Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas
Associate Professor of Middle East Politics and International Relations at the University of North Texas and author of In Search of Leadership: West Bank Politics Since 1967 and Jordan: Domestic Politics and Foreign Policy; American citizen of Palestinian descent
What Next for US Policy on the Middle East? Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived at the White House today as James Baker's so-called Iraq Study Group has been meeting with the foreign policy team. It's believed that Baker and new Defense Secretary-designate Robert Gates favor negotiations with Iran. British Prime Minister Tony Blair will address the Iraq Study Group tomorrow. Meantime, Democratic leaders want a phased withdrawal from Iraq, and there's pressure from several directions for talks with Syria. All this as the Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, are putting together a unity government. President Bush is embracing advisors who served his father. Will they push diplomacy rather than confrontation? Is there any chance of a weakened US commitment to Israel?
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.