Full confession: I didn't watch much of the debate last night, because, well, frankly I didn't want to. I watched the Penguins suck again, which in hindsight was the wrong choice, and then I tuned in to the debate towards the end. So apart from now being very aware that Jim Webb once killed a … Continue reading The difference that 8 years (and one career change) can make

Iran's parliament approved the nuclear deal today, an outcome that was really never in doubt despite whatever kvetching you may have heard coming out of Tehran in recent weeks. That's the good news. The very bad news is that Iranian media announced yesterday that imprisoned Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian was convicted of...well, whatever it … Continue reading Paying the price for the nuclear deal

The Republican National Committee issued a press release today that questions Hillary Clinton's judgment in part because...she voted in favor of the Iraq War. The press release mostly criticizes her for voting against the surge and supporting the US troop withdrawal in 2011, arguing that she was cowed by the political fallout from that 2002 … Continue reading RNC goes full post-parody

Of all the things that happened over the weekend, while I was away, I suspect the most consequential, at least in the short-term, was the horrific terrorist attack on a largely Kurdish peace rally in Ankara on Saturday. The twin suicide bombings killed at least 95 people and wounded another 246. It's being called (and, … Continue reading Turkey tries to move on after Ankara

Today is the traditional anniversary of the Battle of Tours (732), which either saved the Christian world as we know it or interrupted a small Arab-Berber raiding party from getting deeper into France, depending on your point of view. I'd have written a big thing about it for today, but here's the thing: I'm traveling, … Continue reading October 10 and the problem with “this day in history”

Egypt is the largest Arab country by far (it's more than double the size of Algeria, the second-largest). Owing partly to its size, it's historically exerted considerable influence within the Arab World and the Middle East in general. But lately Egypt has been mostly absent from major conflicts that are pock-marking the region. It's playing … Continue reading Egypt’s absence from the Middle East, my latest at LobeLog

I'm not going to pretend to know what goes on in Vladimir Putin's head, and frankly anybody who does is trying to sell you something. But doesn't it seem, after a week or so of this stuff, that part of his motivation in wading into Syria is just to show off a little and maybe … Continue reading Figuring out what Russia is up to

I'm not sure if this story is real or if somebody transcribed one of Bill Kristol's nightmares wildest dreams: The previously unpublicized case is one of at least four attempts in five years in which criminal networks with suspected Russian ties sought to sell radioactive material to extremists through Moldova, an investigation by The Associated … Continue reading Colonel Putin in the Conservatory with the Cesium