U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE - Ukraine, Biden in Saudi Arabia, China

"Secretary of State Blinken on the war in Ukraine, Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia and China’s aggression" PBS NewsHour 6/14/2022

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SUMMARY:  The challenges for U.S. foreign policy at this fraught moment in history are many, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and energy production and human rights in the Middle East to competition with China and Iran's nuclear program.  All of those issues are being tackled by America's top diplomat at the State Department.  Secretary of State Antony Blinken joins Judy Woodruff to discuss in more detail.

OPINION - Shields and Brooks 1/10/2020

"Shields and Brooks on Iran conflict, impeachment trial standoff" PBS NewsHour 1/10/2020

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SUMMARY:  Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Amna Nawaz to discuss the week in politics, including how the Trump administration and Congress have handled conflict with Iran, indications House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is preparing to send articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial of the President and what all the tumult means for 2020 Democrats.

Amna Nawaz (NewsHour):  Back on Capitol Hill this week, the House of Representatives voted to check the President's war powers against Iran, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi told her Democratic Caucus to prepare for the next chapter on impeachment in the days ahead.

Here to help make sense of it all, as well as some eye-popping polling numbers from the Democratic primary field, are Shields and Brooks.  That's syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.

Happy Friday.  Welcome to you both.

Let's start overseas, shall we?

David, it was a week ago that the U.S. assassinated the Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, three days since Iran retaliated.

President Trump says he wants peace.  They just rolled out new sanctions against Iran today.  Is this de-escalation?

David Brooks, New York Times:  Yes.

A week ago, we didn't know where we were going.  And it certainly looks a lot calmer than it did a week ago.  And it looks more like a normal Middle East terror episode, in which case you have a terror army, whether it's Hezbollah or Iranian-state sponsored terrorism.  They're ramping up ramping up activities.

And then the U.S. says, stop.  You — let's — we're going to be in conflict, but let's not get carried away here.  You're pushing the boundaries here.

And so we do an action, and when you do this kind of action, like killing Soleimani, it's using violence as a form of communication, saying you have pushed the boundaries, time to stop.

And then the other side, the terrorist side, has a chance to say, no, we're going to keep going, or they have a chance to say, message received, we won't push the boundaries, it's not in our interests either.

And that seems to have been what has happened.  We have seen that through the Israeli-Hamas or fights.  We have seen it through other terror fights.  And it looks like a much more conventional sort of communication between a nation and a terror organization.

Amna Nawaz:  At the same time, Mark, we have had 176 civilians killed as a result of those escalated tensions, right?  That didn't happen in a vacuum, necessarily.

And now Iraq and Iran are kind of on the same page, wanting U.S. troops out, out of Iraq from the Iraqi Parliament, and out of the region from Iran, which has always been a stated goal.

I guess the question is — and we may not know this yet — but are we safer?  That's what the administration is arguing.

Mark Shields, syndicated columnist:  My argument, I guess, would be that we're not.

But I go to the words of one exceptionally well-read Marine general, who later became secretary of defense, who said, history teaches — history teaches us that nations with allies thrive, nations without allies wither.

Every year, Pew Research, a very respected polling operation, polls in the world, 32 different countries, on trust and confidence.  And the fact is, the United States under Donald Trump has plummeted in the world.

Among five world leaders, including Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin and Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Macron, the fact is that Donald is at the bottom.  He has 29 percent of the world has confidence in him; 64 percent don't.

This is a total reverse, total reverse from Barack Obama, when 64 percent of the world had confidence in his judgment.

We are isolated as a people.  I mean, Secretary Pompeo complained that the Brits and the Germans didn't go along.  (A) there is no support in their country for it.  (B) they were never consulted.

So, no, I think — I don't argue with David's assessment of the individual discrete events.  But I think the overall pattern is that we're paying a terrible price for isolation.

And alliances have been the saving strength of the United States and the Western world since World War II, and they are in total disrepair at this point.

Amna Nawaz:  A lot of the questions revolve around what will happen next, for sure, right?  There's concern there could be an increase in some of those proxy militias you had mentioned, David.

I want to play a sound bite for you, though, from President Trump at a rally in Ohio last night.  He was responding to the House's move to try to restrict some of those Presidential war powers that Presidents have had for several years now post-9/11.

