right’ side of uprising, people will be grateful. Mideast politics don't work this way.

The Region: Beyond appeasement

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:01:26 GMT

If al-Qaida is the measure of all things, everyone is going to look moderate.

The Region: Eyes wide shut

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:41:16 GMT

The more ‘reassurances’ we receive from Western governments and pundits about the ‘new Arab realities,’ the more we should ignore them.

The Region: Egypt gets its Khomeini

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 23:15:25 GMT

Up until now, the Egyptian revolution generally, and the Brotherhood in particular, has lacked a charismatic thinker, someone who could really mobilize the masses. Qaradawi is that man.

The Region: Egypt’s next chapter

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:12:42 GMT

The principal threat is not a Muslim Brotherhood takeover and an Islamist state, but a radical state in international terms.

The Region: Rulers by proxy

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 21:51:49 GMT

The Muslim Brotherhood will not take power and Egypt will not become an Islamist state overnight.

Analysis: The problems Egypt still faces

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:48:07 GMT

Weak moderates, a radical people, the economy's fragility, and strong Islamists.

Why ‘Palestine Papers’ are the death of the peace process

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:58:15 GMT

What Palestinian leader would now dare make the smallest concession? What Israeli leader would take new risks?

Egypt crisis worst disaster since Iran’s revolution

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:23:08 GMT

Analysis: Without learning lessons from past, Obama gambles that anti-American Islamist government allied with Iran won’t emerge from the chaos.

‘I’m worried that others aren’t worried’

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 02:56:35 GMT

A Middle East expert answers some pressing questions about the current upheaval in Egypt.

The Region: When Arab regimes tremble

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:07:04 GMT

There have been many instances when leaders in the region feared .for their survival. The uprising in Tunisia is the least of them.

The Region: Revolutions, walk-outs and fatwas

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 22:29:51 GMT

Recent events in Tunisia, Lebanon and Egypt spell a dangerous new trend in the region.

The Region: Ideology is a powerful deceiver

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 23:07:02 GMT

We are living in a time when pragmatism no longer dominates the Western intellectual and political debate.

The Region: Dopes of the day

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:07:08 GMT

It is embarrassing to see Western journalists and officials fooled time and again by Middle Eastern radicals.

The Region: Hamas indeed has time on its side

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 22:08:45 GMT

Thanks to Western aid and lowered sanctions the organization can stay in power in Gaza while building strong support base by delivering goods.

The Region: Who ‘likes’ Islamist groups?

Sun, 19 Dec 2010 23:34:57 GMT

A recent Pew poll on public attitudes toward Islamism in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Turkey shows that the radical Islamist side is winning.

For sale in ‘The 72 Virgins’

Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:01:10 GMT

Gaza Strip’s new housing projects not intended to raise living standards, but to ensure regime’s survival and motivate revolutionary zeal.

The Region: A remarkable record of failure

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:44:51 GMT

It appears increasingly unlikely that the president’s high-profile effort to restart Israel-Palestinian talks will succeed this year, and perhaps well beyond.

The Region: Revolution, not terrorism, is the main threat

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 23:58:27 GMT

The big strategic danger for Western interests in the region is the overthrow of entire countries, transforming into new Irans.

The Region: Victory over Islamist movements: Possible

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 22:30:41 GMT

What British General David Richards means is that the Taliban, al-Qaida aren’t going to be defeated by military action.

The reason there is no Palestinian state today: Arafat

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 23:15:06 GMT

Never before in modern history have so many relentlessly airbrushed away a leader’s career of faults and crimes.

The Region: Is Obama a pragmatic politician or ideologue?

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:58:56 GMT

To be reelected, he’ll need to make major foreign policy shifts – among them: quit bashing Israel.

The Region: Hello, America, are you there?

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:12:15 GMT

The US government’s strange, belated reactions to recent negative developments in the Middle East seem to indicate that the administration is just not paying enough attention.

