Epstein Secrets

pit for diplomatic energy rather than as a priority. If Obama is reelected, he will have no Middle East hands to whom he can turn. Mideast advisor Dennis Ross has left; Jeffrey Feltman, assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, departed for a post at the United Nations; and Deputy Secretary of S

Bob Corker told Politico last week. In late May, Mitch McConnell, an architect of the G.O.P. strategy o

tion. By declaring that a freeze on construction in settlements and in Jerusalem was a prerequisite for negotiations, Obama and his envoys (led by George Mitchell) cornered Abbas -- how could he appear less "Palestinian" than the Americans? But the breakdown of negotiations presented Abbas with another probl

f State Bill Burns will in all likelihood leave when a new secretary of state is appointed or a few months later. In January 2009, Obama appointed Mitchell as special Middle East envoy on his second day in office. That kind of priority will not be assigned to the "peace process" in January 2013 -- no

ior Israeli official said Mitchell often would say one thing about the direction the U.S. was taking with the two sides, only to be contradicted by Dennis Ross, Clinton's special adviser to the region. The official, who did not want to be quoted by name, said it seemed as if Mitchell had abdicated his role

icle 3. The Daily Star A democratic Arab world would welcome peace with Israel Hamid Alkifaey The Daily Beast The Awkward Exit of Mideast Envoy George Mitchell Daniel Stone Article 4. The Washington Post Amid the Arab Spring, a U.S.-Saudi split Nawaf Obaid Article 5. Article 6. Article 7. Newsweek D

- Two days after Barack Obama's inauguration, George Mitchell was named special envoy for Middle East peace. With the new president standing beside Mitchell and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden took the podium and extolled Mitchell's reputation and experience having brokered

that will fail, once again. The former senator is keenly aware that the consequences of failure are loss of power to get things done in the future. Dennis Ross, the key NSC staffer on the Mideast and Iran, opposes Clinton's idea for a big speech now. Ross, with his usual complex and enigmatic mind, may be

ational Security Council meeting, arguing that Washington has given Israel everything it wanted and gotten nothing in return. Special Mideast envoy George Mitchell wisely counsels against doing anything that will fail, once again. The former senator is keenly aware that the consequences of failure are loss of

nothing in return. Special Mideast envoy George Mitchell wisely counsels against doing anything that will

d to the momentum in Baghdad. "The Iranians are in the position of needing to pursue diplomacy, if anything, even more than they did before," said Dennis B. Ross, one of Mr. Obama's senior advisers on Iran until last year and now at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "It's not like they have any

idence-building measure between both parties. EFTA_R1_02205139 EFTA02721219 Why was this concept lost? The course taken by former special envoy George Mitchell and his team, which began its mission with the unrealistic belief that negotiations were the one and only key to success, was emblematic of the Ob

ding efforts -- would be seen as an admission that their efforts were lackluster by comparison. Their actions were even worse than their rhetoric. Mitchell's team consistently excluded and bypassed the USSC, then Washington's most trusted agent, including on issues that clearly dovetailed with his sec

ed fellow at and director of the Washington Institute's Project for the Middle East Peace Process. He co-authored "Myths, Illusions and Peace" with Dennis Ross. EFTA00586639 AniCIC 3. Wall Street Journal Israel Will Never Have Peace Bret Stephens MAY 17, 2011 -- No doubt it is true, as the Israeli new

ssing of thresholds. It has, however, been preoccupied with the Arab Spring and has not focused on this issue, perhaps precipitating former senator George Mitchell's departure as envoy. The new Palestinian configuration further hamstrings our position. A speech by President Obama this Thursday, focusing on the M

sue, perhaps precipitating former senator George Mitchell's departure as envoy. The new Palestinian config

n this conflict ends -- and on what terms -- but also tell us much about the direction of Egypt during this time of transition in the Middle East. Dennis Ross is counselor at The Washington Institute. Ankle .1 Stratfor Israel and Gaza: Then and Now November 19, 2012 -- Four years ago on Nov. 4, while A

es in 2010, the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, stated outright that his