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SyriaRegional Relations and GeopoliticsRussian-Turkish-Iranian Cross-Purposes on Syria’s Future
Sep 8, 2020Daniel BrumbergOn August 24, the United Nations-sponsored Syrian Constitutional Committee meetings reconvened in Geneva. UN Envoy Geir Peterson, the chair of the meeting, dec…
- Viewpoint
UAESecurity and DefenseComments on the UAE’s Acquisition of the F-35
Sep 8, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have condoned the sale of the advanced American F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to the United Arab Emirates afte…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Spinning the Wheels: Syria’s Useless Political Negotiations
Sep 2, 2020Radwan ZiadehRadwan Ziadeh contends that the many rounds of negotiations to resolve the Syrian crisis have failed because of the imbalance of power between the Syrian regim…
- ViewpointLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Lebanon Chooses a Prime Minister, Thwarting the Protesters Again
Aug 31, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb writes that Lebanon’s new and largely unknown prime minister-designate, Mustafa Adib, is relatively inexperienced in politics. Nevertheless, his c…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/Israel
The Collapsing Arab Consensus and Options for the Palestinian Leadership
Aug 28, 2020Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer argues that Palestinians cannot rely on outside actors to help them in their struggle, and that their leadership must harness or rebuild endoge…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptViolent Extremism
Egypt’s Counterterrorism Strategy in Sinai: Challenges and Failures
Aug 28, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniLooking at Egypt’s counterterrorism strategy against the Sinai insurgency, Khalil al-Anani writes that it is counterproductive and creates fertile ground for e…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonRegional Relations and Geopolitics
After the Beirut Blast: Hezbollah and Iran Walk a Tricky Line
Aug 26, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg argues that Hezbollah and Iran are vested in preserving the current political system in Lebanon whose confessional institutions enable the part…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonUS Foreign Policy
How Can the United States Best Help Lebanon?
Aug 25, 2020Charles W. DunneWith Lebanon in crisis and the United States’ desire to help, Charles W. Dunne writes that Washington’s focus on sidelining Hezbollah and Iran should not under…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaMigrants, Refugees, and IDPs
Loss of a Generation: The Education of Syria’s Refugee Children
Aug 25, 2020Yara M. AsiYara M. Asi reports that almost ten years of homelessness, poverty, and trauma have deprived millions of Syria’s children and youth—displaced inside the countr…
- Policy AnalysisYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Riyadh Agreement 2.0 Changes Nothing in Yemen
Aug 19, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryNabeel Khoury contends that the lack of trust between Yemen’s Hadi government and southern secessionists is likely to at least delay the implementation of the …
- Policy AnalysisSudanDemocracy and Governance
Despite Some Progress, Sudan’s Transition Faces Mounting Hurdles
Aug 18, 2020Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian states that although the government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has instituted a number of political and social reforms, Sudan’s democ…
- ViewpointIraqUS Foreign Policy
Iraq’s Mustafa Al-Kadhimi Comes to Washington
Aug 18, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab Al-Qassab previews Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi’s upcoming visit to Washington and writes that the American capital may be too preoccupie…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelUS Foreign Policy
The UAE-Israel Deal: Exploring the Motives
Aug 17, 2020Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan explores the political reasons behind the agreement to officially normalize relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, stating th…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Beirut Explosion Will Have a Lasting Impact on Lebanon
Aug 14, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron argues that the Beirut explosion and its repercussions will have a profound impact on Lebanon’s future, whatever political scenario emerges followi…
- ViewpointLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Hezbollah-Aoun Political Process Has Failed in Lebanon
Aug 11, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb posits that the resignation of the Lebanese government exposes the failure of the Hezbollah-Aoun political process but opens an opportunity for th…
- Intern CornerThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfWomen & Gender Issues
Barriers to Women’s Workforce Participation in the Gulf Arab States
Aug 11, 2020Alainna LiloiaAlainna Liloia argues that a societal shift in the Gulf states is needed for greater support to working women so they can make their own personal and professio…
- ViewpointLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Lebanon: A Failed State Explodes
Aug 6, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb contends that the failing Lebanese state will only begin to restore its legitimacy when the country’s political elites either step down or alter t…
- ViewpointUS Foreign Policy
Pompeo and His Unalienable Rights Scam
Aug 5, 2020Khalil E. JahshanCommenting on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s latest speech about support for human rights around the world, Khalil E. Jahshan argues that affiliating with mi…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/Israel
Beinart’s “Earthquake”: The Fallout and What It Means
Aug 4, 2020Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer examines the different responses to Peter Beinart’s ideological shift about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and contends that more changes nee…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Lebanon’s Other Problem: Neutrality in Regional Affairs
Aug 3, 2020Imad K. HarbExamining Lebanon’s traditional neutrality in regional affairs, Imad K. Harb writes that Hezbollah’s push to follow Iran’s policies is placing the country in a…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Egypt’s Military Options
