Jean-Loup Samaan

Jean-Loup Samaan
	Jean-Loup Samaan is a researcher in the Middle East department of the NATO Defense College. His current research projects include the Israel-Hezbollah standoff since the 2006 war, the Syrian civil war and its impact on the region and the evolution of the regional security system in the Gulf. Prior to that position, he was a policy advisor for the French Ministry of Defense and a visiting scholar for the RAND Corporation. He holds a doctorate in political science from the University of Paris La Sorbonne.
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The Limits of Asia-Gulf Ties
	Thursday, May 16, 2013
	Gulf-Asian economic relations will likely continue to grow while national security considerations are ignored.

US Arms Sales All About Iran
	Friday, May 10, 2013
	The novelty of the latest US arms sales to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates was not their scale or content, but the sign of a US realignment of allies to deter Iran, explains Jean-Loup Samaan.

Israel and Iran Move Toward 'Nuclear Opacity'
	Wednesday, Apr 24, 2013
	With no breakthrough in negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, the Middle East could see power plays between Israel and Iran as undeclared nuclear powers.

Syria's Fragmented Opposition
	Friday, Apr 19, 2013
	The lack of unifying leadership among Syria's opposition has limited its effectiveness, writes Jean-Loup Samaan.

Israeli 'Deterrence' Strategy in Gaza Unlikely to Bring Stability
	Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013
	The recent clash between Israel and Palestinian groups suggests that the conclusions on deterrence drawn from Israel’s 2012 campaign in Gaza were flawed, writes Jean-Loup Samaan.

Jordan Snared in Syrian Crisis
	Wednesday, Apr 3, 2013
	The Syria war is complicating King Abdullah’s plans for stability and reform, writes Jean-Loup Samaan

The European Dilemmas On Arming Syrian Rebels
	Wednesday, Mar 27, 2013
	An initiative to lift the European Union’s arms embargo to Syria and increase support to rebels has been met with strong EU opposition; the EU is unlikely to move further on that issue.

Israel-Turkey Strategic Ties Show Signs of Thawing
	Wednesday, Mar 20, 2013
	Jean-Loup Samaan writes that the Israel-Turkey split is not really grounded in substance but rather in the personal ties of their leaders, and that a thaw may be in the works.

US Locked Into the Middle East
	Wednesday, Mar 13, 2013
	While events will not allow the United States to pivot from the Middle East to Asia, the US still needs a coherent strategy for the region, writes Jean-Loup Samaan.

Misunderstanding Israeli Missile Defense
	Tuesday, Mar 5, 2013
	Despite the Israeli consensus on missile defense, the core of Israeli strategy remains an offensive deterrent posture, writes Jean-Loup Samaan.

The Coming Unknown For NATO’s Policy on Syria
	Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013
	Jean-Loup Samaan writes that NATO’s role in Syria is likely to remain limited, and that preserving the infrastructure of the country is essential to prevent a collapse of state authority.

The Strategic Bargain Of Israel-Hezbollah Deterrence
	Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013
	Israel’s strike against the Syrian convoy on Jan. 30 was not to escalate the conflict with Damascus, but to contain it, while maintaining deterrence between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, writes Jean-Loup Samaan.