The International Correspondent

09/03/2026

What’s at Stake for Palestinians in Israel’s Election

Some parties would push annexation further. Others would rein it in. None of the leading contenders offers Palestinians a clear path forward.

08/22/2026

10 days out.

Steven Pinker, live in New York. I'm giving the opening remarks.

Get your tickets:

https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00006498DA1CBC6A

08/16/2026

Trump says he will declare Strait of Hormuz a US territory

President Trump claimed during remarks on Long Island, N.Y., on Friday that he will make the Strait of Hormuz a U.S. territory, despite the fact that Oman and Iran share jurisdiction of the waterwa…

08/12/2026

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough."
Mae West

08/11/2026

Unveiling the Panoptic State

A Review of Loubna Mrie’s Defiance: A Memoir of Awakening, Rebellion, and Survival in Syria by Rashad Ali Loubna Mrie’s life reflects the fractures of her homeland. The  Syrian writer, activis…

07/17/2026

Why did Trump warmly receive Iraq's new prime minister despite his ties to the Coordination Framework and Iran?

My argument: Trump isn't betting on Iraq. He's betting on the mercenariness of Iraq's political elite.

The wager is that Iraqi politicians ultimately value wealth, power, and access to global markets more than permanent loyalty to Tehran.

If that's true, Washington may have found a more realistic strategy than two decades of trying to remake Iraq.

My latest article: "Trump Is Betting on the Mercenariness of Iraqi Politicians."

The White House is testing whether Iraq’s Iran-linked political establishment can be persuaded to serve Baghdad instead of Tehran. Time will tell whether its mercenary elite can be won over.

07/13/2026

Since the beginning of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, I have tried to approach the conflict differently from many of the voices dominating social media, television panels, and political debates. Rather than begin with the outcome I wanted, I tried to stay loyal to the facts, even when they were unpopular or inconvenient.

My work is rooted in the belief that the region can become freer and more open. But meaningful change begins with an honest assessment of reality as it is—not as we hope it will be.

07/10/2026

The Woman Iran Could Not Break

Mahvash Sabet spent a decade in Iran's prisons because she is a Baháʼí. Her memoir offers a rare firsthand account of faith, survival, and the Islamic Republic's persecution of a religious minority.

07/09/2026

Iran’s Qur’anic Power Play at Khamenei’s Funeral

Whether deliberate or not, the ceremony left countries across the Middle East debating what Tehran was trying to tell them.

07/09/2026

The World Has Failed the Uyghurs

If the global community can’t stop China’s atrocities against the Uyghurs, it must help us keep our culture alive in exile.