Latest Articles

I'm a Wonk at a Think Tank. Turkish Media Say I'm an International Man of Mystery.

November 29, 2018  •  The Weekly Standard

I'm a terrorist, an intelligence agent for at least two Middle East governments, a coup-plotter, and a member of a sex cult.

At least that's what the Turkish press is reporting.

My career as a Turkish outlaw and secret agent began when I began researching Ankara's burgeoning links to terrorist groups. In 2010, I observed that Turkey had become a hub for the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. A year later, I was shocked to learn from senior U.S. officials that Turkey was backing jihadists of all stripes in a bid to topple embattled dictator Bashar al-Assad. Then in 2012 and 2013, reports emerged that Turkey helped Iran evade sanctions—moving more than $20 billion in gold and cash—at the height of the nuclear standoff.

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No Room for U.S. Concessions on Iran's Civilian Nuclear Aims

November 7, 2018  •  The National Interest

The Trump administration, after reinstating sanctions on the Iranian regime Monday, now seeks to convey that more pressure is on the way. But the messaging by U.S. officials has been mixed, leaving some doubt as to where Washington's Iran policy goes from here.

For example, it was unclear until only a few days ago whether Iran would be booted from SWIFT, the Belgium-based financial messaging service that is crucial to keeping Iran's central bank connected to the international banking system. A majority of Iranian banks are now slated to be disconnected from the ubiquitous messaging system, leaving only a few to remain connected for humanitarian transactions.

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The Experts Were Wrong About the Middle East

October 19, 2018  •  The Atlantic

"I know what I'm going to do: I'm going to sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia."

That's what Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said last week, to the delight of Saudi Arabia's detractors on social media. The man who only one-week prior had been jeered by millions of Democrats for supporting Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation was seemingly redeemed among President Donald Trump's critics.

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Here's how to hit the Saudis — and still serve US interests

October 19, 2018  •  New York Post

Saudi-US ties are at their lowest since the 9/11 attacks. The Desert Kingdom is under fire from US lawmakers for the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul this month — but never walked out.

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) is threatening to "sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia." Other lawmakers have called for an investigation to determine whether human-rights sanctions, pursuant to the Global Magnitsky Act, should be slapped on certain Saudi actors.

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Unlikely Allies, Israel and Egypt Face Joint Challenge in Gaza

September 7, 2018  •  Real Clear Defense

The winds of war are blowing in Gaza. The last several months have been replete with rocket barrages, drones, incendiary balloons and kites (flaming or containing explosives) flying into Israeli airspace, and border breaches. Israel is working on solutions, but it is also looking to find help from an unlikely ally: Egypt.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met secretly earlier this month with Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi. A few days later, Egypt's intelligence chief, Abbas Kamal visited Israel as a guest of the Israeli National Security Advisor and probably also met Netanyahu. The conversations continue to focus on ways to tackle the crisis in Gaza – a territory that borders both countries.

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Books by Jonathan Schanzer