Sovereignty

Lebanon’s Inaction Is Dooming the Pilot Zones Project

Lebanon’s pilot zone experiment, established under the U.S.-brokered Trilateral Framework, has so far failed.

Ankara occupies Syria and then lectures Israel about sovereignty

A NATO member that refuses to designate Hamas, hosts its leadership does not get to lecture a state which has legitimate terrorism concerns.

Like Iraq, Lebanon Must Arrest Militia Commanders

While Iraq is acting like a sovereign state in its effort to disarm militias, Lebanon has largely become a bystander as Israel pursues the dismantlement of Hezbollah.

ICC at Crossroads Following Prosecutor Khan’s Removal

Karim Khan, the International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, was removed from his position on July 24 following allegations that he repeatedly raped a female subordinate. Khan’s...

As the Shia Crescent Wanes, Aoun Stakes Lebanon’s Future on Washington

As Iran’s once-expanding “Shia Crescent” of influence across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen wanes, a new American-led regional order is emerging. Ahead of his first visit to the White House, Lebanese...

Iraq’s Proxy Problem

U.S. Quietly Shelves Proposed Hezbollah ‘Deconfliction Mechanism’

The new U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon framework has its strengths and weaknesses. But one immediate and unequivocal benefit is that it buries the misguided idea that Hezbollah should have a seat at the...

A Deal with Teeth: Lebanon Agrees to Disarm Hezbollah or Lose Territory

Lebanon can either disarm Hezbollah or lose its depopulated southern border region to Israeli control.

Trading Away Lebanon: Washington’s Bargains at Beirut’s Expense

For the fifth time since 1958, the U.S. has placed Lebanon on the bargaining table, this time ready to sacrifice the country’s interests in pursuit of a deal with Iran.

Turkey Escalates Tensions in Cyprus

Turkey’s increasingly confrontational posture in the Eastern Mediterranean was on display this week when aircraft carrying European defense ministers to Cyprus were reportedly harassed by Turkish fighter...

Iraq Moves to Disarm Iranian Militias While Hezbollah Gets a Pass

Recent moves by Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and Kataib Imam Ali expose a growing inconsistency in U.S. policy toward Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq and Lebanon.

Ukraine now has the ‘cards,’ the US must force Putin to make concessions

Ukraine is proving it holds more “cards” than some assumed, thwarting Russia’s battlefield advances while pounding its infrastructure. Vladimir Putin is visibly under stress to end the war. Yet...

Iraqi security forces and politicians react to reports of ‘secret’ Israeli base

Iraqi politicians and security forces have responded to a May 9 report in The Wall Street Journal claiming that “Israel built and defended a secret Iran war base in Iraq.” The news provoked...

The Final Lebanon War?

A security zone in southern Lebanon could help Israel degrade Hezbollah faster than it can recover.

If Boycotting Israel Requires a Law, Is It Truly Popular?

Hezbollah and its global Intifada allies claim that the overwhelming majority of Lebanese, Arabs, and people of conscience view Israel as pure evil, a cancer to be eradicated. Yet if this hatred is truly...

Trump Announces 10-Day Ceasefire in Lebanon

Trump Announces Ceasefire: Following conversations with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump announced on April...

Israel and Lebanon Hold Direct Talks in Washington as War With Hezbollah Continues

Talks Held in D.C.: Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted talks between delegations from Israel and Lebanon in Washington on April 14 — the first time the two countries had engaged...

Hezbollah at War: What Comes Next for Lebanon and the Region

Time for Lebanon to Partner with Israel Against Hezbollah

Now that Lebanon and Israel’s interests are so clearly aligned in disarming Hezbollah, the time has come for the two states to cooperate toward this shared goal and lay the groundwork for peace. On...

‘Only strength can ensure peace’: Palau President Whipps Jr.

There is a lot going on in the Republic of Palau, a country of over 300 islands and around 20,000 people southeast of the Philippines. Its strategic location has meant Palau has been subject to waves of...