Secretary of State John Kerry.

Wall Street Journal – The Obama administration hopes to “pivot” away from a hyper-focus on the Middle East during its second term, but John Kerry’s maiden overseas mission as secretary of state—a nine-nation odyssey across Europe and the Persian Gulf—highlighted why that goal may be elusive.

Imminent threats posed by Syria’s civil war and Iran’s nuclear program, and longer-term challenges of Egypt’s flagging economy and the moribund Arab-Israeli peace process, dominated Mr. Kerry’s 11-day trip, even his stops in European capitals.

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