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LevantIdentity Politics and SectarianizationThe Looming Threat of Kurdish-Arab Strife in Northern Syria
Apr 9, 2018Mustafa GurbuzThe latest developments in northern Syria signal a clear threat of rising Arab-Kurdish tensions that could boil over if local, regional, and international play…
- Policy Analysis
LevantInternational LawThe Gaza “Great March of Return”: Regional and International Reactions
Apr 6, 2018Khalil E. JahshanDespite the bloodshed, from a Palestinian perspective the Great March of Return was a resounding success, beating expectations and fueling enthusiasm for more …
- Viewpoint
LevantJustice, Equality, and Human RightsCovering Gaza: Is the Mainstream Media Discourse Changing on Palestine/Israel
Apr 6, 2018Tamara KharroubAs Israeli occupation forces carried out a brutal response against 30,000 Palestinians protesters in Gaza, Washington, DC—and much of the international communi…
- ViewpointLevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Netanyahu Tries to Shore Himself Up
Apr 4, 2018Imad K. HarbThe Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not need the people of Gaza demonstrating on their border to create what amounted to a target-shooting opportunity that kil…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsIs This the End of AIPAC’s Reign?
Apr 3, 2018Tamara KharroubThe month of March in Washington DC is known for cherry blossom and AIPAC's annual conference. From 4-6 March, the 2018 AIPAC policy conference took place in D…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceWhere Is Syria Headed?
Apr 3, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe scenarios for Syria’s future after the fall of Eastern Ghouta now look very different from those drawn in 2012 or 2013, which depicted a peaceful political…
- Policy Analysis
JordanConflicts and Conflict ResolutionJordan’s Four Worst-case Scenarios on Its Syrian Border
Mar 30, 2018Joe MacaronJordan faces four worst-case scenarios as the US-Russia ceasefire agreement is gradually collapsing in southwestern Syria. Amman’s options to limit the damage …
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Foreign PolicyPompeo Unlikely to Press for Human Rights in the Arab Region
Mar 29, 2018Gregory AftandilianIn contrast to Tillerson, who raised human rights and democracy concerns in some Arab states, Pompeo is unlikely to do so given his ideology and desire to stay…
- Policy Analysis
IranSecurity and DefenseWho is John Bolton? A Political Profile of the Next National Security Advisor
Mar 23, 2018Marcus MontgomeryWith the appointment of John Bolton as national security advisor, the United States risks turning the National Security Council into an echo chamber of hyper-n…
- ViewpointUS Foreign Policy
Bolton Is In; Fasten Your Seatbelts
Mar 23, 2018Imad K. HarbIt is hard to see how the Trump Administration can conduct a purposeful and reasoned foreign policy with the chaos engulfing its essential institutions. The fi…
- Policy Analysis
JordanJustice, Equality, and Human RightsA Palestinian Landscape of Unknowns
Mar 23, 2018Yousef MunayyerUnable to even pretend that Washington can deliver on brokering peace, Palestinian leaders seem stuck, having already devoted fruitless heavy political investm…
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Trump’s Transactional Relationship with Saudi Arabia
Mar 22, 2018Kristian Coates UlrichsenThe March 21, 2018 press conference between US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) must rank among the most surreal…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaSecurity and DefenseSaudi Arabia, the UAE, and the Yemeni Hemorrhage
Mar 20, 2018Imad K. HarbIt is necessary to point out that the Saudi-led intervention in March 2015 has exacerbated human suffering and underscored the differences between Yemen’s elit…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptDemocracy and GovernanceEgypt’s Presidential Elections and the Challenges Ahead
Mar 20, 2018Charles W. DunneSisi is on his way to a second term but Egypt is set for a number of challenges after its presidential elections regarding economic development, human rights a…
- ViewpointLevantMedia and Technology
Where on Earth is the Palestinian Press?
Mar 16, 2018Khalil E. JahshanAs a long-term observer of Middle East politics, I have always been intrigued by the surprisingly limited impact exerted by the Palestinian media on Palestinia…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsFiring Tillerson Leaves US Diplomacy in Limbo
Mar 15, 2018Joe MacaronTillerson’s firing comes at a critical time in US foreign policy. New dynamics are emerging in the Trump Administration and the successor Mike Pompeo should ba…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonEnergy and EconomicsA Saudi Comeback to Lebanese Politics?