Take a listen to what President Trump had to say last night:

President Donald Trump:  They're all trying to say, how dare you take him out that way?  You should get permission from Congress.  You should come in and tell us what you want to do.

(BOOING)

President Donald Trump:  You should come and tell us, so that we can call up the fake news that's back there, and we can leak it.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

Amna Nawaz:  David, to some degree, no surprise the House said, we want you to come to us before you take more action against Iran.

But then we also saw a Republican senator, right, Mike Lee from Utah, outraged after a briefing from military intelligence leaders that he felt was completely insufficient.

Is this the time you think Congress starts to claw back some of that power?

David Brooks:  No, I don't think so.

I mean, they have had the chance in bin Laden.  They have had a lot of chances, and the executive has taken this power.

I do think the laws we have are obsolete.  They're — for a time when not a terror war, whether it was like World War II or Vietnam, when there was a moment of peace and then a moment of war, and there was a transitionary moment where Congress would act between those two states.

But in an ongoing terror war, there's no moment of peace and there's no moment of war.  It's constant engagement.  And so for the President, in a position of constant conflict with Iran, where they're ramping up pressure, we're trying to fight them, a discrete episode seems to me outside the bounds of Congress.

Having said that, the President, executive branch shouldn't be running a long-running terror war without the constant communication with Congress and with the intelligence communities and the Intelligence Committees.

And so while I don't think Congress should be approving every little individual operation, it's certainly up to the executive branch to be in constant communication, so there are no surprises.  And that doesn't seem to have happened.

Amna Nawaz:  Mark, what do you make of the way the administration has been responding to those calls for greater oversight, maybe explaining and providing justification for this strike on Soleimani in the first place?

Mark Shields:  Oh, I don't think there's any question the President has asserted the total autonomy of his office.

I mean, he sees no need to consult.  He sees no congressional restraints.  And I think, in spite of the fact that the House did act on the war policy, it's not going to go anywhere in the Senate.

But there are there are pockets of resistance.  I mean, it was — whether it was Senator Lee or Congressman Gaetz in the House.  I mean, whether in fact it takes on a larger dimension remains to be seen.

But make no mistake about it.  Donald Trump and his administration make a serious mistake by not consulting.  If they're not with you on the takeoff, they're not going to be with you on the crash landing.

And there's no — they have no stake in what happens as far as his policy is concerned.  Obviously, they do care about the nation.  But as far as his policy and whatever political damage there is done to him, if they in no way are consulted or asked their opinion or their judgment or just told to shut up and join…

David Brooks:  And despite this episode with Soleimani, I do think there's a bipartisan move, almost a consensus, a populist consensus.

Trump has used military force less than any President since Jimmy Carter.

Mark Shields:  Yes.

David Brooks:  He's [Trump] not normally a military guy.

From the populists on the left and populists on the right in different versions, it's like the Middle East is a mess.  We are not good at dealing with that region.  Let's stay away.

And I do think, whether it's Mike Lee or people further on the left — Mike Lee's a Republican — there's a consensus, we shouldn't be involved in that region, or as little as possible.

TRUMP vs IRAN - Weapon of Mass Distraction

Forget impeachment details, let the distraction begin......

"Iranians unite to mourn military icon Qassem Soleimani" PBS NewsHour 1/6/2020

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SUMMARY:  Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets Monday to mourn Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike Friday.  Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led funeral prayers and wept over Soleimani's body.  But the fallout is more than emotional; as Iran and President Trump trade threats, the U.S. military is bracing for potential retaliation.  Nick Schifrin reports.

"Ambassador: Iran vows revenge, but has nothing against Americans" PBS NewsHour 1/6/2020

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SUMMARY:  The Friday killing of Iran’s best-known military commander in a U.S. airstrike prompted an outpouring of grief in Tehran -- along with vows of vengeance.  In the aftermath of Qassem Soleimani’s death, the country’s leaders and President Trump exchanged threats about what might come next.  To share Iran’s perspective, Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi joins Judy Woodruff.

"What killing of top Iranian general means for nuclear deal and the U.S. in Middle East" PBS NewsHour 1/6/2020

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SUMMARY:  For two views on the latest developments in Iran and Iraq, Nick Schifrin speaks with Narges Bajoghli of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, author of “Iran Reframed: Anxieties of Power in the Islamic Republic,” and U.S. diplomat Ryan Crocker, who served as ambassador to Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon and is now diplomat in residence at Princeton University.

