Welcome to Syria, President Trump: Years of Rational Policy Led to…
U.S. President Donald Trump delivers an statement about missile strikes on a Syrian airbase, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida . It happened again.
Category Archives: Middle East
US strike on Syria is widely praised, but angers Russia
In this photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, speaks during a press conference, Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Damascus, Syria. Moallem told reporters Thursday that it didn't use chem... .
Who’s with the US on Syria airstrike and who isn’t
With conflicting interests and competing global powers, the international community remains at an impasse over Syria's six-year conflict. On Friday morning local time, the US military struck a Syrian airbase in response to a chemical weapons attack, bringing mixed reaction from global players.
GOP’s Israel chief says Sarah Silverman ‘needs a muzzle’
The leader of Israel's main Republican group called Sarah Silverman a "self-hating Jew" and said she "needs a muzzle." Marc Zell made the comments Saturday night on behalf of the Republicans Overseas Israel Facebook page, which he manages as the group's co-chairman.
6 things to watch for at the AIPAC policy conference
AIPAC's byword is bipartisanship and, as we reported this week, that's a hard sell in the increasingly polarized Trump era . Still, AIPAC remains the preeminent pro-Israel lobby and its conferences have been a reliable weathervane of where US Middle East policy is headed for the next six months.
US House and Senate introduce bipartisan bills against boycotts of Israel
WASHINGTON Republican and Democratic leaders in both houses of Congress introduced legislation on Thursday that would penalize international governmental organizations and foreign countries seeking to boycott, divest and sanction the State of Israel for its handling of its conflict with the Palestinians. The bill, supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, would amend the Export Administration Act of 1979 to include in its prohibitions on boycotts against "allies of the United States" those fostered by NGOs against Israel.
House Dems Urge Trump To Preserve ‘Two States’
The overwhelming majority of Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives urged President Donald Trump to reaffirm the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as U.S. policy. With 187 of 193 voting Democrats signing, the letter to Trump released Friday is a pointed reminder of how divided the parties remain on how to define pro-Israel.
U.S.-Israeli talks conclude with no agreement on settlements – Thu, 23 Mar 2017 PST
The White House expressed its "concerns" with settlement construction after talks with senior Israeli officials in Washington ended Thursday night with a joint statement showing the two governments unable to agree on a settlement policy that could pave the way to peace talks resuming. As the Israelis left Washington to return home, the White House released a statement saying they had discussed "concrete, near-term measures to improve the overall climate" to improve prospects for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
Terrorists for Turkey, heroes for US and Russia
When the insignia of the People's Protection Units , a red star on a yellow triangle - a version of the symbol of many left-wing militant organizations around the world - first appeared as badges on the arms of the U.S. Special Forces in Syria in May 2016, the Turkish government was furious about it. The speculation then was that the U.S. Central Command had deliberately allowed those photos to be leaked to the press so that the Turkish army would not hit the YPG militants who were collaborating with U.S. forces against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant , or DEASH in Arabic.
Tillerson pledges safe areas for refugees, more pressure on Islamic State
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Wednesday the United States would set up "interim zones of stability" to help refugees return home in the next phase of the fight against Islamic State and al Qaeda. The top U.S. diplomat did not make clear where these zones were to be set up.
US Bans Passengers Of Middle Eastern Airlines From Bringing Electronics On Planes
The ban , which includes laptops, tablets, and video games, but does not include smartphones or medical devices, is effective for Royal Jordanian flights servicing New York, Chicago, Detroit, and Montreal. One official told NBC News that the message the airline sent was not an entirely accurate description of the forthcoming policy, to be announced Tuesday.
Iraq Weapons Inspections Fast Facts
Facts: At the end of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War, the United Nations passed Security Council Resolution 687 setting the terms for the cease-fire between Iraq and the US-led coalition. Section C of the resolution called for the elimination of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and some ballistic missiles and established the United Nations Special Commission .
Flynn to Trump team: ‘I am foreign agent’
An attorney for former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn told President Donald Trump's transition team before the inauguration that Flynn might register with the government as a foreign agent, White House officials acknowledged. According to a person with knowledge of the discussions, Flynn's representatives also had a second conversation with the White House counsel's office after the inauguration and made clear the national security adviser would indeed be registering with the Justice Department.
Trump lawyers knew Flynn might register as foreign agent
An attorney for former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn told President Donald Trump's transition team before the inauguration that Flynn might register with the government as a foreign agent, White House officials acknowledged. According to a person with knowledge of the discussions, Flynn's representatives also had a second conversation with the White House counsel's office after the inauguration and made clear the national security adviser would indeed be registering with the Justice Department.
Trump invites Palestinian president to visit White House
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to visit the White House soon and told the Palestinian leader that he believes the time has come to make a deal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the White House said. In his first phone call with Abbas since he took office, Trump emphasized his "personal belief that peace is possible," according to a White House statement.
What Is Trump’s Mission in Syria?
The US had about 500 troops embedded with the People's Protection Units until this week, when another 400 were deployed , along with heavy artillery. It is rumored in the Arabic press that yet more troops, perhaps as many as 2000, will soon be deployed to Syria.
White House: Trump unaware of Flynn’s foreign agent work
President Donald Trump was not aware that his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, had worked to further the interests of the government of Turkey before appointing him, the White House says. The comments came two days after Flynn and his firm, Flynn Intel Group Inc., filed paperwork with the Justice Department formally identifying him as a foreign agent and acknowledging that his work for a company owned by a Turkish businessman could have aided Turkey's government.
White House: Trump unaware of Flynna s foreign agent work
President Donald Trump was not aware that his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, had worked to further the interests of the government of Turkey before appointing him, the White House says. The comments came two days after Flynn and his firm, Flynn Intel Group Inc., filed paperwork with the Justice Department formally identifying him as a foreign agent and acknowledging that his work for a company owned by a Turkish businessman could have aided Turkey's government.
Jordan: Israeli bill to quiet mosques is a violation of global law
"This is a racist law whose only goal is to hurt our community", he said, while adding that "what disturbs the supporters of this legislation is not the noise, but rather that the sound of the muezzin reminds them of the true identity of this land". However, major Muslim countries such as Saudi Arabia and Indonesia as well as countries such as France, the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland have all restricted the use of loudspeakers by muezzin .
Twin suicide bombing kills 26 at a wedding north of Baghdad
Displaced Iraqis who fled their homes due to fighting between Iraqi security forces and Islamic State militants wait to be transferred to camps for displaced people, on the western side of Mosul, Iraq, Wednesday, March 8, 20... Republicans on a pivotal House committee are nearing an initial triumph in their effort to scuttle former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Republicans on a pivotal House committee are nearing an initial triumph in their effort to scuttle former President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.