Mar 14, 2018Joe MacaronNearly 100 days after his mysterious “captivity” in the Saudi capital, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri visited Riyadh again on February 28. The timing c…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Foreign PolicyWho is Mike Pompeo? A Political Profile of the Nominee for US Secretary of State
Mar 13, 2018Marcus MontgomeryWhen considering his policy positions, temperament, and personal relationship with President Trump, Pompeo is almost the polar opposite of outgoing Secretary o…
- ViewpointLevantUS Foreign Policy
Tillerson’s Departure: Implications for Middle East Policy
Mar 13, 2018Imad K. HarbPresident Donald Trump’s sacking of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has important ramifications for US policy in the Middle East, and specifically toward the …
- Policy Analysis
LevantSecurity and DefenseUS Syria Policy: Juggling Contradictory Interests
Mar 13, 2018Gregory AftandilianUS policy in Syria, as articulated by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, remains focused on the Islamic State, but it does little to bring about other stated go…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseStrategic Considerations of the UAE’s Role in Yemen
Mar 9, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabThere are legitimate questions about whether the UAE is interested in keeping Yemen unified and sovereign under a national government recognized by the interna…
- Policy Analysis
JordanJustice, Equality, and Human RightsTrump’s UNRWA Decision Buys into Israel’s Argument
Mar 8, 2018Tamara KharroubUS funding cuts to UNRWA open the door for further US policies that espouse Israeli far-right positions regarding the status of Palestinian refugees and the ri…
- Policy Analysis
JordanJustice, Equality, and Human RightsRepercussions of Trump’s Jerusalem Policy Change: An Interview with Khalil E. Jahshan
President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his administration’s decision to move the American embassy there have probably t…
- Policy Analysis
LevantSecurity and DefenseWill Trump Further Militarize the Arab World?
Feb 28, 2018Marcus MontgomeryUnder the leadership of President Donald Trump, the Arab world may be poised for increased militarization as he pushes for military sales and it experiences nu…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionHell on Earth: The World Forsakes Syria’s Eastern Ghouta
Feb 28, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe people of this district near Damascus are being exposed to relentless aerial bombing and ground attacks that have killed over 500 civilians, including many…
- Policy Analysis
QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionUS Allies Upstage Tillerson’s Mideast Tour
Feb 27, 2018Joe MacaronIsrael and Turkey dominated Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s first expanded high level trip to the Middle East as US foreign policy faces new regional challe…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Eastern Ghouta: Syria’s “Hell on Earth”
Feb 23, 2018Khalil E. JahshanIn recent weeks, the Assad regime and its supporters have subjected the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta to one of the most violent attacks of the seven-year …
- Policy Analysis
LevantEnergy and EconomicsTurkey’s Challenge to Arab Interests in the Horn of Africa
Feb 22, 2018Mustafa GurbuzTurkey’s policies and many activities around the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa have added complications to the already complex strategic picture of the Middle…
- Policy Analysis
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIs There a US Policy Toward the Kurds in Iraq and Syria?
Feb 21, 2018Gregory AftandilianRecent tensions between the United States and Turkey over US support for the Syrian Kurds have brought to the forefront the issue of US policy toward the Kurdi…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Abbas Reassures UNSC of Palestinian Commitment to Just and Lasting Peace
Feb 20, 2018Khalil E. JahshanPalestinian president Mahmoud Abbas delivered today his long-anticipated speech to the UN Security Council. His objective was essentially two-fold, he wanted f…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Mahmoud Abbas at the UN Security Council
Feb 20, 2018Imad K. HarbWhat was most noticeable in Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s peace plan was his reaffirmation that the Arab Peace Initiative (API) of 2002 remai…
- Policy Analysis
LevantSecurity and DefenseThe War of Others on Syria’s Soil
Feb 20, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe late diplomat, politician, and publisher of the influential Lebanese daily An-Nahar, Ghassan Tueni, characterized the 15-year Lebanese civil war as “a war …
- Policy Analysis
JordanJustice, Equality, and Human RightsMahmoud Abbas’s Disappearing Options
Feb 15, 2018Yousef MunayyerAbbas’s options have significantly narrowed after Trump’s position change on Jerusalem; but his limited choices are not beneficial for anyone given the ambigui…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonConflicts and Conflict ResolutionLike Quicksand, Many Issues Threaten to Engulf Lebanon
Feb 13, 2018Imad K. HarbAs it approaches the highly anticipated round of legislative elections on May 6, Lebanon finds itself bereft of a cohesive political center that can withstand …
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA change in the American rules of engagement in Syria
Feb 9, 2018Radwan ZiadehThe American forces in northeastern Syria intervened in the Deir Ezzor area to protect and defend their local ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces. An estimated …
- Policy Analysis
IraqEnergy and EconomicsJordanian-Iraqi Relations on the Mend, but Problems Remain
Feb 8, 2018Gregory AftandilianEconomic necessities and opposition to the so-called Islamic State have brought Jordan and Iraq closer together, but Amman remains concerned about Baghdad’s li…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Russia has abandoned all restraint in its support of Assad
Feb 8, 2018Imad K. HarbIt appears that Russia has decided to fully throw in its weight behind Bashar al-Assad’s regime and in fact take part in bombing civilian targets. I think Russ…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionFits and Starts Characterize UN Mediation in Yemen, Syria, and Libya
Feb 7, 2018Mohammed CherkaouiUnited Nations diplomacy regarding Yemen, Syria, and Libya may be undergoing a period of fatigue, or perhaps exhaustion, in searching for efficient formulas to…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAn Unsettling Overview of the Middle East in 2018
Feb 2, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabIt is clear from ongoing developments in the Middle East that the United States and Russia will continue to play a role that meets their own national interests…
- Policy Analysis
The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseThe Aden Battle and Yemen’s De Facto Partition
Feb 2, 2018Joe MacaronIt is clear from ongoing developments in the Middle East that the United States and Russia will continue to play a role that meets their own national interests…
- Policy Analysis
LevantSecurity and DefenseThe Battle of Afrin and the Future of the Free Syrian Army
Feb 2, 2018Radwan ZiadehLow levels of mutual confidence between Washington and Ankara have subjected the American-Turkish strategic relationship to unwarranted dangers and challenges.