"Iran says it has launched ballistic missiles at American air bases in Iraq" PBS NewsHour 1/7/2020

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SUMMARY:  After trading threats with the U.S., Iran said Tuesday night it launched ballistic missiles on Iraqi facilities housing U.S. troops in retaliation for the American killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani.  The attacks come after President Trump and top U.S. officials defended the Soleimani strike, which has been blamed for pushing the U.S. and Iran closer to war.  Judy Woodruff and Nick Schifrin report.

" Foreign policy experts weigh in on Trump’s Iran strategy" PBS NewsHour 1/7/2020

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SUMMARY:  The U.S. killing of one of Iran’s top military leaders has prompted questions about whether the Trump administration has an effective strategy for Iran, Iraq and the larger Middle East.  As Iran announces it has fired missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops, Nick Schifrin talks to Mara Karlin of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and the Hudson Institute’s Michael Doran.

"After missile strikes on Iraqi bases, U.S. and Iran both appear to de-escalate" PBS NewsHour 1/8/2020

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SUMMARY:  President Trump says Iran is “standing down” after firing missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops -- but causing no casualties.  But Iran says its goal is to see U.S. forces leave the Middle East.  The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Karim Sadjadpour joins Nick Schifrin, Yamiche Alcindor and Judy Woodruff to discuss the latest developments.

"U.S. should ‘drive a wedge’ between Iranian regime and its people, says Rep. Gallagher" PBS NewsHour 1/8/2020

NOTE:  The effect is exactly opposite, the Iranian people and government are more united.

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SUMMARY:  For a congressional Republican’s perspective on the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, we turn to Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.) a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a former Marine who deployed twice to Iraq as a commander of intelligence teams.  He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss why he supported the decision to kill Gen. Qassem Soleimani and what he expects next from Iran.

"Rep. Crow: Congressional questions about Soleimani strike ‘have not been answered’" PBS NewsHour 1/8/2020

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SUMMARY:  For a congressional Democrat’s take on the conflict between the U.S. and Iran, we turn to Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) a member of the House Armed Services Committee.  Crow is a lawyer and former Army Ranger who deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan during his military career.  He joins Judy Woodruff to discuss why he is not satisfied with the Trump administration’s handling of the Soleimani strike.

"Will fallout from Soleimani killing drive U.S. troops from Iraq?" PBS NewsHour 1/10/2020

Fallout?  Russia wins, ISIS wins, (war criminal) Bashar Hafez al-Assad wins.

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SUMMARY:  The fallout from the Trump administration’s killing of Qasem Soleimani continues to unfold -- and it could affect the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq.  On Friday, Sec. of State Mike Pompeo rejected Iraqi calls for the U.S. to plan troop withdrawal.  Retired Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmit, who served in the George W. Bush administration, and York University’s Thabit Abdullah join Nick Schifrin to discuss.

IRAN - Let Leash the Dogs of War

Reminder from the past...


"How U.S. airstrikes could affect ongoing tensions with Iran" PBS NewsHour 12/30/2019

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SUMMARY:  Words and actions between the U.S. and Iran are escalating.  On Sunday, U.S. military strikes on an Iraqi militia group backed by Iran killed 25 fighters in what the U.S. said was retaliation for rocket fire that killed an American defense contractor.  Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran, and Vali Nasr of Johns Hopkins University join Nick Schifrin to discuss.

"Iraqis supporting Iran-backed militia attack U.S. Embassy, demand U.S. withdrawal" PBS NewsHour 12/31/2019

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SUMMARY:  In Baghdad, supporters of an Iran-backed militia remained outside the gates of the U.S. Embassy after attempting to storm the compound earlier in the day.  The U.S. military planned to move more Marines in, but the Iraqi protesters insisted they won’t leave until their demand -- that U.S. forces leave Iraq entirely -- is met.  The Washington Post’s Mustafa Salim joins Nick Schifrin from Baghdad.

