United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Security Challenges in the Western Balkans

Briefing delivered to the Counter-Kleptocracy Caucus

10 Ways the U.S. Can Strengthen Deterrence in the Taiwan Strait

China’s Senkaku Incursions Are Flying under US Radar

China is putting coercive pressure on a US treaty ally every day in the East China Sea. Washington is barely paying attention.

The Humanitarian Aid Machine Cannot Be Bamboozled by Gaza

The problem with Gaza reconstruction is not simply how much money will be spent. It is whether anyone in Washington has the political courage to ensure American taxpayers are no longer subsidizing the...

Lebanon Must Reform its Army or Lose American Aid

Washington is working on establishing a system “where vetted units within the Lebanese Armed Forces [LAF] have the training, the equipment, and the capability to go after elements of Hezbollah and dismantle...

Kidnapping of opposition leader threatens US momentum in Venezuela

On February 8, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Pablo Guanipa vanished from the streets of Caracas in what allies called a kidnapping, a development that could jeopardize US policy...

South Africa Eyes Confrontation With Trump Over Growing Ties to China, Russia, Iran

South Africa is testing President Donald Trump’s patience, launching a week-long naval exercise alongside America’s adversaries. China, Russia, Iran, and several other countries in the loosely organized...

Maritime Protection of Taiwan’s Energy Vulnerability

Kidnapping of U.S. Missionary Shines Light on Persecution of Christians in Africa

Concern is growing over the whereabouts of Kevin Rideout, an American missionary abducted on October 21 in the West African state of Niger. The seizure of this 48-year-old pilot, who works for...

From Pariah to Partner? Inside Syria’s Washington Comeback Bid

Syria’s transitional President Ahmed al-Shara’a and Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani travelled to Washington and New York for a week of key meetings in the third...

Following Israel’s Strike in Qatar, Trump Should Reset the US-Qatar Relationship

The US-Qatar relationship is in dire need of a reset, and Israel’s recent actions provide a great opportunity to do just that.

Can Syria’s New Leaders and U.S.-Backed Forces Unite to Defeat ISIS?

US Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a delegation to Syria that met with Syria’s transitional President, Ahmed al-Shara’a, on...

Qatar keeps purchasing political influence

Much ethical debate has occurred since Qatar floated the idea of gifting President Donald Trump a Boeing 747 to replace America’s aging fleet of presidential planes. The...

‘Insidious Anti-Israel Trend’: U.S. Congress Warns UN Human Rights Council of Sanctions

Lawmakers Threatens Sanctions: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) warned that they would...

Qatari Cash May Be Coming Soon to a Town Near You

It’s time for Washington to drop the rose-tinted glasses and make clear that America is not up for sale

USAID was rotten, but Trump needs the ‘soft power’ of foreign aid done right

By abruptly shuttering the US Agency for International Development (USAID) only two weeks after returning to Washington, President Trump is signaling that he will bring accountability and efficiency...

State Department Calls Out Genocide in Sudan, Heightening Urgency for U.S. Strategy Change

In the most significant U.S. statement on Sudan since the country’s renewed civil war broke out in 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared on January 7 that members of the Rapid Support Forces...

As Term Ends, Biden Proposes $8 Billion Arms Deal for Israel

Department of State Informs Congress of Planned Arms Package for Israel: In its waning weeks, the Biden administration has informally notified Congress of a proposed $8 billion...

What’s being missed? Amnesty International, ICC, UN, and Israel

Despite Record of High-Profile Bribery, Qatar to Host Upcoming Anti-Corruption Conference

Qatar, the Gulf emirate tangled up in several high-profile corruption cases, is hosting an international anti-corruption conference from November 26-27. Representatives from more than 50 governments and...