- Policy Analysis
EgyptUS Foreign PolicyThe Middle East Nuclear Picture: Peaceful Programs or Not, Cause for Concern
Feb 2, 2018Charles W. DunneFocusing solely on the Iranian nuclear program has made Washington oblivious to some significant nuclear developments in other parts of the Middle East.
- Policy Analysis
EgyptDemocracy and GovernanceEgypt’s Presidential Election Shaping Up as a Non-Contest
Jan 26, 2018Gregory AftandilianPresident Sisi has an easy path to reelection in March after his two main rivals have either been pressured to halt their candidacies or have dropped out of th…
- Policy Analysis
JordanConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Palestinian Bet on the EU Could be an Opportunity for Washington
Jan 25, 2018Joe MacaronThe United States should remain engaged in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and President Abbas’ visit to Europe may have provided the Trump Administratio…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionTurkey’s Kurdish Conundrum in Syria
Jan 24, 2018Mustafa GurbuzAs Turkey conducts its military operations against Syrian Kurdish militiamen ostensibly to secure its border with Syria, it finds itself needing to reconcile d…
- Policy Analysis
OmanConflicts and Conflict ResolutionDeterminants of Oman’s Strategic Position on the Gulf Crisis
Jan 23, 2018Imad K. HarbAs Oman seeks to steer a neutral course in the ongoing GCC crisis, Omani decision-makers worry that what happened with Qatar may be justified against their own…
- Policy Analysis
LevantDemocracy and GovernanceTillerson’s Syria Policy: Ambitious but Short on Detail
Jan 23, 2018Radwan ZiadehWhile the United States remains concerned about many different and complicating factors in Syria, Tillerson’s pronouncements represent an ambitious policy that…
- Policy Analysis
JordanInternational LawTrump Has Upended the Foundation of the Middle East Peace Process
Jan 18, 2018Yousef MunayyerAfter the Jerusalem decision, questions remain about whether Trump and his circle will realize the folly of their policies and the tremendous damage they will …
- Policy Analysis
MoroccoDemocracy and GovernanceThe Moroccan King’s “Political Earthquake”: Old Medicine in New Bottles?
Jan 17, 2018Mohammed CherkaouiThe real promise of political and economic reforms in Morocco mostly depends on whether King Mohammed VI is sincere about implementing them and if he succeeds …
- Policy Analysis
JordanUS Foreign PolicyWill Trump’s Jerusalem Move Unravel US-Jordanian Relations?
Jan 11, 2018Joe MacaronPresident Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is testing US-Jordanian relations and shifting how Amman views its regional role.
- Policy Analysis
EgyptConflicts and Conflict ResolutionEgyptian and Jordanian Relations with Israel under Strain
Jan 10, 2018Gregory AftandilianGenerally cordial and cooperative, Egyptian and Jordanian relations with Israel are currently strained following provocative actions by the U.S. and Israel on …
- Policy Analysis
IraqDemocracy and GovernanceUnsettling Times for Iraqi Kurdistan
Jan 10, 2018Mustafa GurbuzThe Sulaymaniyah protests last December have revealed a deep split in Iraqi Kurdistan. By pitting Sulaymaniyah against Irbil, Baghdad aims to capitalize on the…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Foreign PolicyThe Middle East in 2018: A Trump Administration To-Do List
Jan 9, 2018Charles W. DunneUS Middle East priorities in 2018 include Iran, the fate of the two-state solution, and managing instability in Iraq and Syria. US policy confusion and lack of…
- Policy Analysis
IranDemocracy and GovernanceRegime Unity Will Decide the Fate of Iran’s Protests
Jan 4, 2018Imad K. HarbIranian protesters’ slogans and demands indicate that there is much angst and frustration with the slow pace of political reform, the glacial movement of econo…
- Policy Analysis
LevantReligion and PoliticsThe Many Angles of Turkey’s Fight for Jerusalem
Dec 28, 2017Mustafa GurbuzTurkey’s championing of the cause of Jerusalem is genuine but also serves its interest in restoring its relations with the Arab countries and increasing its so…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaThe GCCCostly Mistakes in Saudi Decision-Making in Yemen and Lebanon
Dec 27, 2017Imad K. HarbSaudi Arabia’s mistakes and poor decision-making in Yemen and Lebanon have been at the heart of recent failures to deal with the two countries and have allowed…
- Policy Analysis
LevantDemocracy and GovernanceThe Syrian Opposition Faces an Existential Crisis
Dec 21, 2017Joe MacaronAfter losing important bargaining chips such as control of territory and ability to declare a ceasefire, the Syrian opposition may not be able to influence the…
- Research PaperIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
What Defines Terrorism? The Identity of the Victim or the Victimizer?
