"The targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani is a potential game-changer in the Middle East. Vladimir Putin certainly sees it that way. Within days, he had rushed to Damascus, Syria — not to shore up Bashar al-Assad or tighten Moscow’s grip there but to show that Russia remains a central player and cannot be relegated to the sidelines. "His visit to Syria was one such indicator. His follow-on trip to Turkey was another. In Istanbul, he and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — [...]

"Dennis Ross, who helped negotiate earlier peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians during the Clinton administration, said the United States already has robust military agreements with Israel. "He predicted the Pentagon would be reluctant to support a formal treaty now — in part because it could be seen as a political boost to Mr. Netanyahu in a relationship that the American military wants to keep strictly professional. "Having a formal defense treaty could also raise the appearance that the United [...]

“‘This means with North Korea or Iran, the president has an interest to do deals and show he is producing,’ Ross told the Post. ‘Neither will give him possible wins on the cheap. They may believe that his need for a victory will ensure they can extract concessions from him…’” Read the full article here: Full Article

"On September 14, drones and cruise missiles struck Saudi Arabia’s most important oil-processing facility, at Abqaiq. The attacks don’t just threaten the global oil supply, of which Abqaiq accounts for roughly five percent. They pose a critical test for the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. "Iran has chosen to act very brazenly with these strikes. If there is no consequence for that choice, the Islamic Republic will be even more emboldened. Worse, an ineffectual response will send a message internationally [...]

"Saturday’s attack on Abqaiq, home to one of the most important petroleum processing facilities in Saudi Arabia, threatens to dramatically escalate tensions in the Persian Gulf. While the Saudis have not yet attributed blame, they are likely to do so soon — and to react accordingly. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has declared what most observers suspect: The Iranians might not have directly orchestrated the attacks but are almost certainly behind them. "If true, Iran is continuing its response to the [...]