We should listen. — Joe Biden did that thing where he says something cringeworthy that then gets explained away and dismissed by the media as a “gaffe” and a “foot-in-mouth moment.” Again. This time it occurred while Biden was touting his ability to work with people he doesn’t entirely agree with to get things…

The Getty Villa and its collections of antiquities are stunning. But that’s just the problem. I’ve worked there a few times now. Initially I was awestruck by the building. Its architecture designed to resemble a Roman villa. Its sprawling layout with various wings, luxurious courtyard, and reflection pool that seems…

What that means for American policy moving forward. — Tuesday, May 8th, President Trump announced that the US would be withdrawing from the JCPOA and reinstating sanctions on the Iranian regime. What comes next is up for debate, though the likely outcomes don’t bode well for the US. In the immediate aftermath of this announcement, nothing is likely to…

And we need to fully grasp the root causes of the problem before we can begin to resolve it. — As the May 12th deadline approaches for Trump to extend sanctions waivers on Iran, thereby staying in the Iran nuclear deal signed in 2015, a full survey of the situation is needed. Iran has become a regional power in the Middle East, a menace in the eyes of Israelis and…

The US is gambling on Saudi Arabia’s prodigal son. His track record shows that may not be the safest bet. — In June 2017, Mohammed bin Salman was named Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, next in line for the throne behind his 83-year-old father and more or less the acting executive of the kingdom. The past year has been a busy one for MBS, as he is commonly known, announcing plans…

The natural next step in considering the US-led airstrikes in Syria is to question what comes next for those involved. With so many international actors involved in the conflict, there can be a tendency to err on the side of panic when considering the possible outcomes of such an escalation…

On Friday night, a coalition of the US, UK, and France launched a series of airstrikes targeting three locations inside Syria. Hoping to cripple Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s potential for future use of chemical weapons, the attack is more of the same from the US in the Middle East: it…