The U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone strike that eliminated top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani on January 3 was a measured, timely, and appropriate combat action. It occurred after 18 months of restraint by the Trump Administration in the face of a series…
Killing General Soleimani pushes the United States toward the verge of major conflict with Iran. But in escalation toward war, and in any war itself, Tehran may already hold the upper hand. To understand how, look at the last major…
It won’t surprise readers of this paper that major war between Israel and Iran is increasingly likely. This directly threatens enduring U.S. interests, yet America’s abrupt drawback in Syria and general inaction against Tehran’s months of provocations only compound the…
After 28 years of U.S. forces participating in continuous combat in the Middle East, it is not surprising that a popular consensus exists to reduce U.S. military presence in the region. President Trump used this perspective to defend his recent…
President Trump makes no secret of his desire for U.S. troops to leave the Middle East. But his administration still views the region as critical to national security, especially given Iran’s escalating aggression. As America departs and the burden of…
Saudi Arabia and Israel are unlikely partners with seemingly little in common. For starters, there is no formal recognition between the two countries. Digging a bit deeper, one can see a stark contrast between Israel, which is a resource-poor democracy…
It is time to re-evaluate America’s military dependence on Turkey. Begin by putting Ankara on notice that the United States will move its military assets from Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base. Why? After all, Turkey is a NATO ally and President…
As President Trump visits London for a meeting of NATO leaders this week, he could well come under pressure to start new talks with Iran. But he should resist the temptation and instead stand by the Iranian people and declare…
Even as suicide bombings in Afghanistan continue, the U.S. is preparing to withdraw roughly half of the twelve to thirteen thousand troops it has currently deployed. Announcing this withdrawal may play well for some in political terms domestically, but it…
Much of the outrage and frustration for the U.S. withdrawal from Syria focused on America’s long-standing relationship with the Kurds, without differentiating between Kurdish groups. While America’s relations with Syria’s Kurds are in flux, as a matter of foreign policy,…