Arab News 06/16/2011 By Michael Shank America has yet to figure out whether Turkey is friend or foe. With conflicts in Libya and Afghanistan, and tsunamis in Japan and Indonesia, Turkey’s generous military and aid contribution pleases Washington. With Armenia, Israel and Iran, however, Turkey spurns Washington for refusing the […]

Arab News 01/16/2008 By Michael Shank In the United States’ global war on terrorism, Iraq long ago became ground zero both for American forces and those eager to wage war against the West. But it has since also become a formula of sorts for US intervention in other key target […]

Arab News 01/07/2008 Conducted by Michael Shank Dr. Srgjan Kerim is the President of the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly. On Dec. 13, 2007, President Kerim sat down with Michael Shank from George Mason University’s Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution to discuss relations with Iran. Michael […]

Arab News 01/06/2008 By Michael Shank The United States’ response to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has been, unsurprisingly, consistent: this attack by terrorists, while an affront to freedom, must not stop democratic reform in Pakistan, let the elections continue. This mirrors, almost verbatim, post-assassination utterances by Pakistan President Pervez […]

Arab News 04/27/2007 Conducted by Michael Shank King Abdallah of Jordan called for the United States to put its full weight behind a peace drive in the Middle East in his speech delivered in Washington before a joint session of Congress on March 7. The following is an interview with […]

Arab News 12/04/2006 By Michael Shank & Patricia Karam With midterm elections ushering in a new Democrat-dominated Congress, US policy on Iraq is likely to change. So far, a number of approaches have been put forth, ranging from increased securitization of Iraq and a concomitant surge in troop levels, to […]

Arab News 10/20/2006 By Michael Shank Jack Straw’s recent commentary on niqab, or full veil, as a “visible statement of separation and of difference” that “makes it more difficult” for people “to acknowledge each other” signifies the latest in Europe’s embarrassing blunders. Following the pope’s political impropriety, former British foreign […]

ARAB NEWS 08/13/2006 By Michael Shank & Khadija Ali From Afghanistan to Latin America, recent history suggests that the US policy of funding militias that operate outside a national government structure has negative long- and short-term consequences. The militias are difficult to control and they do not have a vested […]