The House Gets Bad Advice
When it comes to crafting law, Congress seeks input from outside experts to help inform and guide their decisionmaking. The type of experts the body seeks out can say a lot about why Congress does what it does. Last Wednesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee invited some particularly revealing “expert witnesses” that say a lot […]
Why is the pro-war crowd lying about their own studies?
Within 45 minutes of the release of the Bipartisan Policy Committee’s (BPC) report, “The Price of Inaction: Analysis of Energy and Economic Effects of a Nuclear Iran,” pro-war pundits were spinning its results. The neoconservative Washington Free Beacon breathlessly announced, “REPORT: Nuclear Iran would ‘double’ oil prices, cost millions of U.S. jobs.” The problem here is that the BPC […]
E Pluribus Unum
It’s no challenge trying to find an American flag and seal in the U.S. State Department. Almost every place you look, you can find our nation’s beautiful seal decorated with these powerful words, “E Pluribus Unum” meaning Out of Many One. But the reason I went to the State Department was not just to admire […]
Part 1: Assessing the Baghdad Nuclear Talks
Last week, the P5+1 met with Iranian officials in Baghdad to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. While many questions were left unanswered, the one known fact is that there will be another round of negotiations on June 18th and 19th in Moscow. Listen to a NIAC policy panel hosted last week in DC on the nuclear […]
Iran News Roundup 12/8
Presidential candidates continue war rhetoric Republican presidential candidates continued their war rhetoric towards Iran on Wednesday (Reuters 12/7). Front running candidate Mitt Romney said that “covert and overt” actions are needed to pressure Iran. Candidate Jon Huntsman added that “you have to have all options on the table.” Presidential hopeful Michelle Bachman said “the Pentagon […]
The US & Iran: Between Human Rights, Diplomacy & Sanctions
The National Iranian American Council is pleased to announce we will be having a policy conference on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 in Dirksen Senate Office Building G-50. The conference will run from 9 AM to 12.30 PM and will feature two panels; the first will assess the human rights and political situation in Iran and […]
“Rx to Obama: Real Change Now in the Middle East” Capitol Hill Briefing
Yesterday, at the Council for the National Interest Foundation‘s Capitol Hill briefing entitled “Rx to Obama: Real Change Now in the Middle East,” a panel of speakers added their voices to the swirling controversy over Dennis Ross’ alleged appointment as Middle East envoy in the Obama administration. During the briefing, Eugene Bird, President of CNI […]
Kerry to be the next Biden?
You probably noticed that Massachusetts Senator John Kerry had a pretty public role at the convention. This is not only because he was the democratic presidential nominee last time around, it’s also because he’s positioned to be the dem’s next foreign policy authority in Congress.
Ehteshami, Redaelli: “Now is the time to talk.”
At a Stanley Foundation briefing last Wednesday, a panel of European-based Iran experts weighed in on the current state of affairs, including the recent ‘surge’ in diplomacy. Stressing engagement, Anoush Ehteshami, Head of the School of Government and International Affairs at Durham University in Britain, and Riccardo Redaelli, Director of the Middle East Program at […]
Can P5+1 Offer Break the Nuclear Stalemate?
There is little doubt that Tehran will reject the secret P5+1 nuclear offer since it crosses Iran’s red line — suspension of enrichment. The proposal is scheduled Though reinvigorating diplomacy is much needed, the question is why the Security Council powers would make an offer that few believe will break the stalemate at this point […]
Carnegie’s “Junior Fellows” conference looks at new models of government
“[Liberal Democracy] is where the world was, not where it is going.” –Daniel Patrick Moynihan At yesterday’s Junior Fellows Conference at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, one thing was clear: The moment for democracy has passed. Democracy, as a Western, American export has long died in its appeal. According to panelists with expertise from […]
Hearing to feature alternative strategy on Iranian nukes
There will be a hearing in the Homeland Security Committee tomorrow on Iran’s nuclear program. Among the expert witnesses will be Dr. Jim Walsh of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-author of the Luers/Pickering/Walsh proposal for a joint international nuclear fuel bank on Iranian soil. This proposal, which enjoys the backing of an increasing […]