"How Iran could benefit from Iraqi outrage over U.S. airstrikes" PBS NewsHour 12/31/2019

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SUMMARY:  A tense new year has dawned in Baghdad after U.S. airstrikes against an Iranian-backed militia prompted one of the worst attacks on a U.S. Embassy in years.  Bilal Wahab of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and Kirsten Fontenrose of the Atlantic Council join Nick Schifrin to discuss whether the U.S. is falling into an Iranian “trap,” what the Iraqi people want and what to expect next.

"Who was Qassam Soleimani, and what does his death mean for Iran — and the U.S.?" PBS NewsHour 1/3/2020

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SUMMARY:  Qassam Soleimani was the Middle East's most recognized military commander, strategist and operational chief of Iran's militant proxies and a symbol of its regional ambitions.  He was killed in a targeted U.S. drone attack Friday at Baghdad’s international airport.  Nick Schifrin reports and joins special correspondent Jane Ferguson and Judy Woodruff to discuss his death and the regional response.

"Why the U.S. military targeted Qassam Soleimani — and how Iran might react" PBS NewsHour 1/3/2020

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SUMMARY:  How is Iran likely to react to the American military strike that killed top general Qassam Soleimani -- and how well prepared is the U.S. to withstand that response?  Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and retired Adm. Michael Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, join Nick Schifrin to discuss Soleimani's role and how Iran will adapt without him.

The spin..........

"Kaine says Trump’s Iran policy hurts U.S. allies, pushes enemies closer together" PBS NewsHour 1/3/2020

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SUMMARY:  An elite Iranian general is dead, and the United States and Iran appear even closer to conflict.  In Washington, members of Congress had mixed reactions to the killing of Qassam Soleimani.  Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss why he believes President Trump should have consulted Congress before the strike.

"Risch says Soleimani was ‘ratcheting up’ attacks on the U.S." PBS NewsHour 1/3/2020

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SUMMARY:  When the U.S. military killed an elite Iranian general in Iraq on Friday, Washington called it self-defense, while Tehran called it a crime -- and vowed vengeance.  Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the evidence that Qassam Soleimani presented an imminent threat to American lives and why his assassination “had to be done.”

..........end spin cycle.

"U.S.-Iran tensions: a diplomatic quagmire for the Middle East" PBS NewsHour 1/4/2020

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SUMMARY:  Iran is vowing revenge after U.S. airstrikes on Friday killed the country’s military leader Qassem Suleimani.  Thousands of American troops are heading to the Middle East as tensions with Tehran escalate.  Douglas Ollivant, former Director for Iraq at the National Security Council under the Bush and Obama administrations, joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss the diplomatic fallout.

"Anger in Beirut as Hezbollah supporters mourn Suleimani" PBS NewsHour 1/5/2020

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SUMMARY:  Members of Hezbollah and their supporters gathered on Sunday in Beirut, Lebanon, to mourn the death of Iran's top military leader, General Qassem Suleimani, who was killed by a U.S. military airstrike on Friday in Iraq.  NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Jane Ferguson reports on how Iran’s most powerful proxy group is responding to the loss of their revered hero.

NEWSHOUR BOOKSHELF - "Our Women on the Ground"

"How Arab women are changing the face of journalism in the Middle East" PBS NewsHour 8/26/2019

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SUMMARY:  A new book called “Our Women on the Ground: Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World” shares the stories of female journalists working in the Middle East.  The editor Zahra Hankir, and NPR correspondent Hannah Allam, who wrote one of the chapters, sat down with Amna Nawaz recently to discuss how Arab women reporting in the Middle East are both unusually limited and uniquely empowered.

AFTER ISIS - Caliphate’s Capital City, Raqqa

"After the fall of ISIS caliphate, its capital remains a city of the dead" PBS NewsHour 4/4/2019

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SUMMARY:  Although the Islamic State’s physical territory has dissolved, immense destruction from the brutal battle to eradicate the militant group remains.  In the former caliphate’s capital city, Raqqa, survivors sort through the wreckage in search of bodies, recalling the atrocities they’ve seen in this city of the dead.  Special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports from Raqqa.

TURKEY - Tense Allies

"Turkish foreign minister slams U.S. for having ‘no clear strategy’ on Syria" PBS NewsHour 4/3/2019

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SUMMARY:  Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu slammed the United States’ Syria strategy and Middle East peace plan, saying Wednesday that one was underdeveloped and the other might not exist.

