Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The World Weekly (by Manuel Langendorf) on March 9, 2018
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is touring the UK and US in order to shore up support amidst an era of change in the Middle East. Riyadh’s relations with the West are marked by concerns and opportunities. Within less than a year, the ultra-conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia has undergone unprecedented change, introducing a […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on February 19, 2018
Reflecting on his predecessors’ Middle East efforts dating back to Henry Kissinger in the 1970s, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s recent tour of Middle East capitals — in Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey — appeared sadly strained and overwhelmingly, well, underwhelming. It wasn’t for lack of issues. There were issues aplenty for America’s […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at News and Guts on February 11, 2018
The so-called “Congress of the Syrian National Dialogue” concluded in Sochi, Russia January 30, having failed, as have all previous Russian-led gatherings, to achieve significant results. Russian President Vladimir Putin is learning the hard lesson of Middle East involvement: outsiders enter easily but exit slowly and with great difficulty. It’s a lesson learned (and relearned) […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at The Cipher Brief on February 9, 2018
Bottom Line: As the ongoing dispute between Qatar and Arab countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates enters its eighth month, the U.S. has been forced to strike a delicate balance in its dealings with critical allies in the Middle East. At the same time, the volatility triggered by this divide […]
Published on by Gary Grappo
Published first at Fair Observer on January 23, 2018
It’s happened again: For lack of a budget, the US government has been forced to shut down. Government shutdowns have become an unfortunate by-product of American democracy. This one, which began at midnight, January 20 — ironically the one year anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration — is the fifth such shutdown dating back to 1990. […]