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Articles by David Hale
Hezbollah Just Wrote Its Own Death Sentence
How hard the once mighty have fallen. Hezbollah: The murderers of elected Lebanese politicians, the killers of peacekeepers, the thugs of the streets they dominated because all other militias had disarmed, the agents of destruction of their own communities on behalf of foreign paymasters reigning 1,000 miles away from Beirut, the brainwashers of children into an ideology of "resistance" that only invited invasion.
How Lebanon can be Trump’s first success in a troubled region
The Trump administration has done more than any of its predecessors to restore sovereignty for a much traumatized nation, Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces’ operations in 2024 against Hezbollah decimated that organization, long the “A Team” in global terror. With Lebanon no longer under the shadow of Iranian and Hezbollah dominance, a pro-sovereignty Lebanese president and prime minister came to office.
Opinion - How Lebanon can be Trump’s first success in a troubled region
Following a June 2026 trilateral agreement aimed at disarming Hezbollah and restoring Lebanese sovereignty, author David Hale argues that increased American involvement and persistent diplomatic pressure are necessary to maintain momentum and prevent regional instability. The Trump administration has done more than any of its predecessors to restore sovereignty for a much traumatized nation, Lebanon.
Consolidating Sovereignty, Security and Peace: Time to Step up the Game
Although it has been a frustrating summer, Lebanon remains on the right track. My observation after a ten-day visit to Beirut and Jerusalem this month is that leaders in both capitals remain strongly committed to a shared objective. The goal is restoring the Lebanese state so it can regain a monopoly of arms, take responsibility for securing its borders, and make sovereign decisions about the conduct of relations across those borders.
As the Shia Crescent Wanes, Aoun Stakes Lebanon's Future on Washington
As Iran’s once-expanding “Shia Crescent” of influence across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen wanes, a new American-led regional order is emerging. Ahead of his first visit to the White House, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has clearly recognized this new reality. “It is my duty to seize all opportunities that come to us with solutions,” Aoun said in a July 11 interview.
President Aoun's Welcome in Washington
Meetings between heads of state are always significant. However, such summits can vary in purpose, appearance, and outcomes. Some, such as a gathering of NATO leaders, are meant to revive a sense of common purpose and iron out inevitable tensions among allies. Others, such as an America-China summit, are meant to find common ground and manage conflict in an adversarial relationship. Others can rebuild relationships tattered by past differences, such as when Pakistani leaders visit Washington.
Lebanese Should Stay The Course
Unconditional surrender of an adversary is possible only if the victor conducts unconditional war, which the American public clearly was not prepared for in the conflict with Iran. Ending this conflict was always going to entail some compromises. The U.S.-Iran MOU is being oversold by virtually everyone. The tangible parts of it are a ceasefire, sanctions relief for Iran and the reopening of Hormuz. Everything else in the agreement is conditioned to good faith negotiations on Iran's nuclear program.
Is Washington's Brain Fog Lifting?
Small powers can rarely indulge in national security self-delusion. The potentially existential cost of such luxury is simply too high. It is a different matter for great powers, which can carry on in willful contradiction of national interests, obvious threats, and plain facts for some time before reality intrudes.
Four Myths and Four Realities
The debate in America about the Middle East today surfaces myths and realities. Myth 1:This conflict could have been avoided if the first Trump Administration had not withdrawn from the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran.
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Wilson Center Distinguished Fellow Jill Dougherty reports from the heart of Tbilisi, where a historic standoff is still ongoing. For over 470 days, Rustaveli Avenue has been the front line of a massive political drama.
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Posted date/time:April 13, 2026 The 2026 Global Fraud Summit in Vienna marked a pivotal shift in international policy, reclassifying industrialized financial fraud as a top-tier global security threat and prompting urgent new strategic responses from INTERPOL, the UK, and the United States.
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Posted date/time:April 6, 2026 As Hungary approaches its April 12 election, longtime Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces an unprecedented challenge from former ally Péter Magyar and his Tisza party, marking a potential turning point for the country and for Europe. Arriving at the airport in Budapest, Hungary’s capital, I received a text from a Hungarian friend. “Make sure you check out the posters on the way into the city,” he said. He didn’t need to warn me.
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Posted date/time:March 12, 2026 Rocinha, Brazil's largest favela, operates as a "city within a city" where community-led social projects and local commerce coexist with the persistent influence of criminal organizations. We met our guide, Roberto, at 9 am in a Rio de Janeiro park. He called an Uber and we headed down the street along sun-bleached beaches, past luxury hotels, toward Rocinha, the largest slum in Rio - estimated to be the largest in Brazil.
