Elliott Abrams Relations Quotations

The Middle East that Obama inherited in 2009 was largely at peace, for the surge in Iraq had beaten down the al Qaeda-linked groups. U.S. relations with traditional allies in the Gulf, Jordan, Israel and Egypt were very good. Iran was contained, its Revolutionary Guard forces at home.

America's relations with complex Middle Eastern states such as Egypt are often difficult.

U.S.-Israel relations are often depicted as an extended honeymoon, but that's a false image.