FINANCIAL TIMES 11/30/07 By Michael Shank Sir, Saudi Arabia and Syria hardly constitute a coalition of the craven (“Iran looms large over Arab ‘coalition of the frightened’ “, November 28). The appearance of these and other Arab states at the Annapolis peace summit is anything but an exhibition of anxiety […]
RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH 11/25/07 By Michael Shank and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) The time has come for the world’s leaders to face hard truths concerning the Middle East, specifically the conflict between Palestine and Israel. On Tuesday, President George Bush will provide such an opportunity as leaders of the U.S., Israel, […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 11/18/2007 By Michael Shank The Democratic presidential candidates have been salivating for a situation like Pakistan to come along the campaign trail. Eternally looking soft on security and stuck with no road map for Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan offers the candidates an opportunity to brandish new […]
USA Today 11/13/2007 By Michael Shank Michael Shank, Government Relations Adviser, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University – Arlington, VA. Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., believes that Pakistan in 2007 is similar to how Iran was in the late 1970s. The senator is exhibiting an unfortunate lack of […]
THE HILL 11/07/07 By Michael Shank In the Nov. 6 article “Pakistan’s emergency may mean its aid is cut,” Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) are teaching the U.S. Defense and State departments a valuable lesson vis-a-vis the critical importance of a consistent U.S. foreign policy. Contrary to […]
News International 10/31/2007 By Michael Shank Brand America has taken some knocks of late. Apparently, the not-so-burnished brand is hurting business sales abroad (so much so that ad execs met in New York last month to troubleshoot) and eroding our reputation as a positive force in world affairs. The tide […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 10/04/2007 By Michael Shank It is generally understood that trees are good for the environment. That the forest will be an important ally in preventing global warming is a less known fact. The European Union (EU), however, seems bound to change that. Deforestation and fossil fuel use […]
Foreign Policy in Focus 09/25/2007 By Michael Shank and Shukria Dellawar Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai recently came out swinging at the West again, this time on the topic of opium eradication. Responding to the latest UN report showing an opium production increase of 17% in 2007, Karzai accused the international […]
International Herald Tribune/Daily Star Egypt 08/14/2007 By Michael Shank For those of us who believe in diplomacy, Senator Barack Obama’s recent pledge to dialogue with Cuba, North Korea and Iran offered a much-needed ray of hope. Amidst the security tough-talk by Democratic presidential hopefuls, at least one leading candidate was […]
International Herald Tribune/Daily Star Egypt 08/12/2007 By Michael Shank and Samatalis Haille Prominent Somali intellectuals and parliamentarians from sub-clans once constituting the core of the defeated Islamic Courts Union claim that old rivals are dominating the government and unwilling to share power. Oddly, the international community tolerates this refusal and […]