Tag: Paul R. Pillar

The Imbalanced US-Saudi ‘Alliance’

Official Washington’s pundit class wrings its collective hands when President Obama voices frustration with Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi “allies” have taken advantage of the relationship, notes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

Balancing Principles and Pragmatism

An important distinction in politics is discerning the difference between a politician who advances principles pragmatically and one that puts career before principle, writes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

Should Obama Visit Hiroshima?

At the upcoming G-7 meeting in Japan, President Obama will have a chance to pay his respects to the Hiroshima victims of the first U.S. nuclear bomb, but he’ll get criticized by political enemies, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

The Danger of More Iran Sanctions

The “bomb-bomb-bomb Iran” caucus is back at it demanding continued sanctions on Iran despite the tight constraints on its nuclear program, another scheme to kill the deal, as ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar explains.

The Challenge After ISIS

The Islamic State’s recent setbacks in Iraq and Syria may portend the group’s eventual collapse, but the chaos left behind will present a challenge of a different sort, writes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

Will China Take Lead on Global Warming?

As the American Right continues to reject climate-change science, China is showing signs of taking the lead in developing cutting-edge technology to combat global warming, writes ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

U.S. Troops on Russia’s Borders

Official Washington’s hype about “Russian aggression” has cloaked a U.S. military buildup on Russia’s borders, possibly increasing risks of escalation and even world war, explains ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

Groveling Before AIPAC

The recent AIPAC meeting brought four of the five remaining presidential candidates – all except Bernie Sanders – to Washington to grovel at the feet of the Israel lobby, a depressing scene, says ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.

The Risk of Overreacting to Terror

Republicans are denouncing President Obama for not reacting to the Brussels terror attacks by dropping everything and rushing back to Washington, but ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar says overreacting can be a bigger mistake.

Misunderstanding the Terror Threat

By jumping into wars wherever some group calls itself “Islamic State,” the U.S. government misunderstands the threat and feeds the danger of endless warfare, explains ex-CIA analyst Paul R. Pillar.