Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Saudi envoy says Riyadh committed to fight against al Qaeda
Saudi Arabia remains committed to the fight against the Yemen-based branch of al Qaeda, even as Saudi forces battle Shi'ite Houthi rebels who have overrun much of the country, Riyadh's ambassador to Washington insisted Wednesday. Published April 15, 2015
Obama Iran nuclear deal a tough sell to Tehran’s hard-liners
President Obama isn't the only leader having trouble and who could face a tough job selling the proposed nuclear deal with Iran. Published April 14, 2015
Russia shields Iran from airstrikes, puts Obama nuclear deal in political peril
Russia on Monday gave the green light to a long-stalled $800 million deal to deliver an advanced anti-missile rocket system to Iran, bringing sharp criticism from the White House and Israel and new political peril for President Obama's prospective nuclear deal with Tehran. Published April 13, 2015
Oman suited for Middle East peacemaker role amid rising tensions
Discreet and strategically located, the small sultanate of Oman helped kick-start secret nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington in 2013. Now many in the U.S. and the Middle East say the Persian Gulf nation, a neutral safe haven in Shiite-Sunni clashes raging across the region, may hold the key to defusing Saudi Arabia's clash with Iran-backed rebels in Yemen before it erupts into all-out war. Published April 9, 2015
Ali Khamenei’s doubts place cloud over Iran deal
First they were for it. Then they were against it. Then they were for it again. Now, Iran's Supreme Leader, speaking publicly for the first time Thursday on the matter, seems to be against key elements of it. Published April 9, 2015
Libya rejects U.S.-led offensive against Islamic State, seeks aid
Libya's top diplomat in Washington wants aggressive U.S. support in containing the Islamic State's rise in her nation but strongly rejects the idea of an American-led bombing or ground offensive, saying it would just make things worse. Published April 5, 2015
Obama, allies hail Iran nuclear deal as critics slam concessions
President Obama and other world leaders on Thursday hailed what they said was a breakthrough accord setting the stage for a historic agreement that will prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, even though Iran will be allowed to enrich uranium under the agreement and the schedule for easing international sanctions remains to be negotiated. Published April 2, 2015
Obama takes victory lap on ‘historic’ nuclear deal with Iran
President Obama declared the "historic" nuclear deal with Iran will "make our country, our allies, and our world safer. Published April 2, 2015
Iran, U.S. allies strike agreement on nuclear deal
The U.S., Iran and other world powers have agreed on the basic outline for a final nuclear deal to be hammered out by the end of June, but they are still debating how much of it to make public, said officials participating in the marathon talks in Switzerland. Published April 2, 2015
Iran says U.S. and allies lack ‘political will’ for final nuclear deal
In a sign that a nuclear deal may be further off than the Obama administration is willing to admit, Iranian negotiators said Wednesday that they are holding out for a complete end to sanctions and accused the U.S. and its allies of lacking the “political will” to go along. And officials in Tehran are already trying pin the blame for failure on the Obama administration. Published April 1, 2015
Iran talks in overtime as nuclear deal proves elusive
Blowing through a self-imposed deadline, negotiators from Iran, the U.S. and five allied powers labored into the night trying to hammer out an outline toward a final deal to curb Iran's nuclear programs, but Obama administration officials said talks will carry on into Wednesday in the hope that a stalemate can be broken on "several difficult issues." Published March 31, 2015
U.S. restores military aid to Egypt, cites national security
The U.S. will restore military aid to Egypt, delivering F-16s and M1A1 Abrams tank kits that the Obama administration suspended in 2013, following the Egyptian government's crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood supporters of ousted President Mohammed Morsi. Published March 31, 2015
Obama lost leverage in Iran nuclear talks by easing sanctions, critics say
U.S. and Iranian negotiators struggled to clinch a nuclear deal as Tuesday's self-imposed deadline drew ever nearer, even as critics said the White House already had given up a key point of leverage by easing pressure on Iran's economy in the months leading up to a prospective deal. Published March 30, 2015
Arab League to forge NATO-like military alliance of Sunni powers
Seeking to combat threats from Iran and the Shiite rebels it is supporting in the Middle East, Arab leaders meeting in the resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, agreed in principle Sunday to forge a NATO-like alliance of Sunni powers to engage in regional military action with or without leadership from the U.S. Published March 29, 2015
Ed Royce: Stakes are high in Nigeria vote Saturday
The top House Republican on foreign policy says the stakes are high in this weekend's presidential election in Nigeria — the largest economy in Africa — where the contest between incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and opposition leader Muhammadu Buhari stands to impact the future of democracy across the continent. Published March 27, 2015
Yemen crisis threatens Obama Iran nuclear talks, further clouds Middle East policy
The confusion and cross-purposes that have plagued President Obama's troubled Middle East policy are only getting worse as the U.S. on Thursday voiced its support for a new Egypt-Saudi military campaign to roll back the Iran-allied rebels in Yemen. Published March 26, 2015
Saudi Arabia leads Arab attack on Yemen rebels; Iran proxy war looms
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night launched airstrikes against Iranian-backed Shiite rebel forces in Yemen, responding to distress calls from the U.S.-backed Yemeni president who was fleeing the country in the face of relentless advances by the rebels. Published March 25, 2015
Yemen chaos leaves U.S. intelligence in dark on al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Yemen's descent into political chaos makes it the latest Mideast nation too dangerous for U.S. officials to operate in — a development intelligence sources say will dangerously limit America's ability to track and target al Qaeda and other extremist terror movements in the region. Published March 24, 2015
Benjamin Netanyahu’s government says Israel didn’t spy on Iran nuclear talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing back against a U.S. newspaper report that claims his government has spied on the closed-door nuclear talks between Iran, the U.S. and other world powers. Published March 24, 2015
Obama downplays Iran ‘death to America’ remarks, toes hard line on Benjamin Netanyahu
The Obama administration toed a hard line Monday against Benjamin Netanyahu for his comments about Israeli Arabs and Palestinian statehood leading up to Israel's election last week, but downplayed concerns over "death to America" remarks Iran's supreme leader made over the weekend. Published March 23, 2015