“It seems that there is no clear strategy yet” by the U.S. to dial back its military presence in Syria, Cavusoglu said in an interview with PBS NewsHour anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff.

Cavusoglu said Turkey was getting different signals from President Donald Trump and other U.S. departments, including the military.  Trump tweeted last December that the United States was withdrawing all of its troops from Syria, but since then he has gradually dialed back that declaration and committed to keeping a residual force in the country.

Turkey’s foreign minister also said he doubted the existence of a U.S. peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians — an effort that Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner has been leading for the U.S..  “Until today, there is no peace plan,” Cavusoglu said.  “We are not sure whether there will be.”

He added that Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem showed the President’s bias towards Israel.  Trump’s recent policy change recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel seized from Syria during the Six-Day war in 1967, was another decision that “everybody has been concerned about,” Cavusoglu said.

“Everybody believes the U.S. is no longer a balanced or objective” leader on the world stage, he said.

ANTISEMITISM IN AMERICA - Fault Lines

As I've said before, the UNCONDITIONAL support of Israel is NOT warranted, considering that their over-retaliation policies are 50% of the problem in the Middle East's 'Never Ending War.'  Yes, the Palestinians are the other 50% of the problem, but it IS the retaliations by both sides that is the problem.  So Israel SHOULD be criticized for their part.

Also, no outside entity (including the U.S.) can solve this problem.  Only the people (Palestinian and Israeli) can solve the problem by telling their governments to just stop.

"What the firestorm over Rep. Omar’s remarks says about anti-Semitism in America" PBS NewsHour 3/7/2019

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SUMMARY:  Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) faced a firestorm recently after suggesting political support for Israel might entail "allegiance to a foreign country."  After critics slammed her remarks as anti-Semitic, the freshman congresswoman apologized, and House Democrats wrote a resolution condemning bigotry.  Nick Schifrin talks to The Israel Project’s Josh Block, and J Street’s Jeremy Ben-Ami.

MIDDLE EAST - Freshwater Shortage

"Arid Middle East faces political battles over water shortfalls (Part 1)" PBS NewsHour 12/31/2018

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SUMMARY:  The Middle East is facing a water crisis, and the divisions between Israel and Palestinians have only exacerbated the problem.  But whereas Israel is a pioneer in desalination and produces much of its own water, in Gaza, Palestinians struggle with access to clean water due to an Israel-imposed blockade.  Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro has a two-part look at water equity in the Middle East.

"Water crisis may make Gaza Strip uninhabitable by 2020 (Part 2)" PBS NewsHour 1/1/2019

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SUMMARY:  In the Gaza Strip, 97 percent of freshwater is unsuitable for human consumption, and raw sewage pours into the Mediterranean Sea.  Facilities for desalinating and treating water function on only a limited basis, as Israel controls the flow of fuel and supplies into the region.  But Israelis, too, could face consequences from contaminated water.  Special correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

NEVER ENDING WAR - Israel & Hamas

"Israel and Hamas seem to pull back from the brink of war after violence flares" PBS NewsHour 8/9/2018

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SUMMARY:  Israel and militant group Hamas have agreed to a tentative truce to calm tensions that have risen dramatically in recent days and the last 24 hours.  Militants have fired rockets and mortars toward Israeli towns, while Israeli jets pounded targets in Gaza.  Foreign affairs correspondent Nick Schifrin reports that when wars in Gaza start, it’s often civilians who pay the biggest price.

ONE ON ONE - John Bolton on Trump Diplomacy

"John Bolton: North Korea has not ‘taken effective steps’ to denuclearize" PBS NewsHour 8/6/2018

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SUMMARY:  National Security Adviser John Bolton on Monday criticized North Korea’s denuclearization efforts, saying leader Kim Jong Un was not living up to the commitment he made to President Donald Trump at their June meeting in Singapore.

“What was significant about Singapore was the North Korean commitment to denuclearize, and they have not taken effective steps to do that,” Bolton said in an interview with PBS NewsHour correspondent Nick Schifrin.  Closing the Punggye-ri nuclear test site with no international observers present, as North Korea did in May shortly before the summit, does not qualify, he said.

After the summit in Singapore, critics argued Trump failed to reach a substantive deal with Kim on winding down North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.  The President and senior administration officials have claimed the meeting was a success.

