Towards an International Agreement on Syria?

• June 29, 2012

Following a long conversation between Presidents Obama and Putin at the recent G20 Summit in Mexico, U.S. officials claimed that progress had been made in identifying areas where U.S. and Russian interests coincide. “We agreed that we need to see …

Égypte, autopsie d’une élection

• June 19, 2012

Les derniers 18 mois de l’histoire d’Égypte prouvent combien Churchill avait raison quand il soutenait que la démocratie était le pire des systèmes jusqu’à ce que l’on en trouve un meilleur. L’Égypte prouve également que la tenue d’élections n’est qu’un …

Is an Israeli Attack Inevitable?

• February 26, 2012

Published in the Ottawa Citizen, February 26, 2012

To listen to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his “best friends” Stephen Harper and John Baird, one would think that the Israeli government has made up its mind about attacking …

Obama’s Diplomacy with Iran and the 2009 Election Scandal

• February 25, 2012

CIPS Policy Brief No. 14 (February 2012).
By TRITA PARSI.

• Barack Obama’s presidency began with a diplomatic outreach to Iran.
• However, the space for diplomacy turned out to be limited, due in part to the effects of Iran’s fraudulent 2009

The Cockeyed Case for Preemptive War on Iran

• February 24, 2012

I was invited to talk about fragile states at the annual meeting of the Conference of Defence Associations in Ottawa on Thursday. As it turned out, however, I spent most of my time speaking about Iran.

I couldn’t help myself. …

The Rhetoric and Reality of Attacking Tehran

• November 11, 2011

Published on November 11, 2011 in the Globe and Mail.

The latest United Nations report on Iran’s nuclear program has further raised tensions. While the report was notable for its candour, it carefully avoided making definitive statements on two …

Run Towards War with Iran

• October 30, 2011

In the wake of the alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington, the predictable chorus of right-wingers has come forward to promote one of their favourite causes: the idea of an attack on Iran. Not surprisingly, the idea …

The Ripple Effects of Gadhafi’s Death

• October 21, 2011

Why Israel Made the Deal

• October 20, 2011

The full article was published in the Ottawa Citizen, October 20, 2011.

In 1991, the Italian parliament passed a law prohibiting anybody not only from paying ransom but also from even negotiating with kidnappers. Colombia later followed suit. The …

The Arab Democratic Wave and the Middle East Conflict: A Window of Opportunity

• October 4, 2011

In the past nine months popular demonstrations have swept the Middle East and have led to the toppling of authoritarian governments in Tunisia, Egypt, and later Libya. At the same time, other governments in the region have been experiencing intense …