VIDEO: FDD's online harassment against critics of Trump’s State Department | Responsible Statecraft

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Analysis | Reporting | Middle East

Earlier this month, Responsible Statecraft reported — based on recently obtained documents via a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit — that the hawkish DC think tank Foundation for the Defense of Democracies was at the center of an online harassment campaign funded by the State Department that targeted Americans, including journalists, and human rights advocates, because of their opposition to Donald Trump's Middle East policy. Quincy Institute Multimedia Producer Khody Akhavi breaks the story down:

Analysis | Reporting | Middle East

Critics: US ultimatum to Israel a 'cynical' election ploy

@BarakRavid

Copy of post from Barak Ravid on X

Critics: US ultimatum to Israel a 'cynical' election ploy

The Biden administration says it is giving Israel 30 days to address concerns related to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a letter to two senior Israeli officials dated Oct. 13, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “We are now writing to underscore the U.S. government’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, and seek urgent and sustained actions by your government this month to reverse this trajectory.”

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Biden sends US troops to Israel weeks ahead of election

Top photo credit: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. officials visit the Terminal Altitude Area Defense System site in IsraelU.S. Air Force (photo by Staff Sgt. Cory D. Payne)

Biden sends US troops to Israel weeks ahead of election

The escalation of conflict in the Middle East will now apparently involve U.S. troops. President Biden has directed the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to Israel, along with around 100 American soldiers needed to operate it. This is the first time that U.S. troops will have been sent to Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault.

This risk of further American involvement comes as the American public is increasingly against sending troops to fight Israel’s war. A survey conducted by the Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs released in August found that only about four in ten Americans supported sending troops to defend Israel if it were attacked by its neighbors, down from around 55% until 2021. This decision to deploy to Israel so close to the November election is made as general sympathies for Israel have slipped to a low of 33% amongst Americans polled in Sept. 2024.

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Five ways Israel could strike Iran and what it would need to do it

Top photo credit: Shutterstock/Hamara

Five ways Israel could strike Iran and what it would need to do it

As the U.S. sends THAAD, one of its most advanced anti-missile systems — along with 100 U.S. troops to crew it — to Israel, the signals are clearer than ever that Israel intends to strike back at Iran for its October 1 missile attack.

Whatever the Israeli response, their chosen target set may reveal whether their intent is retribution or something more. We may be able to discern Israeli strategic intent by classifying five general categories of targets in order of escalating magnitude. What they hit should tell us what they aim to do.

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