Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Senior Fellow for Middle East Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Hidden Iran: Paradox and Power in the Islamic Republic
PROFILE
Ray Takeyh
Guest
FROM Ray Takeyh
To the Point
New UN Sanctions against Iran Last week's UN Security Council vote to sanction Iran for nuclear development was just one vote short of unanimous. But the sanctions themselves were much weaker than the Bush Administration had wanted as proof that Iran is isolated from the international community. Will the sanctions against program help to isolate a major regional power? Is Iran more interested in what's happening next door in Iraq? Are the US and Iran engaged in what amounts to a Cold War in the Middle East?
To the Point
Will America's Next War Be with Iran? Iran is expanding its influence in Iraq, supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and threatening Israel's right to exist. This week, the President, Vice President and Secretaries of State and Defense have warned Iran to back off. At the same time the US is doubling its air and sea power in the Persian Gulf, a move one calls " gunboat diplomacy " aimed at Iran. What is the likelihood of a wider war in the Middle East? Would the President need the approval of Congress for strikes against Iran? If the US fails to attack Iran's nuclear installations, will Israel do the job? We hear from journalists, economists, political scientists and Middle East experts.
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To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
Left, Right & Center
How was the trip? President Trump's travels got less fun as he went from the Middle East to Europe.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?