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Washington, D.C. — Earlier this month, the Wilson Center and Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy (SPP) announced a new strategic partnership to establish a Wilson Center Fellowship at Pepperdine SPP. The partnership reflects the Wilson Center’s and Pepperdine’s shared focus on providing a nonpartisan bridge between scholarship and policy. The first two years of the partnership will focus on sports diplomacy, aligned with the upcoming LA28 Olympic Games.
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WASHINGTON, DC, and MALIBU, CA — The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (Wilson Center) and the Pepperdine University School of Public Policy (SPP) today announced a new strategic partnership to establish a Wilson Center Fellowship at Pepperdine SPP. The partnership reflects the Wilson Center’s and Pepperdine’s shared focus on providing a nonpartisan bridge between scholarship and policy.
An Interview with Amb. David Hale on Lebanon amidst the US-Israeli War with Iran
Posted date/time:March 5, 2026 In an interview with the Wilson Center, Amb. David Hale provides a sharp assessment of the escalating crisis in Lebanon as of March 2026, emphasizing that the current conflict is a "war of choice" directed by Iran that is not in the interests of Lebanon. Key Quotes On Hezbollah: "Hezbollah answers to Iran.
Wilson Center Fellows on the 2026 State of the Union Address
Posted date/time:February 26, 2026 Wilson Center Fellows on what President Trump said about Iran, Mexico, and fraud during the 2026 State of the Union address. Amb. David Hale on Iran It was expected in an election year for President Trump to dwell on domestic policies in his State of the Union address, since they are usually foremost in the minds of voters. Nonetheless, the foreign policy message was loud and clear: he wants to promote peace and confront threats.
Statement from Wilson Center President and CEO Natasha Jacome on the Passing of the Honorable Lee Hamilton
Lee Hamilton was a towering figure in public service and the most consequential leader in the history of the Wilson Center. During his tenure as president of the Center from 1999 to 2010, Lee guided it through a pivotal moment and left an enduring legacy that continues to shape who we are and how we serve the nation. Lee transformed the Wilson Center, instituting a focus on policy relevance that best meets our mission to bridge scholarship and policy and continues to this day.
WILSON CENTER ANNOUNCES SPRING APPLICATIONS FOR CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
WASHINGTON - The Wilson Center today announced applications are open for the Spring 2026 session of the Wilson Center Congressional Fellowship Program, a six-week, nonpartisan program that equips Congressional staff with the policy knowledge and practical tools to navigate today’s evolving foreign policy landscape.
Dispatch from Taipei: Looking to the Grassroots in Uncertain Times
Posted date/time:January 29, 2026 Following a recent visit to Taiepi, Distinguished Fellow Anka Lee highlights how Taiwan uses grassroots diplomacy to shape its long-term security. Key voices in Taiwan are pleased with recent significant wins in US-Taiwan ties, but there is clear anxiety over the durability of Washington’s political support.
Insights on US National Security Strategy: Perspectives from Middle East Expert Ambassador David Hale
Posted date/time:January 9, 2026 Distinguished Fellow David Hale commends the 2025 National Security Strategy for its candid focus on restoring American economic competitiveness and acknowledges the significant regional strides made in reversing the fortunes of Iran.
An opening for Lebanon-Israel peace
A career in American diplomacy in the Middle East is a humbling affair. Whenever you heard well-meaning American officials speak of the birth pangs of a “new Middle East,” you knew it was time to update the embassy’s evacuation plans and re-stock its bunkers. And if anyone in charge spoke of peace in Lebanon of all places, you knew to supplement the evacuation plans with an IQ test for anyone so detached from reality.
Opinion - An opening for Lebanon-Israel peace
A career in American diplomacy in the Middle East is a humbling affair. Whenever you heard well-meaning American officials speak of the birth pangs of a “new Middle East,” you knew it was time to update the embassy’s evacuation plans and re-stock its bunkers. And if anyone in charge spoke of peace in Lebanon of all places, you knew to supplement the evacuation plans with an IQ test for anyone so detached from reality.
Robin Wright
Professional Affiliation Author and columnist for The New Yorker Expert Bio Summary Robin Wright, a USIP-Wilson Center Distinguished Fellow, is one of the country’s foremost authorities on the Middle East, Islamic extremism, Iran, and political and military dynamics in the Muslim world. A highly decorated journalist, she is a longtime writer for The New Yorker, a former diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Post, and has reported from more than 140 countries.
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