Will Israeli Dissent Halt the March towards War?
Jim Lobe | May 03, 2012
Tensions have been reaching near fevered pitch over Iran’s nuclear program as Israeli leaders and their supporters in the United States have pressed for military action to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. However, a number of factors have been working against the hawks, including recent progress at the P5+1 talks and the lack of enthusiasm for another conflict among a war-weary U.S. public. In recent weeks, a new force has emerged that seems to have made the threat of war even less imminent—the unprecedented wave of dissent from current and former top Israeli officials.
The Militarization of the Syrian Uprising
Samer Araabi | April 18, 2012
As pressure mounts to arm rebels in Syria, there is need for a sober assessment of the costs and consequences of the increasing militarization of the conflict there. If history is any guide, a foreign-backed armed rebellion will likely not produce the kind of victory—or engender the kind of support—that the anti-Assad fighters will require to usher in a new Syria. Additionally, there is the very real possibility that many of the rebels—as we’ve seen in Libya—will turn out to be little better than the regime they seek to replace.
Obama to Pro-Israel Lobby Group: ‘Too Much Loose Talk of War’
Mitchell Plitnick | March 05, 2012
Before a skeptical audience of delegates from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, President Obama affirmed U.S-Israeli ties and challenged detractors to impugn his administration’s record of support for the Jewish state. However, while insisting that that the United States would consider military options in the event of Iran’s developing a nuclear weapon, he also warned Israeli allies of “loose talk” about war, which Obama said only empowers the Iranian regime and decreases prospects for a diplomatic solution.
Whither the Liberal Hawks?
Jim Lobe | January 31, 2012
Tehran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz, coupled with mounting threats from hawks in Israel and the United States, has brought the possibility of war sharply into view. But a number of influential members of the U.S. foreign policy establishment—including several prominent liberal interventionists who supported the invasion of Iraq—are warning against further escalation.
Featured Profiles
Dobriansky, Paula
Mitt Romney adviser Paula Dobriansky, a Bush administration undersecretary of state and supporter of the Project for a New American Century’s militarist advocacy campaigns, is a fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and adviser to the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Chertoff, Michael
Romney adviser Michael Chertoff, a former secretary of homeland security, has aggressively defended the Bush administration’s prosecution of the “war on terror,” including its controversial detention of Arab and Muslim immigrants who were never charged with any crimes.
Zakheim, Dov
Mitt Romney adviser Dov Zakheim is a retired defense contractor executive and Pentagon official whose views on foreign policy appear to veer between hardnosed realism and neoconservatism.
Fleitz, Frederick
A former CIA officer who now works as an editor for a right-wing news group, Fleitz remains sensitive to accusations that he played a role in the “PlameGate” affair and intimidated those who opposed his ex-boss in the Bush administration, John Bolton.
Rice, Condoleezza
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a senior fellow at the conservative Hoover Institution, thinks the United States can help bring democracy to Russia by drilling for oil.
From the Wires
Obama Resists Growing Pressure to Intervene in Syria
June, 07 2012Neoconservatives and other U.S. hawks are mounting pressure on the Obama administration to intervene in Syria, but so far the administration has remained committed to largely diplomatic measures.
Setbacks for Congressional Iran Hawks
May, 22 2012Hawks in the U.S. Congress are finding it difficult to ratchet up the U.S. military threat against Iran.
Tea Party Loses in Fight with Big Business
May, 16 2012The battle over the future of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) has been a humbling experience for the Tea Party.
Arab Autocrats Aiding Resurgence of Terrorism
May, 16 2012Arab autocrats in Syria, Bahrain, and elsewhere are indirectly contributing to the resurgence of terrorism in their societies.
America the Serial Killer
May, 15 2012With its expanded drone program, the Obama administration has encouraged the view of a America as serial killer who keeps suffering from blowback.