Why Iran Is the US’s Go-To Enemy in the Middle East
Reading Time: 17 minutes Iran has been stuck in the craw of US foreign policy for 40 years. Longtime Iran expert Gary Sick looks at how we got to where we are today.
To the Brink of War, With No Upside
Reading Time: 13 minutes A surprising conversation about Iran with prominent Middle East scholar Stephen Zunes.
Culture: In the Trump Era, It Has a Whole New Meaning
Reading Time: < 1 minute One “highlight” of the recent crisis involving the US and Iran was President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to attack cultural sites in Iran, which would be a brazen violation of the Geneva Conventions and other international laws.
The New York Times’s Odd Plane-Strike Video
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s not clear how it is that video cameras were on hand to capture Wednesday’s 6 AM downing of the Ukrainian jetliner near Tehran. Does that suggest it wasn’t the accident officials claim it was?
The World Fears Trump More Than It Fears Iran
Reading Time: 4 minutes The rest of the world is bewildered by President Donald Trump’s decision to escalate tensions with Iran. Nothing we are seeing in the international press bodes well for the US.
Will Trump’s ‘Leadership’ Curb America’s Appetite for War?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Americans love a good war, which is why presidents have used armed conflicts to boost their political fortunes. That may not work for President Donald Trump this time around. Here is why.
How Will Iran Respond After US Killing of Top General?
Reading Time: 14 minutes The assassination of Quds Force General Qassem Soleimani could trigger an escalation of violence in the Middle East. Six months ago, we told you about him… and the other men who could start a war between the US and Iran.
Can Gas Price Protests Threaten the Iranian Regime?
Reading Time: 2 minutes International media may be underestimating the significance of protests in Iran as the ayatollahs face not only a domestic tide of discontent, but also a regional one.
As the US Flex Muscle, Saudi Arabia Flirts with Old Enemies
Reading Time: 2 minutes All options are on the table for US ally Saudi Arabia: from peace talks with Iran and the Yemeni rebels, and possible warming to Russia — to war with Iran.
Iran-US Crisis: The Six Angry Men Who Could Trigger War
Reading Time: 14 minutes US-Iran tensions over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and its backing of foreign proxies has put the Middle East on edge. Are the hawks in Washington and hardliners in Tehran bent on conflict?