Gareth Porter

Gareth Porter is an investigative historian and journalist specializing in U.S. national security policy. The paperback edition of his latest book, Perils of Dominance: Imbalance of Power and the Road to War in Vietnam, was published in 2006.

Barak’s Tales of Israel’s Near War With Iran Conceal the Real Story

New evidence has now surfaced from former Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak that Israel came close to attacking Iran three times over the past few years – if you believe what major news media reported about the story.  But you shouldn’t believe it. The latest story is only a continuation of the clever ploy that … Continue reading “Barak’s Tales of Israel’s Near War With Iran Conceal the Real Story”

Don’t Expect Much Change in Post-Vienna US Middle East Policy

If and when the Iran nuclear agreement gets through Congress, many people in Washington hope that Obama will articulate a more realistic strategy for the Middle East than what we have heard from his administration in the past. But Obama has evidently decided this is not the time to articulate anything about the region’s future … Continue reading “Don’t Expect Much Change in Post-Vienna US Middle East Policy”

Obama’s Line on the Iran Nuclear Deal: A Second False Narrative

I’m glad that the United States and Iran reached an agreement in Vienna after nearly two years of negotiations and 35 years of enmity. A failure to do so under present political conditions would certainly have left a festering conflict with unpredictably bad consequences. And the successful negotiation of such a far-reaching agreement in which … Continue reading “Obama’s Line on the Iran Nuclear Deal: A Second False Narrative”

How a Weaker Iran Got the Hegemon To Lift Sanctions

Now that Iran nuclear deal is completed, the attention of western news media and political commentators is predictably focused overwhelmingly on the opposition to the agreement within the US Congress and from Israel and the Saudi-led Sunni Arab coalition. That media lens misses the real significance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which is … Continue reading “How a Weaker Iran Got the Hegemon To Lift Sanctions”

US Slowdown on Iran Talks Has Dark Side

President Barack Obama decided this week against achieving a final agreement before the expiration of the July 10 deadline, which would have limited the period of Congressional consideration of the agreement. The motivation was the desire to neutralize criticism that he and Secretary of State John Kerry were too eager for an agreement. Obama’s decision … Continue reading “US Slowdown on Iran Talks Has Dark Side”

Iranian Nuclear Deal Edges Closer as Main Obstacles Overcome: Sources

VIENNA – As the US and Iranian negotiators move toward completion of a historic deal in Vienna, the lifting of sanctions against Iran – which is the most difficult outstanding issue in the talks – is on its way to being resolved, Western and Iranian sources close to the nuclear negotiations told MEE. With talks being … Continue reading “Iranian Nuclear Deal Edges Closer as Main Obstacles Overcome: Sources”

US Spin On Access to Iranian Sites Has Distorted the Issue

VIENNA – A public diplomacy campaign by the Obama administration to convince world opinion that Iran was reneging on the Lausanne framework agreement in April has seriously misrepresented the actual diplomacy of the Iran nuclear talks, as my interviews with Iranian officials here make clear. President Barack Obama’s threat on Tuesday to walk out of … Continue reading “US Spin On Access to Iranian Sites Has Distorted the Issue”

Why the US Military Opposed New Combat Roles in Iraq

The story published in the Washington Post on 13 June shows how the US military service chiefs – who make decisions on war policy in light of their own institutional interests – prefer an inconclusive war with IS and existing constraints on US involvement, to one with even the most US limited combat role. The … Continue reading “Why the US Military Opposed New Combat Roles in Iraq”

Demands in US-Iran Nuclear Talks as Political Kabuki Theater

In the final phase of the negotiations with Iran, the US-led international coalition is still seeking Iran’s agreement to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to visit any military facilities it deems suspicious and to interview a selected list of Iranian nuclear scientists.   Such measures are not necessary to ensure that Iran is … Continue reading “Demands in US-Iran Nuclear Talks as Political Kabuki Theater”

Obama’s Fail on Saudi-Qatari Aid to al-Qaeda Affiliate

News media coverage of the Camp David summit between President Barack Obama and Gulf Cooperation Council members has focused largely on Obama’s success in getting the GCC States to go along with the negotiation of a nuclear agreement with Iran.  But the much more consequential story of the summit is Obama’s decision not to confront … Continue reading “Obama’s Fail on Saudi-Qatari Aid to al-Qaeda Affiliate”