I premised my writing on the whole Iran/nuclear/sanctions/NPT imbroglio with the ideas that: A. The Obama administration wants to restructure its global security doctrine around joint action to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament through a revitalized NPT; B. To bring Israel (and India and Pakistan) in the tent, it was necessary to show that multi-lateral do-goodery... Read More

In light of Secretary Clinton's determined effort to forestall a Iran nuclear deal brokered by Turkey (see below), I think it's pretty clear that Iran is desperate for a deal and the United States is equally desperate to block one. I think the only thing that could have persuaded Turkey's Prime Minister Erdogan to turn... Read More

I have an article up at Asia Times entitled China in the catbird seat on Iran. It looks at the state of play at the NPT Review Conference and opines that Beijing has done a pretty good job at positioning itself as the intermediary between the West and Iran. I was lucky enough to interview... Read More

I have an article up at Asia Times titled US seeks to turn China over Iran sanctions. I go over the evidence that the United States is trying to shift gears and engage China as a great power with an acknowledged stake in Iran, and not just an amoral, oil-grubbing obstacle to America’s Middle East... Read More

I have an article up at Asia Times entitled China fine-tunes its Iran strategy. I read the Chinese tea leaves (People’s Daily and Global Times) to come to the conclusion that China wishes to avoid a UN Security Council vote on Iran sanctions. Beijing fears that any UN vote, with a Chinese yea vote or... Read More