Dec 20, 2017Azmi BisharaNo great analytical effort is required to illustrate the widespread use of the terms “terrorism” and “counterterrorism” in today’s world. These terms dominate …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsPutin in Egypt as the United States Retreats
Dec 19, 2017Gregory AftandilianFrom the perspective of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, warming relations with Moscow sends a signal to Washington that the US-Egyptian bilateral relationship …
- Policy Analysis
LibyaDemocracy and GovernanceLibya’s Modern Slavery and the Politics of Denial
Dec 18, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiThe treatment of refugees and migrants in Libya raises new questions about three major political, socioeconomic, and moral dilemmas for the Libyan government, …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptMedia and TechnologyPress Freedom Reversals in Post-Arab Spring Countries
Dec 18, 2017Sahar KhamisJust like the path to democratization and reform has been obstructed or derailed in most of the Arab Spring countries, so has the path to media freedom, in a p…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionUsing Its Syrian Foothold, Russia Expands in the Middle East
Dec 14, 2017Charles W. DunneRussia’s victory in Syria does not merely prop up the Assad regime but, more broadly, helps propel Moscow’s strategic interests in the wider Middle East.
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
Trump’s Jerusalem Declaration: The Oslo Era’s Final Act
Dec 13, 2017Yousef MunayyerTrump’s declaration about Jerusalem isolated the United States, unified the Arab and Muslim worlds, and may have given the Europeans a chance to play a role as…
- Policy Analysis
LevantEnergy and EconomicsTurkey’s Policy toward a Fractured Libya
Dec 12, 2017Mustafa GurbuzTurkey is interested in being on good terms with all Libyan factions but is caught up in the complex relations between Libya’s political forces and their regio…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceImplications of Saleh’s Assassination on Yemen’s Future
Dec 8, 2017Joe MacaronFor the Iranian regime, Yemen remains a low-risk investment at Saudi Arabia’s border; and the impression in Tehran is that Saleh’s assassination forced Riyadh’…
- Policy Analysis
QatarEnergy and EconomicsThe GCC’s Future Is in the Balance after Its 38th Summit Meeting
Dec 7, 2017Imad K. HarbThe GCC should be preserved despite the failure of its 38th summit meeting in Kuwait and the establishment of a Saudi Arabian-Emirati new political and militar…
- Policy Analysis
JordanInternational LawTrump’s Jerusalem Announcement: Big Gambit, Little Gain
Dec 6, 2017Tamara KharroubThis is indeed a shameful day for the United States, where accrediting military force, violating international law, and supporting apartheid in Jerusalem mark …
- Policy AnalysisEgyptReligion and Politics
Egypt Still Banking on Libya’s Haftar While Reaching Out to Other Leaders
Dec 4, 2017Gregory AftandilianEconomic and primarily security interests drive Egypt’s Sisi to support General Khalifa Haftar, strongman in eastern Libya, against Islamist movements while al…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Foreign PolicyMissing Considerations of the Counterterrorism Alliance
Nov 29, 2017Imad K. HarbThe first meeting of the Islamic Military Counterterrorism Coalition, which took place in Riyadh, may have provided recognition of MbS’s leadership of the Musl…
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Foreign PolicyUS Military Planning in the Middle East: Increasing Challenges, Vague Strategies
Nov 28, 2017Charles W. DunneUncertainties about US military policy, intentions, and ambitions in the Middle East together with many political challenges and developments increase the conf…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionArab Normalization with Israel Frames Trump Peace Plan
Nov 22, 2017Yousef MunayyerPresident Trump’s peace plan in the Middle East embraces the “outside-in” approach for peace between Palestinians and Israelis with a risky Arab-Israeli normal…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionTrump Embraces the Saudi Vision of the Yemen Conflict
Nov 22, 2017Gregory AftandilianPresident Trump has adopted the Saudi leadership’s position that the Yemen conflict is a case of Iranian and proxy adventurism that needs to be rolled back and…
