Latest Articles and Blog Posts

The Case for Intervening in Syria

November 16, 2011  •  The National Interest

With the conclusion of NATO's military operations in Libya, it is time for the White House to shift focus to the protests in Syria. Since Syrians took to the streets in March, the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has committed a growing list of atrocities in cracking down on peaceful protesters. The regime has maimed and murdered those it has detained and trained sniper fire on unarmed civilians. It seems Assad will stop at nothing to maintain power.

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Putting the Squeeze on Syria

November 14, 2011  •  New York Daily News

Since the outbreak of state-sanctioned violence against Syrian protestors in mid-March, the White House has dithered on what to do about the masters of Damascus. Although President Obama called for the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, to "step aside" in August, he has done little in support of that goal. U.S. strategy should aim to weaken those who support the regime within and outside of Syria while encouraging the opposition to demonstrate its goal of a nonsectarian and democratic Damascus.

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Obama and Sarkozy's Insulting Gaffe

November 9, 2011 at 6:02 pm

It was the insult heard around the world: Reports surfaced Monday that French President Nicolas Sarkozy was overheard by reporters at last week's G20 Summit in Cannes telling President Obama he can no longer bear Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "I can't stand to see him any more, he's a liar," journalists overheard Sarkozy saying through a hot mic as the world leaders met privately in a side room. In response, Obama lamented: "You are fed up with him, but me, I have to deal with him every day."

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The U.S. Must Ratchet Up Pressure on Syria

November 4, 2011  •  The Guardian

In August, President Obama finally called for Syria's leader, Bashar al-Assad, to "step aside". Yet, the White House has yet to adopt a strategy that would hasten the fall of the despotic regime in Damascus. The goal of US policy should be an end to the violence that has claimed more than 3,000 Syrian lives, by working toward the fall of the Assad regime. At the same time, the US should endeavor to create the conditions for a stable democratic system in Syria that protects the rights of all minorities. US strategy must aim to weaken those who support the regime within and outside of Syria, while encouraging the opposition to demonstrate its goal of a nonsectarian and democratic Syria.

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Reviewing Obama's UN Record

November 3, 2011  •  Sh'ma

Steve Sheffey's article, "President Obama and the United Nations," is full of praise for the current administration's approach to the United Nations and, more broadly, Obama's pro-Israel stance. The well-cited quotes Sheffey offers may be part of the written record, but his article employs a selective focus on some facts to the exclusion of others. American diplomatic activity at Turtle Bay is not the correct metric for measuring the extent to which an American administration is pro-Israel. Moreover, apart from presidential rhetoric, what matters more is what is done — rather than what is said. The only metric for gauging success or failure is the results.

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