What does 'politicizing intelligence' mean? Using intel, or more often, partial intel, to produce an effect in line with White House policies rather than giving a full picture of a particular situation.

Elections matter, but how much they matter depends entirely on how free, open and fair they are.

As the Palestinian leadership never seems to pay any penalty for its words, America's seriousness about the peace process is in doubt.

During most of the Bush administration, human rights and democracy in Egypt were on the front burner.

Oil policy, policy toward the United States, policy toward Iran, Bahrain, Yemen, very unlikely, I think, to see significant change. These policies were the policies that had a wide family consensus. The question I think would be if the king becomes sick, whether you have weak Saudi leadership in the Arab world and the Middle East rather than strong Saudi leadership, but I think the fundamental policies will continue, the ones we’re familiar with under King Abdullah.

Libya as a country is a relatively new concept. The period of Libya as a modern nation really starts after World War II.

The anchors of the Arab consensus have long been Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and both are now weakened forces in Arab politics and diplomacy.