I think it's a pretty big shift. At the most basic level it's a fundamental shift away from the clear resistance to putting any boots on the ground really anywhere.

David Schenker

Categorized in : Politics

I would work with our allies to dissuade them, or encourage them, to avoid military purchases that would be potentially sanctionable, in other words, I would tell Saudi Arabia not to do it.

The Egyptian military continues to favor purchasing tanks, F-16s, and missiles with its FMF (foreign military financing) instead of equipment better suited for counterinsurgency and border-security operations.

This is not something (Obama) wanted to do, and I think he would like to make sure this doesn't go on and increase in number or scope.

It's critical for them, they're going to see it through. by David Schenker

It's critical for them, they're going to see it through.

The Assad regime forces can't be relied on, they have to be controlled by the Iranians in a very hands-on way.

Our traditional Arab allies are apoplectic. We are involved against ISIS in Syria but essentially did nothing in the past three years as the Houthis took over Yemen.

The relationship between the Jordanian military establishment and Israel is deep. It is very deep, i wonder whether there are any additional areas in which they could strengthen the relationship, keeping in mind that it cannot be overt [support].

This is a shared threat, there's always areas you can find where you can enhance and massage aspects to improve and make the relationship more close.

Israel, like Jordan, is susceptible to the problem that all the states in the region are, regardless of if you can secure your borders, the ideology can traverse.

There are obvious risks with upping the ante, there's a very real prospect that more Jordanians will come into harm’s way and more additional troops will be taken captive or killed.

The military milieu is one in which the King is most comfortable. by David Schenker

The military milieu is one in which the King is most comfortable.

Regionally speaking, they are people of high quality. by David Schenker

Regionally speaking, they are people of high quality.

It remains to be seen whether this desire for revenge will be sus... by David Schenker

It remains to be seen whether this desire for revenge will be sustained.

In many ways, I think he'd really rather be jumping out of airplanes than meeting in Davos with the rich and powerful, the military milieu is one in which the King is most comfortable.