In-Depth Coverage

Original Commentaries

11/13/08: The View from Gaza —Taghreed El-Khodary, New York Times journalist in Gaza and Harvard University Nieman Fellow (2005-2006). Interviewed by Middle East Bulletin.
11/04/08: Getting on the Right Track —Dalia Rabin, chairperson, Rabin Center, and daughter of the late Yitzhak Rabin. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.
10/23/08: Bottom-Up Meets Top-Down for Progress —Robert Danin, Head of Mission, Office of Quartet Representative Tony Blair and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs. Interview with Middle East Bulletin.

Setting the Record Straight

U.S. Policy Strengthens Iran

"Simply put, without permanent bases in Iraq, a nuclear capable Islamic Republic cannot be contained."
—Michael Rubin, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute, "Can a Nuclear Iran Be Contained or Deterred?" Middle Eastern Outlook, November 5, 2008

“[B]y attacking Iraq, we automatically made Iran a regional power. We took out their major adversary in Iraq, and we neutralized, if only temporarily, the Taliban, on the other side. And so now we see not only that they are regional powers, but clearly indications of aspirations to be perhaps a hegemon in the area, their role in Iraq, their role in Syria, in Lebanon as well. And I can tell you, and I think you’ve heard it already, that there is real fear among the GCC countries about where all of this is going. All of them have minorities, in one case it’s not a minority, it’s a majority of Shias, and as the Sheika correctly pointed out, they can’t exchange Iran for some place else.”
—General Joseph P. Hoar (USMC, Ret.), former commander of U.S. Central Command (1991-94), National Council On U.S.-Arab Relations, 17th Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, October 30, 2008

Middle East Analysis

Iranian Strategy in Iraq: Politics and ‘Other Means’ —Joseph Felter, national security affairs fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; former director, Combating Terrorism Center at West Point (CTC) & Brian Fishman, director of research, CTC
In Iraq’s Diyala Province, U.S. Forces Anticipate Exit —Scott Peterson (The Christian Science Monitor)
Oil for Soil: Toward a Grand Bargain on Iraq and the Kurds —International Crisis Group, Middle East Report N°80

Saudis at the Negotiating Table

August 20, 2007

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)

The United States and Iran have held two rounds of talks over the security and stability of Iraq… and have also set up a joint security committee for regular consultation. …

But the likelihood that these talks will produce any positive results remains small. Even if the talks succeed, they can only reduce the Shi’ite insurgency that the United States believes is being supported by Iran. The Sunni insurgency will continue and may intensify. And recent reports have revealed that U.S. officials are concerned that significant amounts of financial and volunteer support for the Sunni insurgency are flowing into Iraq from Saudi Arabia.

In light of these facts, it is in the interest of both the United States and Iran to invite Saudi Arabia to join their negotiations. The presence of Saudi Arabia increases the chances that the talks will be fruitful.

Saudi participation serves U.S. interests in two important ways. First, Saudi Arabia will be perceived by Iraqi Sunnis as their representative and protector in the negotiations, and they consequently will feel less defensive. This could help reduce the intensity of the Sunni insurgency. …

Second, the U.S.-Saudi relations have been strained in recent months and Saudi suspicions of the negotiations between Iran and the United States could lead to further deterioration of bilateral ties. Access the full article>>