Syria
What Monday’s shelling in the Golan portends.
Clear red lines are better than the pretense of ambiguity.
As a strategic concept, defeating the Iranian-led order plays to America’s strengths, serves its vital interests, and is poised to attract the support of its traditional allies.
Despite Michael Doran’s efforts to argue otherwise, Turkey shares neither American values nor American interests.
Iranian escalation could play into Israel’s hands.
The inconstancy of America’s role in the Middle East is really no secret, either to its allies or to its enemies.
America needs to back up its allies (Israel, Saudi Arabia, and potentially Turkey), and isolate its adversaries (Iran, Russia, China, Islamic State). Everything else is secondary.
The foundation of the Jewish state’s security doctrine is that it will defend itself.
Under these circumstances, withdrawing from the West Bank would be more dangerous than ever.
Will the combination appeal to the dovish left?
But Tehran is weaker than it seems.
Tehran won’t give up its missiles. And it’s not afraid to use them.
But the IDF can handle more advanced missiles.
A murdered teenager’s life isn’t worth less because he lived in the West Bank.
