Epstein Secrets

he US broke the habit of more than 30 years and sat down to talk to each other. Know your enemy is a first rule of diplomacy — and of intelligence. John Kerry has his detractors but, unlike his predecessor Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state understands that serious diplomacy demands a willingness

a broadening of the issues on the table could give the Saudis a chance to make their voice heard -- but few expect them to change their tune. "When Kerry went to Saudi Arabia [earlier this month], they told him in no uncertain terms that they're against any deal being cut, any lifting of the sanction

its patronage of the Lebanese paramilitary organization Hezbollah, and what they perceive as its intent to use Shia communities to stoke unrest in the Arab Gulf. "They want to stop [Iran], to stop its ability to project influence in the region. And I think they've drawn the line in Syria," said Bernard Hayk

d out that one of her positions clashed with that of then-national security advisor Gen. James Jones, Rice retorted, "I outrank General Jones." 6. John Kerry might have lost his bid for the presidency in 2004 and been passed over in 2008 for the top job at the State Department, but he is a powerful forc

e president's nuclear agreement with Russia through ratification in 2010 -- an arduous process that culminated in an eight-day debate during which Kerry spent some 70 hours on the chamber's floor. And, as "a kind of ex-officio member of Obama's national security team," in the words of FP columnist J

d are now rising to power thanks to the Arab spring - i.e. had it relinquished its sometimes excessive Shiite rhetoric, discontinued its threats to the Arab Gulf states and stopped interfering here and there. With some wisdom and modesty, it could have established relations with its neighbors, and used them

October, 2013 Article 1. NYT Rice Offers a More Modest Strategy for Mideast Mark Landler Article 2. Foreign Policy Assad's War of Starvation John F. Kerry Article 3. Al-Monitor Rift Between Cairo And Washington Deepens Joshua Haber Article 4. The Washington Post Can the military learn from its mi

e Middle East peace process a top priority — even after failing to broker an agreement during the administration's first term — in part because Mr. Kerry had already thrown himself into the role of peacemaker. EFTA00694511 More than anything, the policy review was driven by Mr. Obama's desire to t

nd seek closer relationships with those countries that share its strategic priorities — namely cracking down on the Brotherhood. Gravitation toward the Arab Gulf monarchies — particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — is extremely probable. Since the July 3 military intervention, these states a