Bolton said the Trump administration was working to send Secretary of State Mike Pompeo back to Pyongyang to meet with Kim again.  Pompeo was in Singapore for the summit and has led the United States’ negotiating effort.

“We’re not looking for rhetoric here.  We’re looking for performance of North Korea’s own commitment made to us, made to South Korea beforehand, to denuclearize,” Bolton said.

YEMEN - War Without Conscience

"Yemen’s spiraling hunger crisis is a man-made disaster" (Part 1) PBS NewsHour 7/2/2018

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SUMMARY:  One of the poorest countries in the Middle East, Yemen's war has pushed it to the brink of famine.  A Saudi blockade has slowed the flow of food and helped push prices up.  Markets and businesses are ruined from airstrikes.  Millions are destitute.  Special correspondent Jane Ferguson smuggled herself across front lines to report on what's happening inside the world's worst humanitarian disaster.

"American-made bombs in Yemen are killing civilians, destroying infrastructure and fueling anger at the U.S." (Part 2) PBS NewsHour 7/3/2018

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SUMMARY:  War rains down from the sky in Yemen, where an aerial bombing campaign by Saudi-led and American-backed coalition hammers much of the north.  The U.S. military supports the campaign against the Houthi rebels with logistics and intelligence, and sells the Saudis many of the bombs it drops on that country.  Special correspondent Jane Ferguson smuggled herself across front lines to report this series.

"Houthis deny U.S., Saudi claim that they are Iran’s puppets" (Part 3) PBS NewsHour 7/5/2018

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SUMMARY:  In the streets of Yemen’s capital Sana’a, chants of “Death to America” are loud and clear.  Houthi rebels, tied to Iran, seized the city and much of the north in 2014, causing Saudi Arabia to form a coalition, backed by the U.S., to defeat them.  The war has brought the country to its knees and driven bitter resentment, but hasn't pushed the Houthis back.  Special correspondent Jane Ferguson reports.

RELIGION - Iran Rising in Iraq (3 parts)

"Does Iran’s deep religious influence in Iraq translate to politics?" PBS NewsHour 12/6/2017

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SUMMARY:  During the rule of Saddam Hussein, few Iranians dared to make the religious pilgrimage to the holy city of Karbala in Iraq.  But the toppling of Saddam has drawn millions of worshippers back, revealing Iran's powerful influence there.  In the first of three reports, special correspondent Reza Sayah explores the scope of and limits on that influence, in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

"This Iran-backed militia helped save Iraq from ISIS.  Now Washington wants them to disband" PBS NewsHour 12/7/2017

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SUMMARY:  In 2014, when most U.S.  ground forces were gone and Iraqi forces were too weak, the threat of ISIS in Iraq spawned the PMF, a government-sanctioned militia that was armed, funded and trained by Iran, America's long-time foe.  In the second installment of our series “Iran Rising in Iraq,” special correspondent Reza Sayah reports in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

"After fighting common enemy ISIS, how will rising tensions between U.S. and Iran affect Iraq?" PBS NewsHour 12/8/2017

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SUMMARY:  In a 2016 offensive to take Mosul back from ISIS, the U.S. and Iran fought on the same side without ever publicly acknowledging it.  The militant group defeated, both countries still have a stake in Iraq and tensions have been rising.  Special correspondent Reza Sayah has the final installment of our series Iran Rising in Iraq, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

MIDDLE EAST - Saudi Arabia vs Lebanon

"How a rift between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon could mean trouble for the entire region" PBS NewsHour 11/23/2017

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SUMMARY:  Earlier this month, Lebanese prime minister Saad Hariri shocked the region by announcing his resignation.  Now back home from Saudi Arabia and his Middle East tour, Hariri says he’s postponing his resignation at the behest of president Michel Aoun.  Special correspondent Jane Ferguson joined Judy Woodruff to discuss the regional implications of Saudi-Lebanese tensions.

AMORALITY - Evangelical Christian Hobby Lobby

Ah!  Another so-called Christian that actually worships a false god, money.

"Why Hobby Lobby is in trouble for importing artifacts" PBS NewsHour 7/6/2017

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SUMMARY:  Hobby Lobby, the national arts-and-crafts supply chain, illegally imported thousands of ancient relics from the Middle East, according to the Justice Department.  The family-owned, Evangelical Christian company must now turn over rare clay tablets and artifacts that likely once came from Iraq.  William Brangham learns more from Deborah Lehr of George Washington University.

