What should Biden do about Iran?

Plus, more Middle East perspectives. JANUARY 30, 2024  |  [VIEW IN BROWSER](  |  [SUBSCRIBE](     U.S. President Joe Biden steps off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Jan. 28. Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images Just hours after three U.S. service members died in a drone attack on a military outpost in Jordan, a familiar chorus began calling for the bombing of Iran. The Biden administration has for weeks been trying to use a limited approach to stop attacks by Iran-based militants targeting U.S. service members, FP’s Jack Detsch writes, but what should the president do now? In his [report](, Detsch describes the three main camps on Iran in Washington today and sets out their arguments for what the White House should do next. For more on the region, Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, writing with Tony Klug, outlines how to resolve the “[Middle East paradox](,” so-called because “never in the history of the Palestinian-Israeli tragedy has the situation been as dire or perilous as it is today. But never has there been greater clarity about the essential components of a future peace settlement.” And academics Arash Reisinezhad and Mostafa Bushehri reveal the [hidden rivalry]( of an apparent fraternal alliance between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. They explore what this “active geoeconomic competition” means for U.S. strategy in the Middle East as well as for Russia, China, and Israel. —The Editors   New and Noteworthy - Trump 2.0: A possible second Trump term has left European officials questioning how—and if—the trans-Atlantic relationship can survive it. 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Plus, get special editions of the Situation Report newsletter from Feb. 15 to 18 when FP goes behind the scenes at the [Munich Security Conference](. - Turkish-NATO relations: This past week, the Turkish parliament [approved Sweden’s bid for NATO membership]( after more than a year of pushback, making it the last NATO member aside from Hungary to approve Stockholm’s accession. “Turkey is now pursuing its own interests, which often run counter to those of the United States and European countries,” Reuben Silverman writes in an [argument](. “It is worth looking to history to understand Turkey’s posture.” - Flight or plight: Boeing’s stock price has fallen 14 percent since a piece of fuselage became detached from one of its 737 Max planes midflight in early January. That incident came after a number of other safety disasters, including multiple crashes of the 737 Max several years ago. [Listen]( to economics columnist Adam Tooze and FP’s Cameron Abadi discuss probable causes and the future of Boeing in this week’s episode of Ones and Tooze on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you enjoy your podcasts. FP Insiders can read a [summary of the conversation here](.   FP Live [The White House and Global Conflict](Feb. 6 | 11 a.m. ESTAs President Joe Biden heads into an election year, Washington is entangled in two of the world’s largest conflicts: Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war. How can the United States shape an end to these conflicts and negotiate lasting peace? Join FP’s Ravi Agrawal in conversation with James Stavridis, a retired four-star U.S. Navy admiral and former NATO supreme allied commander, on how these wars will impact Biden’s foreign policy. [Register now](. [Ian Bremmer on the Top Risks for 2024](On DemandEvery year, the geopolitical risk consultancy Eurasia Group releases an [annual forecast]( of the political risks that are most likely to play out over the next 12 months. According to the group’s founder Ian Bremmer, 2024 is a year of grave concern—“the Voldemort of years … the year that must not be named.” But name it we must. Bremmer joined FP’s Ravi Agrawal to discuss how the world can prepare for potential challenges this year. [Watch the conversation]( now. [What Taiwan’s Elections Mean for the U.S.—and the World](On DemandTaiwan’s presidential election on Jan. 13 was closely observed for one particular reason: The outcome could have triggered a belligerent response from China, which could have led to dangerous new tensions between Washington and Beijing. But that didn’t happen. FP’s Ravi Agrawal spoke with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who serves as the ranking member of the influential House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, on the global impacts of this election. [Watch the conversation]( now, or [read the Q&A](.   Save up to 50% today [Subscribe to FP](.   Exercise Your Mind What controversial legislation did Sri Lanka’s parliament pass last Wednesday? - An anti-Indian immigrant law - An LGBTQ rights restriction law - An online safety law - A new tax on privately owned fishing vessels You can find the answer to this question and learn more at the end of this email.   Most Popular on FP [A U.S. military convoy takes part in a joint patrol with Turkish troops near the Syrian town of Tell Abyad along the border with Turkey, on Sept. 8, 2019.]( [America Is Planning to Withdraw From Syria—and Create a Disaster]( The Islamic State has regained its momentum, and the Biden administration might inadvertently give it another boost. 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Learn directly from top-tier graduate programs about course offerings, interdisciplinary approaches, experiential learning, and external partnerships to find a program that aligns with your career goals. - Assessing Gender Equality: The first four episodes of the [newest season]( of The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women (HERO)—an award-winning podcast from FP made possible in part through funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—are out. Join host Reena Ninan and reporters across Africa to assess promises made about gender equality and whether leaders are truly delivering on them. Look out for new episodes every Tuesday on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you enjoy podcasts. - On Europe Now: In his [latest Chartbook newsletter](, Adam Tooze revisits the politics of trauma in Europe’s election year. Analyzing a [new report]( that examines how five major crises from the last 15 years in Europe compare and interact, Tooze explores “[the question of who experiences which crises how](.” Answer: C. An online safety law. Activists fear that the law could be used to crack down on dissent and opposition to the government, as ha s occurred after similar bills were passed in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, FP’s Michael Kugelman [writes](in South Asia Brief.   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( You’re receiving this email at {EMAIL} because you signed up for FP's This Week newsletter. [MANAGE YOUR EMAIL PREFERENCES]( | [VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Interested in partnering with FP on events, podcasts, or research? [Explore FP Solutions](. [Foreign Policy]( is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company LLC. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.