William B. Taylor spoke to SiriusXM POTUS Ch. 124 about the long-term stabilization effort necessary in Afghanistan. Taylor underscored the need for a political component in the Afghanistan strategy that has been largely absent to date. Commenting on ISIS, Taylor said in both Iraq and Afghanistan that ISIS is on the defensive.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is running for a second term, is the man to beat on May 19. His opponents will likely zero in on the economy’s mixed performance since the signing of the nuclear deal, appealing to the many Iranians disappointed with the dividends that the agreement has paid so far. Iran has made some economic progress under Rouhani, but the unemployment rate is higher than it was a year ago, and foreign investors are still wary of doing business in the country. To win, Rouhani will have to defend this uneven record. So the president has been broadcasting his economic successes and appealing to voters who have not benefited from them.

The first 100 days of a new presidency predictably deliver a foreign policy crisis, and President Donald Trump was tested, right on schedule. Events in Syria and North Korea were, unfortunately, unsurprising, even as Bashar Assad’s brutal gassing of his people (again) and the bellicosity of Pyongyang’s saber-rattling are no less chilling.

USIP Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Program Director Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen spoke to SiriusXM POTUS Ch. 124 previewing Mahmoud Abbas’ meeting with President Trump next week. She also addressed key Middle East Peace issues and the Trump administration’s approach.

USIP Middle East and Africa Center Vice President Mike Yaffe spoke to SiriusXM POTUS Ch. 124 about increased U.S. engagement in Syria and the role of other outside players including Russia, Turkey and Iran.