Weekly World News Update

U.S. Role in Syria; U.S.-China Trade War; Saudi Arabia Warms to Israel; U.S.-Russia Relations; Iran Nuclear Deal; Ethiopia's New PM

Quote of the Week

"If we withdrew our troops anytime soon, ISIS would come back, the war between Turkey and the Kurds would get out of hand, and you'd be giving Damascus to the Iranians without an American presence, and Russia and Iran would dominate Syria. It'd be the single worst decision the president could make."

-- Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in an interview on Fox News Sunday.

Will the U.S. Pull Out of Syria?

"Why Leaving Syria Early Would Be a Disaster" Matthew Brodsky -- National Review, April 4, 2018

"As Trump Talks About Leaving Syria, His Top Commander in the Middle East Emphasizes the Need to Stay" Karen DeYoung and Missy Ryan -- The Washington Post, April 4, 2018

"Putin, Erdogan, and Rouhani To Discuss Syrian Crisis in Ankara" Umut Uras -- Al Jazeera, April 4, 2018

U.S. and China Go Tit for Tat on Trade

"When America Stands Up to China" Xie Tao -- The Diplomat, April 2, 2018

"The U.S. Wrote the Rules for Global Trade. Now China Is Using Them Against Trump" David Lynch -- The Washington Post, April 2, 2018

"China Cares a Whole Lot About Pigs in Iowa" Mara Hvistendahl -- The Atlantic, April 3, 2018

"Was Letting China Into the WTO a Mistake?" Philip Levy -- Foreign Affairs, April 2, 2018

Saudi Arabia Cozies to Israel

"An Emerging Arab-Israeli Thaw" James Robbins -- The National Interest, April 3, 2018

"Saudi Crown Prince: Israel Has a Right to Exist" Eric Levitz -- New York Magazine, April 3, 2018

"Does the Saudi Crown Prince's Rosy Rhetoric Indicate Real Change?" Zvi Bar'el -- Haaretz, April 4, 2018

Examining Western-Russian Relations

"When Diplomats and Spies Must Go" Daniel Fried -- Foreign Affairs, April 3, 2018

"Russia Short on Foreign Policy Options if Bet on Trump Fails" Andrew Osborn -- Reuters, April 4, 2018

"Russia's Digital Warfare Has Put Western Democracies in the Crosshairs" Lisa Shymko -- Maclean's, April 2, 2018

Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal

"The Deal that Curtails Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Seems Doomed" Editorial Board -- The Economist, March 28, 2018

"Trump's New National Security Team Likely Spells Disaster for the Iran Nuclear Deal" Suzanne Maloney -- Brookings Institution, April 2, 2018

"The Bolton Threat to the Iran Nuclear Deal" Ariane Tabatabai -- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, March 29, 2018

Is Ethiopia Turning a New Page?

"Can Abiy Ahmed Save Ethiopia?" Nizar Manek -- Foreign Policy, April 4, 2018