Despite diplomatic outreach, the US-Iran standoff continues to inch toward renewed large-scale hostilities. In a new piece, @Katulis and Athena Masthoff examine President Trump’s often spontaneous approach to the war. https://t.co/gwHIci3tLm
US policy on #Iran
Friday 5/29: Trump has 2-hr meeting on Iran in WH situation room
Sat 5/30: Trump has mental health meltdown on social media about a concert
Sun 5/31: Trump clicks back into Iran, says don't worry, be happy
Mon 6/1: More conflict, no progress on talks
On the many challenges facing #Lebanon & its people - including #Hezbollah, #Israel & #Iran -
Check out these insights from @fmakhzoumi in my conversation with him last week as guest host of Middle East Focus, the main @MiddleEastInst podcast
https://t.co/VWiyUamZ5v
2 - ALSO - read my article in @barronsonline on the same issue of whether #Saudi Arabia, #Qatar etc. will join the Abraham Accords with #Israel
Because let's face it:
YOU OWE IT TO ME!
https://t.co/1tX6sYT6CF
1- I MANDATORILY REQUEST that you listen to this brief segment on @NPR@michelekelemen
On the @realDonaldTrump "plan" to expand the Abraham Accords:
https://t.co/ufv3VnDlVg
I will sign a security pact between Lebanon and the United States, because the United States is the only real influence on Israel. I want to pursue peace. Today, the United States has an excellent relationship with Syria and President Sharaa, and it also maintains an excellent relationship with Israel.
If I am positioned between these two countries, then, as far as I am concerned, it is in my interest for the United States to accept me as a member of its regional security coalition. In that case, the whole region could live more peacefully and securely.
This would be my first request. Once we achieve that, the government must do its own work in terms of reforms—supporting legislation and implementing necessary changes. With a security pact in place, we can then attract investment and fully capitalize on our relationship with the United States.
الولايات المتحدة الاميركية هي الجهة الوحيدة القادرة على التأثير الحقيقي على إسرائيل. أريد أن أسير نحو السلام. اليوم، تتمتع الولايات المتحدة بعلاقة ممتازة مع سوريا ومع الرئيس الشرع، كما أنها تحافظ على علاقة ممتازة مع إسرائيل.
إذا كنتُ موجودًا بين هاتين الدولتين، فمن وجهة نظري، من مصلحتي أن تقبلني الولايات المتحدة كعضو في تحالفها الأمني الإقليمي. عندها يمكن للمنطقة بأكملها أن تعيش بسلام وأمن أكبر.
هذا سيكون طلبي الأول. وبعد تحقيق ذلك، يجب على الحكومة أن تقوم بعملها من حيث الإصلاحات—عبر دعم التشريعات وتنفيذ التغييرات اللازمة. ومع وجود اتفاق أمني، يمكننا حينها جذب الاستثمارات والاستفادة الكاملة من علاقتنا مع الولايات المتحدة.
@Katulis@MiddleEastInst
With all due respect to Naim Qassem, he should clean up his own mess before threatening everyone else.
Second, they are already operating outside the state. Some of the conditions I have raised—and I believe President Trump also raised in the Oval Office when we were discussing Lebanon—are that Qard al-Hasan and similar financial services should be completely paralyzed.
They should be stopped and dismantled. Dismantling Hezbollah’s weapons alone will not be enough. We need to ensure this as well.
This issue was also addressed in Naim Qassem’s speech when he attacked the government. The United States is currently leading a coalition against ISIS and other extremist movements. Similarly, we need to ensure a coordinated effort to dismantle Hezbollah politically and financially. Otherwise, Iran will prevail, Hezbollah will be emboldened, and we cannot afford that.
مع كامل الاحترام لنعيم قاسم، عليه أن يُصلح فوضاه أولاً قبل أن يُهدد الآخرين.
حزب الله يعمل خارج إطار الدولة. بعض الشروط التي طرحتها—وأعتقد أن الرئيس دونالد ترامب طرحها أيضاً في المكتب البيضاوي—هي أن يتم شلّ عمل “القرض الحسن” والخدمات المالية المماثلة بشكل كامل. يجب وقفها وتفكيكها. تفكيك سلاح حزب الله وحده لن يكون كافياً. نحن بحاجة أيضاً إلى ضمان ذلك.
وقد تم التطرق إلى هذا الأمر أيضاً في خطاب نعيم قاسم عندما هاجم الحكومة. الولايات المتحدة تقود حالياً تحالفاً ضد تنظيم داعش وحركات متطرفة أخرى. وبالمثل، نحن بحاجة إلى ضمان جهد منسّق لتفكيك حزب الله سياسياً ومالياً. وإلا ستنتصر إيران، وسيُصبح حزب الله أكثر جرأة، ولا يمكننا تحمّل ذلك.
@Katulis@MiddleEastInst
1- I MANDATORILY REQUEST that you listen to this brief segment on @NPR@michelekelemen
On the @realDonaldTrump "plan" to expand the Abraham Accords:
https://t.co/ufv3VnDlVg
2 - ALSO - read my article in @barronsonline on the same issue of whether #Saudi Arabia, #Qatar etc. will join the Abraham Accords with #Israel
Because let's face it:
YOU OWE IT TO ME!
https://t.co/1tX6sYT6CF
Senior Fellow @Katulis on @NPR:
"The real pathway to expanding the Abraham Accords runs not through Tehran, but through Ramallah and Gaza, the central file and main concern when Saudi Arabia or Qatar looks at perhaps joining a normalization accord with Israel. Their central concern is, is there a pathway to a two-state solution?"
https://t.co/fmWeC9QkT0