Commentary
It’s time to build momentum, and Ankara is the venue of the next opportune diplomatic window to do this.
Alper Coşkun, Garo Paylan
{
"authors": [
"Robert Kagan",
"Robert Wright"
],
"type": "legacyinthemedia",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [
"North America",
"United States",
"Middle East"
],
"topics": [
"Security",
"Military",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
Source: Getty
In The Media
Obama's Foreign Policy Options
Though Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton laid out some basic policy positions in her confirmation hearings – the Obama administration will engage directly with Iran and will close Guantanamo, for example – the details of how the administration will pursue these objectives remain unclear.
Published on Jan 15, 2009
Source: bloggingheads.tv
Closing Guantanamo
Kagan is skeptical of pragmatic arguments for releasing Guantanamo detainees, noting the difficulty of demonstrating a link between the United States’ detention policies and further acts of terrorism. The strongest argument for closing Guantanamo and releasing most of the detainees is that it represents a violation of American values.
Talking to Iran
Wright and Kagan agreed with Secretary of State-designate Clinton’s statement in her confirmation hearing that Iran must become a constructive, “respectable and respected” regional player. They disagreed, however, about how Iran will respond to this opening gambit. Although Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon could trigger a regional arms race, Kagan cautioned against bombing Iran, saying, “it’s not clear what the military option can achieve.”
Gaza
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has crippled Hamas’ ability to launch rockets, but has not removed the incentive to target Israel nor the beliefs underlying the group’s embrace of terrorism. Kagan noted that though historically military force has been an effective way to alter beliefs, changing Hamas’ belief in the effectiveness of terrorism will require sustained engagement by the United States, to remove Hamas’ perception that the international community will not help the Israelis and Palestinians achieve lasting peace.
About the Authors
Robert Kagan
Former Senior Associate
Kagan, author of the recent book, The Return of History and the End of Dreams (Knopf 2008), writes a monthly column on world affairs for the Washington Post and is a contributing editor at both the Weekly Standard and the New Republic.
Robert Wright
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Next Steps Toward Peace After the Armenian Elections
- European Security Strategy: In Search of a New AmbitionCommentary
The EU is putting together a new security strategy to meet today’s myriad challenges. But for any proposal to be effective, the union needs to grapple with its identity and ambitions.
Pierre Vimont
- Reviving Kosovo-Serbia Normalization TalksCommentary
Three years after the Ohrid Agreement, Kosovo and Serbia remain far from normalization. To revive implementation, the EU should abandon its ambiguity and act as an even-handed arbitrator.
- +1
Miloš Pavković, Fitim Gashi, Iliriana Gjoni, …
- Washington and Tehran’s Very Dangerous MomentCommentary
The Islamic Republic’s words and actions suggest that it has changed its approach to both diplomacy and war.
Mohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar
- Looking Past the Wall on Palestine-IsraelCommentary
Policy discussion is ignoring that the Palestinian national project is hollowed out and apartheid is a present danger.
Nathan J. Brown
