• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Robert Kagan",
    "David Ignatius",
    "David Sanger",
    "David Brooks"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "menaTransitions",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "MEP",
  "programs": [
    "Middle East"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "Middle East",
    "Iran"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

U.S. Response to the Crisis in Iran

Violence in the aftermath of Iran’s election has raised questions about the future of the regime, and about the way the Obama administration should respond to this controversial situation.

Link Copied
By Robert Kagan, David Ignatius, David Sanger, David Brooks
Published on Jun 19, 2009
Program mobile hero image

Program

Middle East

The Middle East Program in Washington combines in-depth regional knowledge with incisive comparative analysis to provide deeply informed recommendations. With expertise in the Gulf, North Africa, Iran, and Israel/Palestine, we examine crosscutting themes of political, economic, and social change in both English and Arabic.

Learn More

Source: Charlie Rose

With widespread mass protests and escalating violence following the contested Iranian election, many experts are questioning the future of the regime. Meanwhile, critics have accused the Obama Administration of taking an overly passive stance, failing to use its influence to discourage the Iranian regime’s violent crackdown.

Carnegie’s Robert Kagan joined David Ignatius, David Sanger, and David Brooks to discuss the U.S. role in the situation. Kagan highlighted the fact that the Obama administration is at a transition point, where it may have to rethink its commitment to negotiations and its acceptance of the legitimacy of the Iranian regime. At this point, he said, Obama should do whatever he can to try to prevent the regime from using mass violence—before it’s too late. Obama should use his international popularity as a tool and should try to rally other world leaders to join him in condemning the use of mass violence by the Iranian regime.

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.

David Ignatius

David Sanger

David E. Sanger is the national security correspondent for the New York Times and a senior writer for the paper.

David Brooks

Authors

Robert Kagan
Former Senior Associate
Robert Kagan
David Ignatius
David Sanger

David E. Sanger is the national security correspondent for the New York Times and a senior writer for the paper.

David Brooks
Political ReformForeign PolicyNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastIran

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

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    The United States and Iran Have Agreed to a Two-Week Ceasefire

    Spot analysis from Carnegie scholars on events relating to the Middle East and North Africa.

      Michael Young

  • Delegates watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks onstage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.
    Article
    Unstrategic Ambiguity: Trump’s Erratic Approach Leaves Europe Guessing

    The behaviors, public statements, and policies of Donald Trump’s administration have perverted America’s strategic posture toward Europe.

      Dan Baer, Erik Brown

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    On NATO, Trump Should Embrace France Instead of Bashing It

    Donald Trump’s repudiation of NATO goes against the Make America Great Again vision of a U.S.-centered foreign policy. If the goal is to preserve the alliance by boosting Europe’s commitments, leaning into France’s vision is the most America First way forward.

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz

  • Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk attend a press conference at the Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv on February 5, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
    Article
    Kindred Nations, Uneasy Neighbors: Polish-Ukrainian Relations in the Crucible of Russia’s War

    The full-scale invasion cemented Ukraine’s determination to sever its ties with Russia; reimagining the Poland-Ukraine partnership can accelerate Kyiv’s westward alignment and improve the security of both countries.

      Eric Green

  • The tops of people's heads. Raised above their heads are "No Kings" signs, an upside-down American flag, and a rainbow flag.
    Commentary
    Emissary
    Protests Like No Kings Can Only Go So Far to Stem Authoritarianism

    Lessons from other backsliding democracies show that mass mobilization needs to feed into an electoral strategy. 

      Saskia Brechenmacher, Shreya Joshi

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600Fax: 202 483 1840
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.