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LevantUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsCan the 2020 Democratic Candidates Change the US-Israel Relationship?
Mar 6, 2019Yousef MunayyerDemocratic presidential contenders have a difficult task reconciling their party’s traditional pro-Israel position with that of young and progressive activists…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceSyria’s Demographic Changes Buttress Assad’s Authoritarianism
Mar 1, 2019Radwan ZiadehThe Syrian regime violated international prohibitions on the conduct of war by forcing millions of people to flee their homes in order to spur demographic chan…
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Trump Administration Is Buying Time in Syria
Feb 26, 2019Joe MacaronIt is no secret that Trump does not see any financial or strategic value in keeping US forces in Syria; however, his policy there has been like an aimless roll…
- Policy AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
The Iranian Revolution at 40: The Politics of Supreme Leader Succession
Feb 26, 2019Daniel BrumbergAs Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei advances in age, he must be careful about how his actions domestically and internationally will affect the inevitable succession…
- Policy AnalysisDemocracy and Governance
How Principled Is US Realism in the Middle East?
Feb 22, 2019Charles W. DunneUS authority, credibility, and interests in the Middle East are paying the price for the administration's confusion and abandonment of principles in its foreig…
- ViewpointUS Foreign Policy
The Trump Administration Repeats Its Follies in Warsaw
Feb 15, 2019Imad K. HarbThe Warsaw conference was another example of Trump’s failed foreign policy, one that runs away from past mistakes by creating others that lead to further disap…
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaInternational Law
The Khashoggi Affair: Saudi Denial 2.0
Feb 14, 2019Khalil E. JahshanSaudi Arabia continues to deny its leadership’s responsibility for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, despite all the evidence that has emerged since his assassin…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Iran Should Worry about New Iraq-Jordan Relations
Feb 13, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe recent economic agreement between Iraq and Jordan sends signals to Iran that Iraq may find Arab alternatives to its relations with the Islamic Republic.
- Policy AnalysisLebanonIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Lebanon’s New Government: No Need for Washington to Panic
Feb 6, 2019Joe MacaronLebanon’s new cabinet is not that different from the previous one. An American overreaction to Hezbollah’s role in it is likely to strengthen the party’s hold.
- ViewpointEgyptDemocracy and Governance
A Pharaoh in the Making: Sisi Seeks Long-term Job Security
Feb 5, 2019Imad K. HarbMany Arab presidents have loved the chair and have worked hard to make it more like a throne. One wonders if Sisi would be audacious enough to just declare him…
- Policy AnalysisEnergy and Economics
Trump’s Doomed Quest for a Middle East Strategic Alliance
Feb 5, 2019Daniel BrumbergTrump's Middle East Strategic Alliance is doomed because not all states there agree that Iran poses the biggest threat. A larger obstacle is the president's re…
- Policy AnalysisJordanDemocracy and Governance
How Netanyahu’s Dominance of Israeli Politics Has Shaped the Field
Feb 5, 2019Yousef MunayyerWhatever Netanyahu's fortunes in the coming elections, his brand of politics has already conquered Israel's political landscape, which is unlikely to change an…
- ViewpointLevantDemocracy and Governance
The Tragic Governance Crisis in Palestine
Feb 1, 2019Khalil E. JahshanFatah and Hamas are underestimating the damage of their split on Palestinians and their strategic objectives to end Israel’s occupation and establish an indepe…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Arab World in the 115th Congress: A Review
Jan 30, 2019Marcus MontgomeryThe 115th Congress was largely deferential to President Trump on policies related to the Arab world, but the 116th is likely to challenge him on important issu…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfDemocracy and Governance
How the Private Sector Supports Authoritarians in the Arab World
Jan 30, 2019Charles W. DunneThe private sector in the United States and around the world has a responsibility to confront authoritarian regimes and help protect human rights and the rule …
- Policy AnalysisSudanJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
“We are all Darfur!” – Sudan’s Unity Protests Stand a Real Chance. Time for the West to Step Up
Jan 29, 2019Linda Bishai Azaz ElshamiA series of student-led protests in Sudan that started in the provinces has quietly grown into a bona fide movement.
- Policy AnalysisLebanonEnergy and Economics
The Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum Reinforces Current Regional Dynamics
Jan 25, 2019Joe MacaronThe recently announced Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum is not likely to aid cooperation or economic integration because the policies of its member states mirro…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
‘Does Israel Have a Right To Exist’ Is a Trick Question
Jan 22, 2019Yousef MunayyerCriticizing Israel’s policies toward the Palestinian people should never be conflated with eliminationism.
- ViewpointLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Manbij Attack Exposes the Vulnerabilities of US Policy in Syria
Jan 17, 2019Joe MacaronThe US withdrawal from Syria may encourage Turkey and Russia to fill the vacuum, but IS’s Manbij attack may persuade Trump to stay a bit longer there.
- Policy AnalysisJordanJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
A Shift Begins on Israel/Palestine in the 116th Congress
Jan 17, 2019Yousef MunayyerA shift in public opinion and a clash between the older establishment and the young activists in the Democratic Party will change how the 116th Congress looks …
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Arab Rehabilitation of the Assad Regime
Jan 16, 2019Radwan ZiadehAssad will be able to regain his political legitimacy after winning his battle militarily only if he rehabilitates his regime’s standing in the Arab world.
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Deteriorating Circumstances in Syria and Yemen Overshadow US Tactical Success
Jan 16, 2019Charles W. DunneChanging circumstances in Syria and Yemen and Washington’s shifting strategies have exposed the Trump Administration’s claims of success as threadbare.
- Policy AnalysisIraqSecurity and Defense
The United States and the Turkish-Kurdish Conundrum in Northern Syria
Jan 11, 2019Mustafa GurbuzFuture US-Turkey relations depend on Ankara’s demands in northern Syria regarding the Kurds and how its relationship with Moscow develops.
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
Israel’s Upcoming Elections: Netanyahu Seeking Shelter from Legal Troubles
Jan 11, 2019Khalil E. JahshanNetanyahu’s fate lies in the hands of the attorney general who will personally decide whether and when to indict him.
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Khashoggi Murder and US Middle East Strategy in 2019
Jan 10, 2019Joe MacaronThe Khashoggi affair and Trump’s hasty withdrawal from Syria are expected to cast a cloud over Washington’s Middle East strategy in 2019.
- ViewpointEgyptUS Foreign Policy
Pompeo in Cairo: Not a Force for Good
Jan 10, 2019Imad K. HarbWith Trump as president and Pompeo as secretary of state, the United States has a very long way to become “a force for good” in the Middle East.
- ViewpointIraqInternational Law
Trump’s Visit Violated Iraq’s Sovereignty
Jan 8, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabWhile many in Iraq considered Trump’s visit a violation of sovereignty, there is no plan for changing the ongoing security relationship with the United States …
- Policy AnalysisDemocracy and Governance
Who Will Be Driving the 2019 Washington Policy Agenda?
Jan 4, 2019Marcus MontgomeryWhile President Trump enjoys constitutional prerogatives over American policy in the Middle East, a Democratic-controlled House is likely to impact his choices…
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
The Saudi Shake-Up to Consolidate One-Man Rule
Jan 2, 2019Imad K. HarbKing Salman’s cabinet reshuffle was to divert attention away from MbS’s responsibility for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi; but it will likely not succeed.
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Folly and Repercussions of Trump’s Decision on Syria
Jan 2, 2019Radwan ZiadehWithdrawing from Syria diminishes whatever influence the United States has cultivated there in favor of letting the Syrian regime, Russia, Turkey, and Iran cha…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Abbas and Netanyahu Turn to Elections to Solidify Control
Dec 28, 2018Yousef MunayyerAs a new year begins in Israel/Palestine, leaders there are seeking to use elections to sideline challenges and challengers, solidify their grip on power, and …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfUS Foreign Policy
No American Traction on Resolving the GCC Crisis
Dec 27, 2018Charles W. DunneTo maintain or reassert its leadership role in the Gulf region, the United States must effectively and forcefully address the reasons behind the start of the G…
- Policy AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iran’s Hardliners and Reformists and the Syria Gambit
Dec 27, 2018Daniel BrumbergIranian hardliners have tried to isolate reformists by asserting that in times of growing security threats, all political forces must unite behind the drive fo…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
The Aftermath of the Khashoggi Murder: Freedom of the Press in 2018
Dec 21, 2018Tamara KharroubThe rise of populism and anti-globalism has contributed to erosion of the international rights system, with governments moving away from accountability and tra…
- ViewpointSyriaUS Foreign Policy
Trump’s Syria Announcement Underscores US Policy Meltdown
Dec 20, 2018Daniel BrumbergThe withdrawal of US troops will make it easier for Moscow and Tehran to advance a political solution ensuring that Assad and his allies remain in power.
