After a long, messy battle between Senator Jim DeMint and the Obama administration, Senator DeMint removed his holds on two key administration appointees whose nominations have been languishing pending the outcome over a battle involving the Honduras ouster of President Manuel Zelaya.

In his statement on...

Kind of sad when you see a Freshman US Senator get appointed and immediately hijacked by lobbying groups who have deeply parochial interests that run against the nation's and even Senator George LeMieux's own state of Florida.

Last night, the...

Matthew Hoh, the first U.S. government official to formally resign his post because of objections to America's course in Afghanistan, makes a compelling case that America has lost its strategic sensibilities in this war which...

Increasing numbers of national security leaders of the likes of Brent Scowcroft and George Shultz have said that the US embargo of Cuba makes no sense and harms American interests.

Republican Congressman Jeff Flake -- the hunky Arizona Congressman who recently spent five days alone...

Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel gave an outstanding speech outlining the imperative of American leadership in the Israel-Palestine dispute at the J Street Annual Conference Gala Dinner last night.

I had the privilege of moderating the discussion and having an exchange about US foreign policy with the Senator...

The more I listen to Congressional Opposition chief John Boehner as of late, the more I wish he could find the dignity and common ground for big objectives that Israel's...

AMMAN, JORDAN -- On Saturday, 17 October, I interviewed Hamas leader Khaled Mashal on a range of subjects at his offices in Damascus, Syria.

The full interview is currently being edited and will...

A few years ago, I was invited to an extraordinary set of meetings in Beijing organized by Marika Vicziany of Monash University. The meeting featured participants like then Labor Party leader (and next Australia Ambassador...

The event was covered live...

Former Reagan Administration Secretary of Treasury and Secretary of State George Shultz thinks that the US embargo against Cuba should "simply be lifted."

In a letter issued by Secretary Shultz to David Dreyer...

Cherie Blair, Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, was kind enough to give me a few minutes at the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative to talk about her partnership with

Congressman Aaron Schock is a highly reasonable, intelligent, balanced Republican member of Congress -- and though I have only met him twice, I was impressed with how he conducted his conversations and views in D.C. cocktail policy chatter -- particularly at an MSNBC party where Rachel Maddow was tending...

Given the tumultuousness in many parts of America's foreign policy portfolio, it's easy to nitpick and criticize (which I do frequently), but I have to tip my hat to President Obama's measured and positive comments today following the conclusion of what are officially called the P5+1 Negotiations with Iran.

I very much hope that the Clinton Global Initiative posts a video link to the outstanding gala dinner celebrating its Global Citizen Awards.

It was a stunning event and...

He is serious about policy and curious about both domestic and international matters. I have had an opportunity...

This morning, Barack Obama appeared on five different networks -- speaking about the economy, health care, and Afghanistan.

But in his exchange on CNN's State of the Union with John King, President Obama articulated a softness on the imperative of job creation that is disconcerting.

From a

Charlie Cook, one of the best political handicappers in the country, sees the Democratic camp diverging in three directions -- loyal Obamites, Liberal purists, and skeptics.

Charlie doesn't even get into the questions of national security policy and the Vietnam-like stumble into something bigger in Afghanistan, but his template...

Politico's Ben Smith got the scoop on a letter today drafted and signed by a number of realist-tilting scholars and commentators raising many of the key questions and concerns about growing US presence in Afghanistan that were Obama's concerns about Iraq.

I have signed this letter along with...

This is an eight minute exchange with retired 4-star General and former CENTCOM Commander and Israel/Palestine presidential envoy Anthony Zinni. It's well worth watching.

Among the interesting zingers offered by General Zinni, he suggests (1)...