Washington Watch Articles From 2026
Don’t Look to the Democratic National Committee to Change Middle East Policy, That’s Not What the Party Does
There is compelling evidence that voter disaffection with the Biden administration’s failure to confront Israel’s war on Gaza played a role in the Harris presidential campaign’s devastating loss in 2024. The groups most impacted by this failed policy have been central to the Democratic Party’s support base—young voters, voters of color, and those who self-identify as liberal. Polling data establishes that these groups did not turn out to support Harris in 2024 in the same numbers that had voted for Biden in 2020.
Trump May Not Let Voters Decide the Outcome of This Election
There is no doubt that this will be one of the most consequential midterm elections in recent history. In the past two years, policies enacted by President Trump and enabled by a compliant Republican-led Congress have had, and may continue to have, a corrosive impact on the very foundations of governance and our democracy.
The Consequences of Post-9/11 Policies Are Still With Us
In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the Bush administration rushed to implement domestic and foreign policies that had dramatic consequences for the US and the world.
25 Years Ago
The horrors we experienced on September 11, 2001, as a result of the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, are impossible to erase. Nineteen terrorists committed heinous crimes, taking the lives of almost 3,000 innocent Americans. The events of that day left such an indelible mark on those of us who lived through them that just hearing the words “9/11” brings back a flood of nightmarish, emotionally draining memories:
The US Is No Longer Trusted
While the US has a long history of signing treaties, making commitments, and then walking away from them (ask Native American tribes about this), this century’s record of American policy in the Middle East is something quite extraordinary. Dramatic policy shifts, broken treaties, promises made and forgotten, foolish wars fought without attention paid to the mess left for others, and the shattering of international law and conventions—all of these have done substantial damage to the region and to the trust that others have in the US.
When Establishment Officials Aren’t Pampered by Establishment Media
Two July podcasts hosted by progressive media stars and featuring leading Democratic lawmakers brought home the deep disconnect that exists between the way establishment politicians and media operate and the way both come to speak about the Middle East and the realities that exist in that region.
El-Sayed’s Win in Michigan Is the Most Consequential Election This Year
In what, I believe, will be seen as this year’s most significant election; Dr Abdul El-Sayed won a victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. It was a close contest—a nail-biter, as we say—but it was an important win that marks a watershed moment in US politics.
It’s Dangerous to Conflate Criticism of Israel with Antisemitism
Does criticizing actions of the Israeli government or the behavior of its prime minister fuel antisemitism? Despite the stretch of logic required to make this argument and the danger its bizarre conflation presents to American Jews, some US pro-Israel organizations are working overtime to establish the case that criticizing Israel puts American Jews at risk. Their view on this matter has now been echoed by Benjamin Netanyahu who, before leaving Israel for his meeting with President Trump, used an interview with an American TV network to level this very charge against New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The Enduring Legacy of John Esposito
Dr. John Esposito Helped Millions Understand and Appreciate Islam.
US Consensus on Israel Dead
Evidence keeps piling up that the long-claimed bipartisan consensus on US support for Israel is dead. Almost daily there are signs that Israeli behavior and the heavy-handed tactics used by the pro-Israel lobby to browbeat elected officials into unquestioning support for Israel are being rejected not only by Democratic voters but increasingly by elected Democrats as well. Events this past week make this clear.
Rahm Emanuel’s Speech: Not All It Was Hyped to Be
Several observations can be made regarding Rahm Emanuel’s recent speech at Tel Aviv University: what he said and didn’t say, and what impact (if any) his words might have.
The Establishment Is Panicking
It’s fascinating to watch how some elements of the Democratic Party establishment respond to insurgencies.
New York Democrats Show AIPAC the Door
For the past half century, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) largely held sway in elections in both political parties. They threatened and intimidated those who opposed them and, when a critic of Israel was defeated, they boasted of victory, holding it up for others as a lesson. Last week’s Democratic primary elections in New York City, in which three insurgent critics of Israeli policies defeated AIPAC-endorsed candidates, point to what may be the end of an era for the pro-Israel lobby.
Israel’s Out of Control & It’s Not Just Netanyahu
When looking at today’s Middle East, it is important to recognize that Israel is completely out of control, and no one has the will to rein them in.
Immigrant Heritage Month: Remembering What Really Makes America Great
June is National Immigration Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the diverse peoples and cultures that have made America great. This year–when not only immigration and cultural diversity are being challenged, but also the complex history of our country is being erased–it is more important than ever that we stop and examine the record of who we are and how we got to where we are as a country and an American people.
The Middle East Needs Political Solutions, Not More Violence.
Back when the Obama administration was negotiating a nuclear agreement with Iran, I asked National Security Council officials: “Why are you expending all of your economic leverage, and political and diplomatic resources on stopping Iran from developing a bomb they don’t have (and even if they did, could never use), while these same resources could be mobilized to pressure Iran to end its meddlesome behaviors that are destabilizing countries across the region?”
The Sub-Plots Behind the Democratic Party’s “Autopsy” Drama
A number of sub-plots undergird the drama that erupted over the Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin’s release of an incomplete “autopsy” of the 2024 election.
GOP Reacts to Trump Granting a Free Pass to Insurrectionists and Himself
During the past week, the Trump administration announced three separate but connected decisions that are so outrageous they may lead to his comeuppance. Collectively, they reward lawlessness and undermine the very foundations of our democracy.
US Middle East Policies Making a Bad Situation Worse
One reason why US policy in the Middle East has been so problematic is because policymakers refuse to consider its impact on the needs of Arab people. With Israel, it’s a different story. Over-attentiveness to Israeli concerns coupled with the lack of sensitivity to what Arabs think about our actions has led to deep fractures between Arabs and the US and within the Arab World.
Is It Antisemitic to Charge Israel with Genocide?
Is it antisemitic to say that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza? More generally, is it “hurtful and insensitive” for someone to acknowledge the suffering that Israel has inflicted on the Palestinian people? In recent weeks, actions by two different institutions of higher learning brought these two questions to the forefront.