Jul 30, 2020Charles W. DunneWith talks between Egypt and Ethiopia failing to break the impasse over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Charles W. Dunne evaluates Cairo’s military option…
- Policy AnalysisTunisiaDemocracy and Governance
Political Crisis, Regional Power Struggles, and Creeping Presidentialism in Tunisia
Jul 29, 2020Daniel BrumbergAnalyzing Tunisia’s political problems, Daniel Brumberg writes that nearly a decade into the country’s democratic experiment, many of its leaders appear incapa…
- Policy AnalysisUAE
Reflections on Mohammed bin Zayed’s Preferences Regarding UAE Foreign Policy
Jul 24, 2020Kristian Coates UlrichsenAssessing the UAE’s foreign policy, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen contends that Mohammed bin Zayed’s personalistic rather than institutionalist style exposes his c…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaSecurity and Defense
Can Saudi Arabia and the UAE Develop National Arms Industries?
Jul 22, 2020David B. Des RochesWith a speed rarely seen in history, the Gulf Arab states have evolved from mere afterthoughts of colonialism to advanced countries. Located in a strategic reg…
- Policy AnalysisTurkeyRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Turkey’s Activist Regional Policies Are a Double-Edged Sword
Jul 21, 2020Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian explains that although Turkey has scored points in the Arab world with its support for the Palestinians, its activist posture and intervent…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/Israel
Annexation: Why Hasn’t It Happened?
Jul 20, 2020Yousef MunayyerEvaluating the reasons for the delay in announcing Israel’s annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, Yousef Munayyer writes that a de facto annexation ha…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/Israel
By Hedging, the UAE Abandons the Palestinians
Jul 17, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb writes that the UAE’s hedging strategy explains its headlong openness on Israel. It is thus abandoning the Palestine question just as the Israeli …
- Policy AnalysisIraqUS Foreign Policy
US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue: Important Achievements, but Much Remains to Be Done
Jul 14, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne reports that the first round of the US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue in June made progress on security issues, but many challenges remain for the tw…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Iran’s Hard-liners Grapple with the Trap of Securitizing the State
Jul 13, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg argues that Iran's hard-liners have savored the victory of last February's parliamentary elections and are now preparing for the 2021 president…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaUS Foreign Policy
By Sanctioning Turkey’s Role in Libya, Trump Emboldens Erdoğan in the Eastern Mediterranean
Jul 10, 2020Joe MacaronEvaluating the Trump Administration's policy toward Libya, Joe Macaron writes that from giving a green light to Haftar to march toward Tripoli to endorsing Tur…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Understanding Egypt’s Strategy in Libya
Jul 8, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniKhalil al-Anani discounts the chances for a direct Egyptian military intervention in Libya despite the dangers of instability and chaos there and their impact …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Migrant Workers’ Health and COVID-19 in GCC Countries
Jul 7, 2020Yara M. AsiYara M. Asi writes that poor health care provisions and crowded living conditions of migrant workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have made them e…
- Policy AnalysisYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Unabated War and Descent into Chaos in Yemen
Jun 30, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryNabeel Khoury argues that despite the many mistakes made by Yemen's political leaders and factions and the regional and international communities, the country'…
- Policy AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
American Uprising: From Local to Global Implications
Jun 29, 2020Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer proposes that changes in American society and existing trends in public opinion, especially among the younger generation, suggest that a welcom…
- ViewpointPalestine/Israel
Netanyahu Tackles Multiple Annexation Hurdles
Jun 26, 2020Khalil E. JahshanWriting about Israel’s annexation plan this coming July, Khalil E. Jahshan states that whether the Trump Administration fully approves of Netanyahu’s ideas or …
- Policy AnalysisRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Middle East Settles in for a Long, Hot, and Dangerous Summer
Jun 24, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg examines the conditions that could make this summer a dangerous period in the Middle East as contentious issues weigh heavily on competing regi…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaEnergy and Economics
US-Russian Competition and the M4 Highway in Syria
Jun 23, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron argues that in Syria, implementing the Caesar Act sanctions and opening the east-west M4 Highway reflect intensified US-Russian competition while t…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense
The Arms Trade in the MENA Region: Drivers and Dangers
Jun 17, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that international arms sales remain a huge business in the Middle East, making it the most militarized region globally. However, he wr…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptClimate and Environment
Water Conflict Between Egypt and Ethiopia: A Defining Moment for Both Countries
Jun 16, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniKhalil al-Anani discusses the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project between Egypt and Ethiopia and argues that it constitutes a turning poin…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Mechanics of Israel’s Annexation in the West Bank
Jun 16, 2020Jonathan KuttabLooking ahead at likely scenarios after Israel annexes areas of the West Bank, Jonathan Kuttab posits that it will be impossible to deny that the act represent…
- From our AffiliatesUS Domestic Politics and Elections
US Protests against Police Brutality: Election Disaster for Trump?