The Region: They came for Juan Williams

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 22:29:09 GMT

This incident is a landmark in getting real liberals to realize the extent their institutions have been taken over by the far Left.

The Region: Jihad is the answer

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:03:41 GMT

The central question for many in M.East has for years been: Why is it – since we are a superio people (Arabs) with a superior religion (Islam) – that we are behind the West and what can we do about it?

The Region: The declaration of war that went unnoticed

Sun, 10 Oct 2010 23:29:12 GMT

The Muslim Brotherhood recently called for jihad on the US and Israel, adopting a view almost identical to al-Qaida’s.

The region: An offer he had to refuse

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:02:50 GMT

The reported letter to Netanyahu outlining US guarantees in exchange for an extension to the settlement freeze shows the Obama administration still doesn’t get it.

The Region: How non-American

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 03:54:37 GMT

Barack Obama’s speech to the UN General Assembly lacked any assertion of US leadership and any indication that it has a particular set of interests.

The Region: Why the optimism, you ask?

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 22:20:22 GMT

There is every reason to believe that the Middle East will remain as controversial, tumultuous and crisis-ridden in the future as it has in the past. But there is also room for hope.

The Region: One land’s bigot is another land’s everyman

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:02:36 GMT

Racist actions in the US, Europe or Israel are usually those of private individuals; but in the Middle East it is often the governments that lead incitement.

The Region: Barack hearts Bibi

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 22:50:09 GMT

Now is the time for a somewhat belated Obama-Netanyahu honeymoon.

The real world versus fantasy land

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:17:22 GMT

Some have the courage to speak the truth while others merely articulate their ideological wishes.

The Region: All Israel, all the time

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:17:12 GMT

Are we to believe all the ills of Arab-speaking world are almost entirely caused by Israel’s existence, the Arab-Israeli conflict and situation of Palestinians?

The peace process and US-Israel ties

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:20:35 GMT

Can Binyamin Netanyahu find some formula for moving forward that will please America without causing an internal political battle?

‘Those who neglect their past have no future’

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:26:52 GMT

It is in the interest of Jews and Israelis to support the Prague Declaration which seeks to discuss, expose and recognize Communist crimes of war in the same way Nazi crimes were.

The cart, the horse, and the long road ahead

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 21:27:09 GMT

Only when there is a clear Palestinian stance in favor of a workable two-state solution will Israelis have to make tough decisions.

The Region: Radicalism and isolation

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:07:56 GMT

Forces that use terrorism, preach a totalitarian ideology and have genocidal goals are responsible for conflict in the Middle East.

Why Arab regimes don’t do more

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:57:23 GMT

If the Arab world feels so threatened by a nuclear-armed Iran, shouldn’t it cooperate more closely with the West to seek a solution?

The Region: The abandonment of logic

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:31:23 GMT

People who don’t follow the issues, understand the debate or know the country want to play with our lives.

The Region: Behind the praise

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:06:55 GMT

The recent meeting between Obama and Netanyahu was as good as it’s going to get.

The Region: Treading through the baloney

Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:53:25 GMT

There is so much silliness and misinformation published about the Middle East nowadays that the debris is obscuring reality.

The Region: Legitimizing Hamas rule

Sun, 27 Jun 2010 22:00:00 GMT

The White House’s June 20 statement on the Gaza blockade shows that the Obama administration has abandoned all strategic concepts in its approach to the matter.

So this is the future

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 22:38:04 GMT

‘Easing’ the Gaza blockade will create a revolutionary, Iran-backed, genocidal and anti-Semitic Islamist statelet on the Mediterranean.

The Region: Obama’s failed popularity strategy

Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:59:37 GMT

In a cost-benefit analysis of the administration’s apologetic foreign policy posture, the costs to the US far outweigh the expected benefits.

The Region: Better unpopular than dead

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:01:49 GMT

Delegitimization is a real problem, but the threat of destruction – mass loss of life in terrorist and rocket attacks, or an Iranian nuclear attack – is the real danger.

What’s all this sympathy for Hamas?

