Center for a New American Security
Director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security; former policy director for the National Security Network; former Chief of Staff for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations at the State Department (2009-2012)
Netanyahu, the US and the Isolation of Israel The US and much of the world has long agreed that a two-state solution is needed to resolve differences between Israel and the Palestinians. After last week's reelection, President Obama told Benjamin Netanyahu the US will have to "reassess" its policy of supporting Israel unconditionally. In an exclusive interview with the Huffington Post , President Obama described what he told the Prime Minister in a phone call. "I did indicate to him that we continue to believe that a two-state solution is only way for the long term security of Israel if it wants to stay a Jewish state and democratic. I did indicate to him that, given his statements before the election, it is going to be hard to find a path where people are seriously believing that negotiations are possible." Netanyahu's warning about Arab voters sounded racist, and post-election claims that he doesn't really oppose a Palestinian state have been widely questioned. American Jews are divided, and Israel is becoming a partisan issue in Washington. After decades of American vetoes at the UN, will that mean allowing the Security Council to put Israel on the spot regarding settlements and a two-state solution?
Does Obama Have a Strategy for Victory in Afghanistan? President Obama's plan to send 17,000 troops to Afghanistan is meeting opposition on his left and skepticism from some allies. What can the president reasonably hope to achieve in Afghanistan? What alternative policy options could he consider? We talk about all the elements of the Obama strategy in Afghanistan and whether nation-building is still possible. How has the military mission there changed in the last seven years? Whose hearts and minds can we win in Afghanistan? Does history show that foreign military power can never control Afghanistan?
Does Obama Have a Strategy for Victory in Afghanistan? President Obama's plan to send 17,000 troops to Afghanistan is meeting opposition on his left and skepticism from some allies. What can the president reasonably hope to achieve in Afghanistan? What alternative policy options could he consider? We talk about all the elements of the Obama strategy in Afghanistan and whether nation-building is still possible. How has the military mission there changed in the last seven years? Whose hearts and minds can we win in Afghanistan? Does history show that foreign military power can never control Afghanistan?
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?