Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on January 13, 2020
Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman effectively managed an impossible challenge — keeping his nation at peace in the world’s most volatile region. Despite knowledge of his illness, I was stunned and saddened by the death on January 10 of Sultan Qaboos bin Said of Oman. I had come to know Sultan Qaboos, who ruled […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on January 10, 2020
By dialing back its response to the latest crisis, Iran stands a better chance of achieving a major strategic objective in the region: America’s departure from Iraq. Following Iran’s missile attacks on a two US airbase, one outside Baghdad and the second near Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, US President Donald Trump almost triumphantly announced that […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on January 3, 2020
The US drone strike against General Qassem Soleimani and other pro-Iran militia leaders has further escalated the tit-for-tat series of actions between the US and Iran. The last several weeks have seen a dangerous escalation in US-Iran tensions in the Gulf. Following the pro-Iranian, Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah’s (KH) attack on a US facility that […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on November 25, 2019
Regardless of how one may argue the case of Israeli settlement legality, America’s decision not to consider West Bank settlements illegal drives down the possibility of resolving this decades-long dispute. On November 18, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that the US would no longer view Israeli settlements in the West Bank as illegal. The decision […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The Cipher Brief on November 18, 2019
Events in Washington last week were gut-wrenching for many, not least for America’s Foreign Service and the two million other public servants of the United States. They were also inspiring and cause for much pride. At present, the House of Representatives impeachment hearings are largely driven not by senior political figures or high-priced lawyers (yet) […]