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:31:23 GMT

We must look into the hysteria, cowardice and just plain nonsense prevalent in large elements of the West today following the flotilla incident.

The Region: Finally some love from the White House?

Sun, 30 May 2010 23:46:17 GMT

The issue at the upcoming meeting between Netanyahu and Obama will not be a final diplomatic solution, but rather the PM's negotiating posture.

The Region: Why sanction Iran, you ask?

Mon, 24 May 2010 07:26:13 GMT

More sanctions won’t stop the Islamic Republic’s quest for nuclear power, but there are other reasons for imposing them.

The Region: Russian traps – and moves

Mon, 17 May 2010 10:14:21 GMT

Russia’s bid for renewed power in the Mideast as a rival to the US is one more thing that US policy is unprepared to cope with, nor even recognize.

The Region: All things not considered

Sun, 09 May 2010 22:53:58 GMT

Even if Iran doesn't give terrorists nukes, other scenarios are worrying.

The Region: Bright spots, anyone?

Mon, 03 May 2010 11:48:19 GMT

Let’s take a dispassionate look at the changes in the Middle East over the past year.

The Region: Onwards, Iran marches

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:20:12 GMT

It has been 15 months since Barack Obama called for ‘good-faith negotiations’ with the Islamic Republic on its nuclear program. Where are we now? Still talking about it.

The Region: No longer tough enough?

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 05:13:07 GMT

For years we spoke of the timid and unreliable Europeans. Now, in many respects, they are bolder and braver than the US.

The Region: Where everyone’s a loser

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:38:53 GMT

By glorifying terrorist deeds, the PA sends its people the message that moderation is equivalent to treason.

The Region: Hamas governs

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:41:45 GMT

The new Hamas cabinet is hard-line politically, but there is good news about PA politics.

In the Koran, Pharaoh was a villain

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:11:41 GMT

People in the Muslim world fail to see that the individuals they extol as heroes were nothing but tyrants who led them straight into the sea.

The Region: The single payer option

Sun, 28 Mar 2010 23:17:32 GMT

It seems the Obama administration envisions having Israel pay for everything.

The Region: Meanwhile, in the ME...

Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:20:08 GMT

Washington should focus on the ‘building’ plans elsewhere in the region.

What's all the fuss about?

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:25:06 GMT

At most, the newly announced housing plan shows Israel doesn't want to give up all of E. J'lem as part of a peace agreement. Not exactly news.

The Region: Look out!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:52:39 GMT

Watching the Obama administration handle Syria and Iran is like watching a horror movie where a monster is creeping up behind someone.

The Region: The real Arab stuff

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:52:35 GMT

What are the most realistic and moderate Arabic-speaking rulers thinking?

Out of date and out of touch

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 22:51:42 GMT

Many in the Muslim world, including the Palestinians, and in the West still have a distorted knowledge of Israeli positions toward peace-making.

The Region: Quick, look busy!

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 21:12:57 GMT

The Obama administration has signaled that it will go through the motions of Mideast involvement while awaiting some future opportunity for renewed talks.

The Region: Salam Fayyad cannot deliver

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:16:09 GMT

PM is the most moderate PA official, but doesn't represent Palestinian thinking.

The Region: More talk, less action

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:16:21 GMT

following Obama's acknowledgment that he had overestimated his ability to get the Israeli-Palestinian peace process rolling, the administration seems poised to remain active but do relatively little.

The Region: F for failure

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:28:06 GMT

Europeans ready to get tough on Iran, but Obama is showing no leadership.

The Region: Yes, no, maybe

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:00:18 GMT

Obama's dithering on Iran and failure to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process shows that nothing has been learned from his first year in office.

The Region: Fatah's power structure spells trouble for peace with Israel

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:57:54 GMT

The designation of Fatah as 'moderate' rests on a rather broad definition of that word.

The Region: Yes, no, maybe

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:31:43 GMT

Obama's dithering on Iran and failure to advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process shows that nothing has been learned from his first year in office.