Columnist

Joseph Braude

Middle East specialist Joseph Braude is the author of Broadcasting Change: Arabic Media as a Catalyst for Liberalism (Rowman & Littlefield). He is Advisor to the Al-Mesbar Center for Research and Studies and tweets@josephbraude.

Latest Articles

  • By Joseph Braude

    Confusion and Surprise at Iowa's Democratic Caucus

    Despite technical problems delaying the release of the results of Iowa’s caucus vote, field data as of this writing indicates a strong performance for Senator Bernie Sanders and a fracturing of the moderate camp between Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg. If Sanders...

  • By Joseph Braude

    So Much for Iranian Retribution

    As January draws to a close, the Iranian leadership has become increasingly preoccupied with internal power struggles and the stresses of coping with a tightening campaign of Western pressure. Iran’s effort to dislodge the U.S. from Iraq appears to have stalled and Washington, if anything,...

  • By Joseph Braude

    Iran’s Leadership Faces a Heightened Crisis of Legitimacy

    Iranian-Western relations have returned to their normal rhythm of a tightening ring of Western economic pressure, with new sanctions targeting IRGC officials and European denunciations of Iran’s violation of the JCPOA. At the same time, domestic discontent has risen sharply in Iran as a result of...

  • By Joseph Braude

    In Soleimani Aftermath, Iran is Weakened at Home and Abroad

    In the immediate aftermath of the American military operation which killed Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani, the prospect of punishing blowback appears to have evaporated. The U.S. task force in Iraq, initially viewed as vulnerable to expulsion by pro-Iranian parties in Baghdad’s parliament,...

  • By Joseph Braude

    U.S.-Iran Confrontation Highlights Divisions Between and Within America’s Political Camps

    Iran’s missile retaliation on the U.S. military presence in Iraq seems set to bring this round of escalation between Washington and Tehran to a close. The nearly weeklong crisis that began with the U.S.’s targeted strike on Qassem Soleimani has exposed key fault lines both between and within Wa...

  • By Joseph Braude

    Iran-backed Storming of U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Tests Washington Partisanship

    A crisis in Iraq has reached the gates of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and presented a critical test of the administration’s resolve in confronting Iranian-orchestrated provocations. With Washington still mired in hyper-partisanship amid the ongoing impeachment campaign, congressional reaction has...

  • By Joseph Braude

    U.S. Democrats Draw Conflicting Lessons from UK Elections

    As the dust settles on the UK parliamentary elections, American political analysts are seeking to draw lessons for the tumult ahead in Washington. Rival factions of the Democratic party are pointing to the outcome in Britain to bolster their case in this year’s primary elections, with centrists...

  • By Joseph Braude

    Trump’s Impeachment Battle Remains at an Impasse

    Partisan conflict over the impeachment of President Trump remains the central preoccupation of Washington and the American public discussion. House Speaker Pelosi, having passed two articles of impeachment through the House of Representatives, has refrained from sending them to the Senate for...

  • By Joseph Braude

    Iran Seeks to Exploit Political Disarray in Washington, But Trans-Atlantic Unity is Growing

    Iran seeks to capitalize on distraction within the White House by ramping up its defiance of the terms of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which aimed to curb its nuclear program, by unveiling a new round of uranium enrichment. In response, Washington has unveiled a new package of...

  • By Joseph Braude

    Baghdadi’s Death Strengthens the Case for American Forces to Remain in Eastern Syria

    The din of partisanship in Washington quieted briefly this weekend as figures across the political spectrum hailed the demise of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Early reports indicate intelligence cooperation from the Kurdish-dominated SDF was indispensable to the operation which killed al...

Editor's Pick

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Oct 12,2019
A New Regional Order in the Middle East
How the Gulf Crisis is Rewriting the Rules that Governed Regional Affairs
Politics
Oct 04,2019
Iran Is Testing the Trump Administration
Tehran Thinks There Are No Rules, No Limits, and Anything Goes
Culture
Sep 20,2019
Just How Special is the Spire of Salisbury Cathedral?
How the Kremlin Pioneered the Concept of 'Alternative Facts'

Opinion

Understanding the Holocaust in its Totality
By Robert Satloff  
Decision to Withdraw from Syria Sparks Debate Among Republicans
By Joseph Braude
How Will Hezbollah Respond to Israel’s Drone Attack?
By Hanin Ghaddar
Hezbollah’s Lebanese Allies Can Be Contained
By Hanin Ghaddar
Iran Turns Its Economic Hopes to China — But Its Hopes May be Dashed
By Joseph Braude
Iranian Oil Smuggling and Naval Piracy Fail to Blunt Sanctions
By Joseph Braude