Jonah Shepp

Bio

Jonah Shepp worked as a journalist and as a freelance writer and editor for NGOs and research institutes in Jordan from 2008-2013. An avid news junkie, Middle East politics and international affairs in general are his main obsessions. He holds a BA from Amherst College and originated in New York City.

Syria's Chemical Weapons Disposal Proves the U.S. Does At Least Something Right

By Jonah Shepp

Between the debt ceiling crisis and government shutdown (which are finally over, for now), as well as the shaky rollout of Obamacare, it may be hard to imagine the U.S. government doing anything right these days, but America's response to the Syrian…

Russia and Syria Can't Be Trusted — That's Why We Should Trust Them

By Jonah Shepp

The notion of securing Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles has been kicking around since last June, but acquired a new lease on life this Monday when Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov proposed it as an alternative to military intervention,…

Is U.S. Military Aid to Egypt Going to Stop? Here's Why it Doesn't Matter

By Jonah Shepp

The violent crackdown on Islamist protesters in Egypt last week prompted renewed calls for the U.S. to cut off the $1.3 billion it grants Cairo in military aid each year. While there is a moral case to be made for such cuts, it is unlikely that they…

One Thing Everyone is Getting Wrong About Egypt

By Jonah Shepp

Friday’s speech by Egyptian army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling for a “war on terrorism” (implicitly referring to the Islamist movement), coupled with ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s arrest on charges of “espionage” for allegedly plotting…