Jun 11, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)The United States of America is witnessing massive protests against the killing of a black citizen, George Floyd, by a white policeman who was filmed kneeling …
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Hezbollah Cannot Solve Lebanon’s Worsening Conditions
Jun 10, 2020Imad K. HarbImad K. Harb contends that Hezbollah has not succeeded in helping to repair Lebanon's domestic political and economic problems, has made the country hostage to…
- Policy AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Trump Toys with Domestic Use of Military
Jun 10, 2020Marcus MontgomeryMarcus Montgomery discusses President Trump's gambit to use the American military domestically and the administration's new approach to Israel's annexation pla…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Threat of Israeli Annexation: The American Dimension
Jun 9, 2020Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan writes that there is nothing new about depopulating Palestine and confiscating and annexing Palestinian land, policies that have been necessa…
- Policy AnalysisGlobal Health and Health Policy
Do Arab Women Need Saving? The Health of Women in the Arab World
Jun 8, 2020Yara M. AsiYara M. Asi argues that the complexity of Arab women's lives necessitates powerful ways to protect their health and well-being that should be grounded in gende…
- Policy AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Israeli Annexation Plan and Jordan’s West Bank Moment
Jun 3, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron argues that as Netanyahu makes plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, Jordan faces difficult choices in appeasing domestic critics and pre…
- Policy AnalysisSecurity and Defense
China in the Middle East: Capitalizing on Washington’s Distractions
May 29, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne analyzes how China's efforts to expand and defend its interests in the Middle East may come at the expense of the United States, which has tra…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelInternational Law
Assessing Options for a Palestinian Response to Israeli Annexation
May 28, 2020Yousef MunayyerAfter 18 months of false starts and three attempts, Israeli elections have finally yielded a governing coalition that has brought together its largest parties,…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign Policy
US Middle East Policy in Free Fall
May 28, 2020Daniel BrumbergGulf Arab states have little choice but to rely for their security needs on the Trump Administration despite its feckless policy in the Middle East and poor ca…
- Policy AnalysisJordanThe GCC
Jordan Maneuvers in GCC Politics to Protect Its Interests
May 27, 2020Gregory AftandilianDespite its heavy dependence on the GCC for economic aid and employment for its workforce, Jordan has been able to pursue political positions not always in syn…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaDemocracy and Governance
A Fracture That Will Not Threaten the Assad Regime in Syria
May 18, 2020Radwan ZiadehRadwan Ziadeh discounts the long-term political repercussions of the Assad-Makhlouf dispute and writes that if the regime gets in serious trouble, the cousins …
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Iran Is Running a Custom-Made Strategy in the Levant
May 18, 2020Joe MacaronAlthough economic pressures are forcing the Iranian regime to cut its losses in the Levant, it would be a mistake for the Trump Administration and its allies t…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Nakba 72 Years On: The Current Status of the Question of Palestine
May 15, 2020Imad K. Harb Khalil E. Jahshan Tamara Kharroub Yousef Munayyer Marwan Bishara Diana ButtuArab Center Washington DC research fellows and associates share their opinions and perspectives on the question of Palestine as Palestinians and the world mark…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Politics of COVID-19 in Egypt: Between Repression and Opportunism
May 12, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniThe Egyptian regime's medical assistance to the United States and other countries during the coronavirus pandemic is meant to mollify international criticism o…
- Policy AnalysisGlobal Health and Health Policy
Health Care in the Arab World: Outcomes of a Broken Social Contract
May 12, 2020Yara M. AsiYara M. Asi surveys the poor conditions of the Arab world's health care sector and writes that significant changes in efforts and resources should be prioritiz…
- Policy AnalysisIraqViolent Extremism
The US and Iraq Must Shore Up the Fight against the Islamic State
May 8, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq faces numerous setbacks, including the coronavirus, and that the upcoming US-Iraq Stra…
- Washington Policy WeeklyPalestine/IsraelUS Foreign Policy
