A leading US Congressman has requested an official investigation into what he called former White House adviser Brett McGurk's “failed” Middle East policies.
Joe Wilson, the Republican former chairman of the Middle East House subcommittee, said Mr McGurk had “emboldened Iran and its proxies and made America less safe”.
In a letter publicly released on Friday, Mr Wilson lobbied new foreign affairs committee chairman Brian Mast to subpoena Mr McGurk to testify before Congress and launch a formal investigation into his regional track record.
“The fact that someone is so consistently wrong, in ways that endangered US national security, continued to shape policy among different administrations exposes a major problem in the foreign establishment,” the letter reads.
Mr McGurk has been involved in US Middle East policy for decades across several administrations, beginning with former president George W Bush's occupation of Iraq.
Under former president Barack Obama, he led US efforts to assist the global anti-ISIS coalition, but resigned during President Donald Trump's first term in office over the withdrawal of US troops from the mission in north-west Syria.
Most recently, under Joe Biden, Mr McGurk promoted a regional policy that went “back to basics” and away from the “maximalist” posture laid out in the Bush and Obama administrations during the Iraq war and the Arab uprisings, respectively.
His efforts put him in a long-running camp of US officials who have tried, and largely failed, to disengage from the region.
Mr Wilson has been among the most vocal members of US Congress on the Syria file, advocating against the ousted regime of Bashar Al Assad, as well as Iran. He is also known among his colleagues on Capitol Hill to refer to the Russian President solely as “war criminal Putin”.
In his letter to Mr Mast, he accuses Mr McGurk of leading in US efforts at “normalisation” with the Assad regime, which never officially occurred – despite a softening posture as Washington's Arab partners increasingly brought Syria back into the fold.
After the Syrian opposition's shock victory against the regime late last year, Mr Wilson predicted the second Trump administration would stiffen Washington's anti-Iran posture and “accelerate” normalisation efforts with the new government in Damascus.
But the new Trump administration has largely promised a policy of US retreat on the world stage and an end to foreign wars.
Speaking exclusively to The National in January, Mr Wilson said the Trump administration would continue “in the tradition of the Abraham Accords” on Syria, including working with Saudi Arabia. Washington has tried for years to help establish relations between Riyadh and Israel through the accords.
His fellow Republicans are working in the new Trump-led government to establish “a level of stability for the mutual benefit of the people of Syria and Saudi Arabia, and then their neighbours”.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
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Take Me Apart
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Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
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The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
SCHEDULE
December 8: UAE v USA (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 9: USA v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 11: UAE v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 12: UAE v USA (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 14: USA v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 15: UAE v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
All matches start at 10am
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Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
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Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
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7. Kenya
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