April 28, 2017
Is Enforced Displacement the New Reality in Syria?
The situation in Syria continues to defy an observer’s understanding of reality. Indeed, no Syrian in 2011 imagined that the regime of Bashar al-Asad would use fighter jets like Qadhafi did in early 2011 to...
Learn more »April 26, 2017
Trump Ponders Renewing America’s Longest War in Afghanistan
After being mum on Afghanistan during its first three months in office, President Donald Trump’s Administration has been reinvigorating its activities and leverage in the country during the past few weeks. On April 13, US...
Learn more »April 25, 2017
Will Erdogan’s Victory Usher Dramatic Changes in Turkish Foreign Policy?
Since becoming Turkey’s president in July 2014, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has pursued a protracted campaign to win constitutional changes that would grant him more powers. After his failed attempts to gain a two-thirds majority in...
Learn more »April 24, 2017
The Quandary of Bad Governance in the Arab World
Observers and analysts consider good governance to be among the topmost priorities in the Arab world. Many decry the status of institutional life, rule of law, government performance and effectiveness, and widespread corruption. Indeed, several...
Learn more »April 24, 2017
Next Challenge for Trump: The Islamic Republic of Iran
As the new administration of President Donald J. Trump struggles to find its foreign policy footing, with early tests emerging in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and elsewhere, Iran is looming as the next key...
Learn more »April 21, 2017
Israel’s “New” Settlement Policy Ploy
As 2016 drew to a close, the Obama Administration’s final actions on Palestine/Israel were on display at the United Nations Security Council, permitting the adoption of a resolution condemning Israeli settlements and noting their illegality....
Learn more »April 19, 2017
Deterring Iran in Yemen: Will the United States Join the Hodeida Operation?
The White House’s National Security Council (NSC) is expected to make an imminent determination on whether to provide the Pentagon with a blank check to directly support the Saudi Arabia-led Arab coalition’s plan to capture...
Learn more »April 18, 2017
Avoiding a Second Fallujah in Mosul
The victory in Mosul requires a comprehensive strategy that includes addressing the looming danger of civilian deaths, winning the hearts and minds of Sunni locals, negotiating the future of Shia militias, and crafting a serious...
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