50 YEARS LATER - The 6-Day War

aka "The Never-Ending War"

"50 years later, a reporter recalls the 6-Day War – and the Israeli-Palestinian tensions that remain" PBS NewsHour 6/2/2017

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SUMMARY:  Monday marks the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War, a 1967 battle between Israel and neighboring Arab nations.  The war created a stalemate between Israel and the Palestinians that continues today.  It's the same standoff that confronted President Donald Trump on his recent visit to the Middle East.  Fifty years later, former NewsHour correspondent Terence Smith reflects on his coverage of the war.

TRUMP DIPLOMACY - First Overseas Trip Updated

IMHO:  Trump insults and shoves aside others, does not understand you don't negotiate EU issues with just one country.

And (as usual) it's Trump first, Trump all the time.

"On Iran and anti-extremism, Trump strikes different note from his predecessors" PBS NewsHour 5/22/2017

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SUMMARY:  On his first trip abroad, President Trump met this weekend with Arab leaders in an attempt to reset relations between the U.S. and Middle East.  How is this president changing U.S. foreign policy?  Judy Woodruff speaks with Elliott Abrams, a former administration official under George W. Bush, Robin Wright of the United States Institute of Peace, and Daniel Benjamin of Dartmouth College.

"After tone-shifting speech in Saudi Arabia, Trump broaches peace prospects in Israel" PBS NewsHour 5/22/2017

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SUMMARY:  President Trump is in Israel, where he spent the day talking up peace prospects in the region.  John Yang reports on the president's arrival and recaps Mr. Trump's high-profile address in Saudi Arabia over the weekend, then Judy Woodruff gets an update from Tamara Keith of NPR, who's reporting from Jerusalem.

"President Trump and Pope Francis trade gifts, not barbs, in first meeting" PBS NewsHour 5/24/2017

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SUMMARY:  President Trump met privately with Pope Francis on Wednesday, his first audience with the leader of the Catholic Church, and with whom he has clashed publicly in the past.  Last year, the religious leader disavowed Candidate Trump's pledge for a border wall, prompting Mr. Trump to dig back.  Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports on their interaction at the Vatican.

"At NATO, Trump calls out allies on unpaid dues while staying mum on joint defense pact" PBS NewsHour 5/25/2017

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SUMMARY:  At his first meeting of NATO leaders, President Trump again criticized the allies for falling short on their share of defense spending.  Mr. Trump was also the first U.S. President to not explicitly endorse NATO's collective dense clause.  Special correspondent Ryan Chilcote, reporting from Brussels, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the reactions from European leaders and more.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg holds a news conference (33:41)


"How world leaders tried to bend Trump's ear during his first trip abroad" PBS NewsHour 5/26/2017

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SUMMARY:  President Trump spent the final day of his first trip abroad in Sicily at a G-7 Summit, where he met with several world leaders to discuss issues such as climate change and trade.  It wrapped up a busy week with stops in Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank, the Vatican and the headquarters of the European Union and NATO.  Hari Sreenivasan speaks with Margaret Talev of Bloomberg News.

MIDDLE EAST - Jewish Settlements

"What growing Jewish settlements in the West Bank mean for Mideast peace efforts" PBS NewsHour 4/4/2017

COMMENT:  This is one of the many things Israel does that makes things worst.  As I've said before, Israel leadership is driving drunk on religious doctrine, and this 'never-ending-war' will continue unless they change their attitude.

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SUMMARY:  More than a half million Israelis live in Jewish settlements in the West Bank -- land they see as a biblical birthright, but that international law contends is occupied territory, and that Palestinians hope will comprise a future state.  Special correspondent Martin Seemungal reports.

FLIGHT SECURITY - Carry-On Electronics

"What sparked a new carry-on electronics ban on some flights?" PBS NewsHour 3/21/2017

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SUMMARY:  Passengers flying out of 10 specific airports in the Middle East can no longer take large electronic devices in their carry-on luggage, according to a new rule from the Department of Homeland Security.  The British announced a similar rule, but included different airports.  William Brangham gets insight from Matthew Olsen, former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour):  Passengers flying out of these airports can no longer take large electronic devices, things like laptops or mobile gaming devices or tablets, on board with them.  Those devices have to be in checked luggage only.  Cell phones are still allowed on board.

