Washington Watch Articles From 2023
Ukraine’s Day of Reckoning
It’s been more than two months since Ukraine was a front-page news in the US press. It had become an old story and was being displaced by the horrors unfolding daily in Gaza.
NATO’s Caution Was Right
At the recently concluded NATO summit, while member states displayed continued resolve to provide Ukraine the material and political support needed to counter Russia’s assault, they would not agree to Prime Minister Zelenskyy’s demand to an expedited Ukrainian entry into NATO.
New Course for Ukraine
In recent weeks, there have been a number of irresponsible op-eds pressing the Biden administration to supply more advanced US weapons to Ukraine, arguing that the only acceptable outcome to the conflict is a “total Russian defeat.” It is maddening how often these “pundits” have wrongly sought to justify the expanded use of force in conflict zones.
Arab Opinion Reflects Regional Changes
In recent years, a significant juggling of relationships has occurred across the Arab World. After the debacle of Iraq and the dizzying, often incoherent shifts in American policy over the past 20 years, the U.S. is no longer the dominant player it once was. Russia and China have entered the region’s calculus as global powers of influence. And Iran, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and UAE have emerged as local powers making their presence felt.
It Will Only Get Worse
As Russia’s devastating war in Ukraine is entering its second year, with no end in sight, serious questions must be asked about the way forward.