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Hussain Abdul-Hussain

Hussain Abdul-Hussain is the Washington bureau chief of Kuwaiti daily Al-Rai and a former visiting fellow at Chatham House in London. Previously, he helped launch and manage the Iraqi stream of the Arabic TV network Alhurra. Before relocating to Washington, Abdul-Hussain worked as a reporter, and later as managing editor, for Lebanon’s The Daily Star. He has reported from conflict zones on the border between Lebanon and Israel, and from Baghdad shortly after the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime. Abdul-Hussain has also contributed articles to US newspapers, including The New York Times and the Washington Post, and appeared on American TV news networks such as CNN and MSNBC. In addition, he is a frequent commentator on Arabic satellite TV networks.

Articles By Hussain Abdul-Hussain

Trump Peace Plan: For Palestinians, the Promise of a State Should Focus on Good Governance and Less on Land By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Feb 1, 2020

Donald Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan grants Palestinians autonomy over 15 percent of Mandate Palestine. At face value, the plan looks awfully biased toward the Israelis and prejudicial to the Palestinians. But that is true only if the Palestinians think of land as the end of, and not the means for, a better life. When Palestinians and … Continue reading “Trump Peace Plan: For Palestinians, the Promise of a State Should Focus on Good Governance and Less on Land”

What ‘Progress’? Lebanon Politics Impoverishes Lebanese By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Jan 30, 2020

Three months after the resignation of the government – a short time by the standards of Lebanese politics – the Iran-proxy, Islamist group Hezbollah and its allies have managed to cobble together a new cabinet. But the news has failed to end angry protests that precipitated then-prime minister Saad Hariri’s resignation. And while Hezbollah hoped … Continue reading “What ‘Progress’? Lebanon Politics Impoverishes Lebanese”

Iran’s Reaction to Soleimani’s Death Shows Its Ability to Wage Asymmetric War Has Been Blunted By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Jan 12, 2020

Seventeen years after its blunder in the 2003 Iraq War, America has regained its mojo. It was previously thought inconceivable that Washington would dare assassinate the Iranian Quds Force general, Qassem Soleimani. Not only did it do so, but, judging from Tehran’s response, America also managed to neuter Iran’s ability to conduct non-state level warfare. … Continue reading “Iran’s Reaction to Soleimani’s Death Shows Its Ability to Wage Asymmetric War Has Been Blunted”

Hezbollah Broke Lebanon. Now Hezbollah Owns Lebanon By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Jan 3, 2020

“Consensus democracy” is the buzzword of Lebanon’s sectarian politics, in which candidates for the highest state positions must have cross-sectarian approval. That, at least, is the theory. In practice, Hezbollah has no qualms about trampling on consensus when it suits the pro-Iran Shia agenda.  Together with President Michel Aoun and his Maronite Christian supporters and … Continue reading “Hezbollah Broke Lebanon. Now Hezbollah Owns Lebanon”

Once the Switzerland of the Levant, Lebanon Is Now the Venezuela of the Middle East By Hussain Abdul-Hussain - Dec 16, 2019

Lebanon is in chaos. The streets are filled with protesters tired of living in a country where nothing works. Yet the government persists in the belief that the protests are about its performance, rather than the root-and-branch reforms that the protesters are demanding. There has been no functioning government in Lebanon since Prime Minister Saad … Continue reading “Once the Switzerland of the Levant, Lebanon Is Now the Venezuela of the Middle East”