Capitol Hill Turns to Public Diplomacy to Challenge Trump’s Policies
May 6, 2020Marcus MontgomeryUntil May 4, the House of Representatives and Senate were steering clear of Capitol Hill in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease to lawma…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
MbS’s New “Vision 2020”: Reform and Repression
May 5, 2020Daniel BrumbergSaudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) will most likely weather the political, economic, and health storms generated by COVID-19. Prompted by th…
- Policy AnalysisIranUS Foreign Policy
Worrisome American Response to Iran in the Gulf
May 5, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab Al-Qassab examines the muted US response to Iranian provocations in the Arabian Gulf, surmising that it reflects poorly on the reputation of the Uni…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Haftar’s Secession Must Not Stand
May 2, 2020Imad K. HarbGeneral Haftar's unilateral abrogation of the 2015 Skhirat Agreement is illegal and that his secession in areas under his control paves the way for Libya's dis…
- ViewpointPalestine/IsraelDemocracy and Governance
The Netanyahu-Gantz Coalition Farce
Apr 30, 2020Khalil E. JahshanThe emerging differences about the issue of annexation between the two coalition partners could become the massive rock on which their agreement is apt to cras…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Playing Politics with Aid: Israel’s Response to COVID-19 in Gaza
Apr 29, 2020Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer asserts that Israel's facilitation of COVID-19-related aid to Gaza will largely further one overarching priority: to serve Israel's political o…
- Policy AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
COVID-19, Presidential Elections, and US Foreign Policy
Apr 29, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron writes that Donald Trump's presidency and his administration's foreign policy may be defined this election year by the coronavirus pandemic and its…
- ViewpointYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Unified Yemen May Soon Cease to Exist
Apr 27, 2020Imad K. HarbWith President Hadi too weak to respond to the self-rule declaration by the UAE- supported Southern Transitional Council, and Saudi Arabia too economically tro…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaDemocracy and Governance
Syria’s Authoritarian Regime and COVID-19
Apr 24, 2020Radwan ZiadehSyria's delayed admission of COVID-19 cases was dictated by the regime's political calculations and its hope to use the cover of the pandemic to avoid sanction…
- Policy AnalysisAlgeriaDemocracy and Governance
COVID-19 Promises Algeria Uncertainty, Danger, and—Perhaps—Opportunity
Apr 23, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg discusses the political and economic circumstances surrounding the Algerian military's handling of the coronavirus epidemic, using the situatio…
- Policy AnalysisOmanDemocracy and Governance
Continuity in Oman’s Problems and Policy Prescriptions
Apr 21, 2020Imad K. HarbOman is likely to continue to follow the policy prescriptions of the late Sultan Qaboos, Imad K. Harb writes, but the new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may …
- Washington Policy WeeklySaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Did the Saudi-Led Oil Deal Diminish Republicans’ 2020 Electoral Chances?
Apr 15, 2020Marcus MontgomeryBecause the health of the US economy is critical for Donald Trump's reelection hopes, Marcus Montgomery asks if the recent Saudi-led OPEC+ cuts will contribute…
- Policy AnalysisSudanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Fractured Power Structure, Peace Talks Hurdles Add to Sudan’s Woes
Apr 15, 2020Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian argues that even if a final political deal is reached between Khartoum and the rebel groups in Sudan, a poor economy will continue to worse…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Libya: Between Proxy War and International Failure
Apr 14, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniThe domestic, regional, and international players of the Libyan conflict continue to fuel the civil war nine years after the toppling of Muammar Qadhafi.
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Fakhoury Fiasco and US-Lebanese Relations
Apr 13, 2020Joe MacaronThe unconventional release of Lebanese-American Amer Fakhoury highlights the extent of Washington’s leverage in Beirut and raises questions about the status of…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelDemocracy and Governance
The Coronavirus Crisis May Assure Netanyahu’s Survival
Apr 8, 2020Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer examines how Benny Gantz's political defeat and acceptance to form a coalition government with Benjamin Netanyahu have revived the Israeli prim…
