Ellen Laipson’s Op-ed in World Politics Review on Regional Security in the Gulf States
When the Gulf Cooperation Council states and their Western defense partners meet, the demand for changes in regional security cooperation and threat management has long come from the outsiders. The Western partners, the U.S. in particular, continue to call for more defense modernization and more integration of effort among these rich oil states. But the […]
Ellen Laipson op-ed in World Politics Review on Trump and the Iran Nuclear Deal
Despite Donald Trump’s tough talk about the Iran nuclear deal during the presidential campaign, there have been some signals since the election that his administration may walk back his threat to cancel the accord. But hostility to Iran seems rampant among Trump’s advisers, meaning the spirit, if not the letter, of the agreement will likely be […]
Ellen Laipson cited in The American Conservative on Trump’s picks for Secretary of State
Giuliani reportedly remains the favorite for Secretary of State, but he might not get it: CBS News’ Major Garrett reported Tuesday morning that Giuliani is still the likeliest pick — but that as Mr. Trump meets with Romney over dinner in Midtown Manhattan tonight, it’s hard to discount Romney as a top pick as well. “I’m told […]
Laicie Heeley cited in Cosumnes Connection on Trump and the Iran Nuclear Deal
Barack Obama and John Kerry meeting with veterans and Gold Star mothers to discuss the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2015. Can Trump get rid of it? So if we see what Heeley calls “the deal-maker Trump” rather than the “bombastic” one, the president-elect will have to consider those relationships with Russian Federation and Europe. -snip- When it […]
Laicie Heeley quoted in NPR on Trump and the Iran deal
One of the promises Donald Trump made on the campaign trail was to dismantle or renegotiate the U.S. deal with Iran that limits its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. If he makes good on that promise, it won’t be the first time a Republican administration has walked away from an arms deal negotiated […]
Lincoln Bloomfield, Jr. quoted in Asharq Al-awsat on US-Iranian relations
Abu Dhabi- Some experts in Washington have agreed that the Iranian attitude did not change after signing the nuclear deal, adding that Iran is still one of the countries sponsoring terrorism. This agreement will not treat the trust issue between Tehran and Washington, according to the experts. -snip- Lincoln Bloomfield, chairman of the Stimson Center, […]
Ellen Laipson op-ed in World Politics Review on the US as a model of state-religion relations
As the U.S. presidential campaign finally wraps up, the Middle East is taking away some very negative messages about American culture that will diminish America’s ability to be a model for good governance and to influence outcomes in the region. Iran’s media has even used a broadcast of the U.S. presidential debates to validate the […]
Ellen Laipson op-ed in World Politics Review on women in the Middle East
The status of women in traditional Muslim societies, particularly Saudi Arabia, has long been an awkward source of cultural and political tension between the West and the oil-rich monarchies of the Arab world. Women’s roles are gradually changing as these states modernize, but more disruptive social change could well occur within a generation, as larger […]