Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 14, 2016

Saudi Foreign Minister al-Jubeir looks on as Secretary Kerry Addresses Reporters in Riyadh in May 2015. (State Department photo)

Bilal Y. Saab, Atlantic Council: The United States Has No Gulf Allies

The word “ally” is used far too casually in Washington’s Middle East lexicon. It’s time to break this bad habit, because the truth is that with the exception of Turkey—a NATO member—the United States does not share a single alliance with any Middle Eastern country. As the US-GCC summit in Riyadh approaches, understanding what really constitutes an alliance couldn’t be more important.

All this is not to say that the United States shouldn’t have alliances in the region. But the objective reality is that it doesn’t. That Washington so frequently mischaracterizes its bonds with Middle Eastern capitals does great disservice to them, to their own expectations from the United States, and to US policies toward the region. It also unnecessarily aggravates nations with which the United States has real alliances.

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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- April 14, 2016

Russia's Middle East Success -- Shlomo Ben-Ami, The Strategist

How Saudi Arabia plans to shake up its economy -- Katie Paul, Marwa Rashad, and Anfrew Torchia, Reuters

Is Israel forming an alliance with Egypt and Saudi Arabia? -- Ben Caspit, Al-Monitor

In Lebanon, fiscal instability and disruption prosper -- Michael Young, The National

Taking Sides in the War Within Islam -- Bernard-Henri Lévy, Project Syndicate

Clinging on against drought in Ethiopia -- James Jeffrey, DW

No Exit in China -- Thomas Vien, Stratfor

Watch Out: China and Russia Are Working Together at Sea -- Lyle J. Goldstein, National Interest

A kinder, gentler Putin? President speaks softly on Russian call-in show -- Fred Weir, CSM

2 world leaders are drowning - who would Putin save? -- CBS/AP

Why Is Reform So Slow In Ukraine? -- Maryan Zablotskyy, Forbes

In Ukraine, a Pause in Political Infighting: Analysis -- Stratfor

Merkel Gets Stuck Defending a Bad Joke -- Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg

Drought-hit Venezuela waits for rain -- Andrew Cawthorne, Reuters

Is NATO Worth Preserving? -- Victor Davis Hanson, NRO