Students researching U.S./Middle East policy should be aware of the influence of special interest groups. The Founders cautioned about “factions,” explaining that when federal policies helped or hurt particular groups, they would lobby for...
U.S. policy toward the Middle East is strongly nationalistic. U.S. policy, both domestic and foreign, favors centralized political and economic power, rather than federalism. And this is unfortunate. For Iraq, federalism is key to...
U.S./Middle East policy has been distracted and distorted by lobbyists and special interests. Critics of U.S. policy have focused on a variety of special interests including oil companies and military contractors. Was U.S./Middle East...
When prices fall by more than half over six months, well, that’s a big savings for most people, and a large stimulus to the economy. Falling oil prices hurt some oil-dependent governments and oil...
With oil prices down over half in six months, oil exporting governments in the Middle East have less than half as much revenue for military and welfare spending, development projects, and funding Islamic extremism...
Oil prices falling by half over the last six months upends the economies of oil-producing countries, including Nigeria, Russia, and many in the Middle East. What will the impact of lower prices be on...
Across the Middle East, state budgets are being cut. Bloomberg reports “Saudi Rulers to Curb Wages as Kingdom Confronts Oil Slump“: Saudi authorities pledged to curb wages and push ahead with investments next year...
The United States doesn’t run an old-style foreign empire. But the U.S. government operates an”experimental empire” when foreign military operations open the door to testing large-scale “nation-building” projects. Quotes because such projects never actually...
Mistake happen and foreign policy goals sometimes collide. Two U.S. policies currently colliding are support and protection of the Kurds in northern Iraq, and support for a unified Iraq. In his WSJ opinion article...
Hernando de Soto’s October 10, 2014 Wall Street Journal essay is titled: “The Capitalist Cure for Terrorism: Military might alone won’t defeat Islamic State and its ilk. The U.S. needs to promote economic empowerment.”...
