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  • In U.S., Cyberdisruption Most Critical Threat

    Americans are more likely to regard cyberterrorism as a “critical threat” to U.S. vital interests than to say this about 10 other international matters. The development of nuclear weapons by Iran or by North Korea place second and third in Americans’ mentions of critical threats in the latest poll.

  • Opinion: Why the Proposed Saudi Security Pact Doesn’t Serve U.S. Interests

    It’s time for Washington to transition from a system of U.S. guardianship in Riyadh (and the region) to one of real partnership. That is U.S. Central Command’s mandate and emphasis right now. Gone are the days of Operation Desert Storm, when the United States did all the operational planning and the vast majority of the fighting to free Kuwait and defend Saudi Arabia from Saddam Hussein’s army. Today, Washington needs its regional partners to put more skin in the game.

  • More Americans See U.S. as Leading Economic Power

    More Americans now than in 2021, 44% to 37%, believe the United States is the leading economic power in the world. That seven-percentage-point increase is nearly matched by an eight-point decline (from 50% to 42%) in the percentage identifying China as the top economic power.

  • 20 Years After U.S. Invasion, Iraq Is a Freer Place, but Not a Hopeful One

    Many Iraqis see a bleak economic future, because despite a wealth of natural resources, the country’s energy revenues have been spent primarily on the vast public sector, lost to corruption or wasted on grand projects left unfinished. Relatively little has gone into transforming public infrastructure or providing services, as many Iraqis had hoped.

  • U.S.-Saudi relations “better,” regardless of China-brokered Iran-Saudi deal

    “We are in a better spot," a senior U.S. official said. "They’ve done some important things, and we’ve had good communication on some difficult issues from Yemen to 5G/6G technology to security coordination. It’s moving in a better direction."

  • U.S. grapples with forces unleashed by Iraq invasion 20 years later

    From an empowered Iran and eroded U.S. influence to the cost of keeping U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria to combat Islamic State fighters, the United States still contends with the consequences of invading Iraq 20 years ago, current and former officials say. Then-U.S. President George W. Bush's 2003 decision to oust Saddam Hussein by force, the way limited U.S. troop numbers enabled ethnic strife and the eventual 2011 U.S. pullout have all greatly complicated U.S. policy in the Middle East, they said.

  • Factbox: Who has run Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion?

    Under a governing system in place since the post-Saddam Hussein constitution was adopted in 2005, the prime minister is a member of the Shi’ite Muslim majority, the speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial role of president is held by a Kurd.

  • U.S.-Saudi relations “better,” regardless of China-brokered Iran-Saudi deal

    The Biden administration has seen gradual but significant improvement in its relations with Riyadh, regardless of last week's China-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran on reestablishing diplomatic relations, two senior U.S. officials told Axios. Why it matters: Relations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have been tense since the Biden administration assumed office.

  • U.S. officials project calm as China stuns world with Iran-Saudi deal

    U.S. officials have issued brief public statements that downplay the initiative. Asked for details in interviews, they argued that, among other things: It’s a one-off case; it was in China’s economic interest to broker the deal; it doesn’t translate into long-term alliances; and anything that helps calm the region is in America’s interest.

  • Saudi Arabia Seeks U.S. Security Pledges, Nuclear Help for Peace With Israel

    Saudi Arabia is asking the U.S. to provide security guarantees and help to develop its civilian nuclear program as Washington tries to broker diplomatic relations between the kingdom and Israel, people involved in discussions between the two countries said. Striking a normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia has become a priority for President Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid a looming confrontation with Iran over its nuclear program and military aid to Russia during the Ukraine war. The Biden administration is deeply involved in the complex negotiations, the people said, and any deal would reshape the Middle East’s political landscape.