The new restrictions apply to flights from 10 specific airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.  The British today announced a similar move, but they included some different airports in their ban.

We turn now to Matthew Olsen for more on this.  He was the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center during the Obama administration.  And he now teaches at Harvard University.

Welcome.

I wonder if you could just tell me a little bit, what is going on here?

MATTHEW OLSEN, Former Director, National Counterterrorism Center:  Well, it would appear that, almost certainly, there is some new intelligence that the intelligence community has gathered, whether on its own or from one of our partners in the region, that has given the government, in particular the Department of Homeland Security, increased concern about the possibility that a terrorist organization has developed some type of bomb that it can hide in a device like a laptop.

You know, whether that is brand-new intelligence or maybe just new analysis of existing intelligence, it's hard to say, but, certainly, there is some new piece of information that has given the government more cause for concern in this particular context.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  I mean, clearly, it also seems that we have lost faith in these particular airports, either in their ability to screen luggage or their ability to weed out infiltrators amongst their staff.  Is that right?

MATTHEW OLSEN:  Well, we have always had concern about airports in this region, and we have always placed additional screening requirements on flights that leave from these airports and don't stop before reaching the United States.

But the truth is that the best place to stop a terrorist attack, a plot like this, is at the earliest possible stage, where you can have intelligence that allows you to identify those individuals who are responsible for the plot.

The last opportunity really is at those airports, and really you are at least hoping that you're going to be able to stop a bomb once it reaches the airport gate.

MEMORIAM - Israel's Shimon Peres

"Remembering Shimon Peres and his hopes for a ‘new' Middle East" PBS NewsHour 9/28/2016

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SUMMARY:  Israel's Shimon Peres had a political career that extended for nearly five decades.  A protege of Israel's very first prime minister, he went from top defense jobs to prime minister, taking a conciliatory approach toward Palestinians that lead to the Oslo Accords and a Nobel Peace Prize.  Peres died at 93 years old.  William Brangham gets an assessment from Thomas Friedman of The New York Times.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  One of Israel's founding fathers died last night.  Shimon Peres was present at the country's very beginning, and served in just about every high-level office in the Jewish state.

William Brangham has this remembrance.

We invite Shimon Peres to come up.

MAN:  Shimon Peres to come to the rostrum to receive the gold medal.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour):  It was a moment of great promise, Shimon Peres, then the Israeli Foreign Minister, accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, along with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

Peres had helped negotiate the so-called Oslo Accords.  And, accepting the award, he spoke of his hopes for a new Middle East.

SHIMON PERES, Israeli Foreign Minister:  A Middle East without wars, without enemies, without ballistic missiles, without nuclear warheads.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  Born in present-day Belarus, Shimon Peres was a boy when his family emigrated to Tel Aviv in 1934.  He joined the Jewish resistance in the 1948 war of independence, and became a protege of David Ben-Gurion, Israel's very first Prime Minister.

He went on to hold numerous top defense jobs, helping build the Jewish state's military and its top-secret nuclear weapons program.  With Ben-Gurion's backing, Peres won a seat in the Israeli Parliament in 1959, launching a political career that extended for over five decades.

As defense minister under prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, he oversaw the dramatic 1976 rescue of Israeli hostages at Entebbe Airport in Uganda.  Peres himself went on to serve as prime minister, first in 1977, and again as part of a unity government in 1984.

He took a conciliatory stance toward the Palestinians, and later, with Rabin back in power, he conducted the Oslo negotiations in secret.  The resulting deal, signed in 1993 in Washington, aimed at establishing mutual recognition between Israel and the Palestinians and setting them on a path toward peace.

SHIMON PERES:  From this green, promising lawn of the White House, let's say together in the language of our Bible, 'peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near.'

"Delegations from 75 countries pay tribute to Shimon Peres" PBS NewsHour 9/30/2016

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SUMMARY:  The funeral of Shimon Peres, who passed away Wednesday at 93, brought together delegations from 75 countries -- even those with a bitter history of war.  After shaking hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eulogized his former rival as a "great man."  Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama also spoke of Peres' legacy.  William Brangham reports.