Epstein Secrets

n between our troubles with Syria and Iran is pretty straightforward. The Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad is Iran's closest ally, and its link to the Arab Middle East. Syria has provided the land bridge for the transport of Iranian weapons and militants to Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Without Syria, Iran's pretens

kely see Israeli- Palestinian negotiations as a bottomless 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

ill 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 matter who wins. The ne

ant minority of voters. France's recent presidential election is instructive. One poll found that a remarkable 93 percent of Muslim voters went for Francois Hollande, while 7 percent voted for Nicolas Sarkozy; another leading poll found that Hollande got 85 percent. The usual estimate is that there are 2 million

at a remarkable 93 percent of Muslim voters went for Francois Hollande, while 7 percent voted for Nicolas Sarkozy; another leading poll found that Hollande got 85 percent. The usual estimate is that there are 2 million Muslim voters in France; if 85 percent of them supported Hollande, that translates t

well. Fully fifty senators signed on before President Obama sent word that he would veto the measure, given the country's growing aversion to more Middle Eastern wars; AIPAC quickly backed down. It seems reasonable that the lobby's executives considered a timely retreat far preferable to a full blown defeat

icant counterweight to China? Why should we care who runs the government of Ukraine? Why would we want to be involved in the hornet's nest that is the Middle East these days? What would be the most deft, sophisticated and effective way for us to respond to China's growing assertiveness in East Asia? What kin

has now been set back. Mr. Obama was sharply critical of Russia in public statements over the past week, first at a news conference with President Francois Hollande of France and then at a meeting in California with King Abdullah II of Jordan. One senior Western official who discussed the issue with Mr. Obama l

rst at a news conference with President Francois Hollande of France and then at a meeting in California wit

f anything resembling a grand strategy, the Obama administration seemed, and still seems, primarily animated by a desire to reduce its footprint in the Middle East. It is in Syria that the puzzling absence of American leadership has served to confirm just how important the United States still is. Without U.S.

has an impact on financial markets everywhere. Obama is the overwhelming favorite of most European electorates, and the likes of France's President Francois Hollande see him as a vital ally in the European debate between the more Keynesian growth-oriented policies of the center-left and the austerity orientation

es, and the likes of France's President Francois Hollande see him as a vital ally in the European debate b

to have failed, Israel would go it alone and launch military operations against the Iranian nuclear project, sucking in the U.S. and risking a wide Middle Eastern conflagration.The American assurances were designed to staunch Israeli fears and give diplomacy and sanctions more time. But as Obama has waffled

n's humiliation by the House of Commons, Francois Hollande's uneasy grip on French opinion and — perhaps mo

friends. A western failure is a Russian advance, and vice-versa. He will doubtless be enjoying David Cameron's humiliation by the House of Commons, Francois Hollande's uneasy grip on French opinion and — perhaps most of all — Barack Obama's twists and turns over Syria. The "reset" of the US-Russia relationship se

Israel loves Iran," "Iran loves Israel" and even "Palestine loves Israel." Ronny Edry of Israel accidentally created an online movement for peace in the Middle East when he posted a Facebook image that declared "Iranians, we will never bomb your country." This is the courageous thing to do: to try to reach the o

ecord low rates and has avoided the troubles of the Mediterranean. But with its economy looking increasingly vulnerable France's Socialist President Francois Hollande ceded leadership in the euro crisis to Germany. France still has many strengths, but its weaknesses have been laid bare by the euro crisis. For yea

accepted rise in the pension age, the major European financial institutions and the German government are increasingly losing faith that President Hollande to make the structural changes needed to put the county's finances in order required to keep the euro zone intact. As Linda greenhouse wrote in the

e Arab army that can maintain control of its internal situation, let alone wage a regional war. In Egypt we find the oldest army in the history of the Middle East, the largest Arab army in terms of size, and one that has fought fierce wars against Israel. However, following the 2011 revolution, the Egyptian a

kozy at Dusk Dominique Moisi 2012-02-21 — And the next French President will be...the EFTA_R1_02209215 EFTA02723329 Socialist Party's candidate Francois Hollande. A month ago, any prediction uttered with such certainty would have sounded imprudent, if not foolish. Uncertainty prevailed. Four candidates domi

n-off. Indeed, the race looked more open than ever in recent memory. Suddenly, something happened — not an event in itself (though it started with Hollande's first great public rally in mid-January), but rather something that may resemble an irresistible process that can be summarized as follows: a maj