“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.”

American diplomat and policy analyst. Abrams is best known for his decades-long involvement in U.S. foreign policy, particularly during the Reagan and Trump administrations, where he played a key role in shaping Middle East and human rights strategies. His career spans high-level negotiations, advocacy for democratic movements, and contentious debates over U.S. interventionism.