Statement by National Security Initiative Board Members on the Passing of Samuel Pisar July 29, 2015 The Board of the National Security Initiative, NSN’s sister educational organization, made the following statement regarding the passing of Samuel Pisar: The Board of the National Security Initiative was saddened to hear of the passing of Samuel Pisar – a holocaust survivor, senior advisor to President John F. Kennedy, and the loving father of fellow Board member Leah Pisar. Samuel was born in Poland, survived Auschwitz, Dachau, Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps before escaping a Nazi death march. He was eventually rescued by his French aunt and went on to study at Harvard and the Sorbonne. He established a successful career as an international lawyer always keeping his dedication… Read More ›

Living with the Consequences: The Effects of Voting Down the Iran Nuclear Agreement Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster July 28, 2015 Should Congress vote down the nuclear agreement with Iran, it will inhibit the ability of the United States to implement an effective foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Rejecting the deal will alienate U.S. allies and diminish U.S. standing in future negotiations. It will isolate the United States both diplomatically and economically, as the sanctions regime collapses and rivals set up a new financial infrastructure that will undermine the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions. It will empower the hardliners in Iran that drive the worst elements of Iran’s regional policies, escalating conflict in Iraq and Syria, and encourage them to rush for the nuclear weapon… Read More ›

Imagine, a Good News Story on Pakistan By Tara Sonenshine, Member of the NSN Advisory Board July 27, 2015 | The Hill We are so used to stories about Pakistan that include terrorism, violence, bombs and bullets. Similarly, we are used to stories about failed foreign aid, fraud, waste, abuse, charities that don’t do what they promise and a growing sense that we have so many problems at home, so why bother doing anything abroad? Into that cynical vortex comes a Washington Post story with a very different and welcome message about a part of Pakistan that is using outside money and inside determination to prove the critics wrong and remind us why we should care and why we should support cross-cultural engagement. In a remote… Read More ›

How India Could Benefit From the Iran Nuclear Deal By Brian Katulis, Chairman of the NSN Board of Directors July 24, 2015 | WSJ The Obama administration took an important step to advance America’s security in completing the comprehensive joint plan of action, or CJPoA. The deal negotiated in Vienna represents the best of the available options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. It avoids both the hazards and uncertainties of military action, and provides a strong international framework for stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. If the Iran nuclear deal moves forward without major hitches, India could be one of the few countries to have deepening relations with countries strongly at odds with one another. The evolving geopolitics of the broader Middle East… Read More ›

A framework for stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons By Brian Katulis, Chairman of the NSN Board of Directors July 19, 2015 | Providence Journal The Obama administration took an important step to advance America’s security in completing the comprehensive joint plan of action, or CJPoA. The deal negotiated in Vienna represents the best of the available options for dealing with Iran’s nuclear program. It avoids both the hazards and uncertainties of military action, and provides a strong international framework for stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. One interesting aspect of the debate sparked last week by the Iran deal is that most critics are unclear about what they would propose as an alternative to the current deal – it is not clear that… Read More ›

Iran Is Hardly On The March By John Bradshaw and J. Dana Stuster July 15, 2015 | Defense One The reality is that Iran is fighting to maintain a diminishing sphere of influence. And Washington mischaracterizes Iran’s actual position in the Middle East. Yes, Tehran covets a role as regional hegemon with power reaching beyond Shiite-controlled areas to become the hub of an anti-Israel axis that includes Sunni territories. But Iran is unable to move this strategy forward. What some of President Barack Obama’s critics portray as a newly aggressive Iranian policy instead reflects Iranian efforts to counter challenges it has not faced in decades. Facts on the ground simply do not support fears in Congress that a nuclear agreement will somehow empower an Iranian… Read More ›

Will the Iran nuclear agreement work? July 14, 2015 | PBS Newshour Sandy Berger, NSN Advisory Board Chairman, reacts to the Iran nuclear agreement. To watch the original interview posting, click here.   Read More ›

Statement by National Security Network and National Security Initiative Board Members on Iran Nuclear Deal July 14, 2015 The Board of the National Security Network and the National Security Initiative as well as NSN’s Advisory Board made the following statement regarding today’s announcement of a nuclear agreement with Iran: The comprehensive joint plan of action (CJPoA) announced July 14th between the P5+1 nations and Iran represents a major step toward the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and, rigorously implemented, will make America safer. The CJPoA is the result of years of patient and shrewd negotiation by nuclear experts and diplomats, led by the Obama administration, resulting in an agreement that cuts all pathways for Iran to build a nuclear weapon. Under the… Read More ›

By Zachary Keck July 11, 2015 | The National Interest  As J. Dana Stuster notes in a a new policy brief for the National Security Network, “Iran is currently fighting the greatest challenge to its power since its sphere of influence coalesced in the 1980s.” The financial windfall Iran may receive as part of any nuclear deal will do little to help Iran overcome its worsening strategic landscape in the region. In fact, Iran’s position may further deteriorate as the United States takes steps after a deal is signed to bolster the support for its Arab allies, who will have an even stronger impetus to counterbalance any perceived Iranian gains. To read more, click here. To read the Policy Brief, click here. Read More ›

The Limits of Iran’s Regional Ambitions Policy Brief by J. Dana Stuster July 9, 2015 The reach of Iran’s foreign policy has exceeded its grasp. For all its efforts to maintain its sphere of influence and expand its power in the Middle East, it has gained little from its interventions. Tehran has consolidated its control over the leadership in Damascus and South Beirut, but these allies are stretched thin and seeing their power and influence recede. Meanwhile, Iran is increasingly challenged in Iraq by the Islamic State and resurgent U.S. diplomacy. In Gaza, Tehran has ceded its influence with Hamas to the same governments supplying its opponents in Syria. Far from an ascendant actor in the region, Iran is currently fighting the greatest challenge to… Read More ›