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Mohammed Bin Salman and the “Deal of the Century”
Dec 17, 2018Yousef MunayyerMbS has proven that he is the wrong man for the job of marketing Trump’s deal. If Trump goes ahead with his peace plan with MbS as his salesman, expectations o…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
US Senate Votes to Pressure Saudi Arabia
Dec 14, 2018Marcus MontgomeryCorker's resolution to cut off American assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen is a rebuke to President Trump and the administration.
- Policy AnalysisSyriaIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Assad Begins a Three-Year Plan to Refurbish His Regime
Dec 12, 2018Joe MacaronThe Assad regime is consolidating itself and laying the groundwork to reap the benefits of postwar Syria and strengthen control over territories it recaptured.
- ViewpointQatarEnergy and Economics
Qatar Withdraws from OPEC: Business, Politics, or Both?
Dec 6, 2018Khalil E. JahshanIt strains credulity to believe that Qatar’s decision to withdraw from OPEC was taken in total isolation from the regional conflict and tensions with neighbors.
- Policy AnalysisJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Political Prisoners in the Middle East: The Quiet Crisis
Dec 6, 2018Charles W. DunneHolding political prisoners in the Middle East is not only a human rights abuse in and of itself; it is symptomatic of a much more pervasive and dangerous patt…
- Policy AnalysisQatarThe GCC
The GCC Is Meeting Again: What to Expect?
Dec 3, 2018Kristian Coates UlrichsenRegardless of what happens at the GCC summit on December 9, the likelihood is that the council as it functioned up until 2017 is not coming back anytime soon, …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
US Economic Warfare and Iran’s Politics of Muddling Through
Nov 30, 2018Daniel BrumbergIf the Trump Administration and its Middle East allies are counting on capitulation by Iran’s leaders, they are likely to be disappointed in knowing that these…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaInternational Law
Mohammed bin Salman Tries to Polish His Image at the G20
Nov 29, 2018Imad K. HarbLooking at what has transpired since Khashoggi’s death, MbS’s participation in the G20 is unlikely to help him polish his image or restore his reputation.
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Pompeo and Mattis Strongly Support Saudi Arabia in the US Senate
Nov 28, 2018Marcus MontgomeryThe Trump Administration likely dealt itself a blow when it sent Secretaries Pompeo and Mattis to the Senate but prevented Haspel from testifying as well.
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Israel and Gaza: From the Brink of War to the Brink of Elections
Nov 27, 2018Yousef MunayyerAfter new elections in Israel, there is little reason to expect anything other than another right-wing Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
Trump’s Extraordinary Statement on Saudi Arabia
Nov 21, 2018Khalil E. JahshanAmerican national interests would have been better served by withholding such futile statements of denial and disclaimer until Saudi, Turkish, and US investiga…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaUS Foreign Policy
President Trump, Congress, and US-Saudi Relations: A Post-Election Assessment
Nov 21, 2018Marcus MontgomeryPresident Trump has made it clear that even if the Saudi crown prince did order the brutal Khashoggi slaying, this should not fundamentally alter US-Saudi rela…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Libyans Should Decide Their Own Future: An Interview with Hani Shennib
Nov 20, 2018Imad K. HarbThe failure to address the root causes of the Libyan conflict is the main reason why Libya has not arrived at a peaceful resolution to its ongoing troubles.
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Now-Halted War in Hodeida: Was It a Cover for Khashoggi’s Murder?
Nov 15, 2018Imad K. HarbThe resumption of fighting around Hodeida cannot be separated from the Saudi attempt to deflect the international community’s attention away from its responsib…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Developing GCC-Damascus Rapprochement
Nov 15, 2018Joe MacaronA rapprochement between GCC countries and the Syrian regime is becoming more possible and is being reinforced by recent regional developments.
- ViewpointIranUS Foreign Policy
American Sanctions on Iran Will Seriously Impact Iraq
Nov 13, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabWhile the new set of American sanctions on Iran will undoubtedly have a negative impact on its interactions with the world, the fear is that Iraq will be an un…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Weakened Arab Gulf Should Not Normalize Relations with Israel
Nov 9, 2018Imad K. HarbToday, Israel seems to be closer to officially normalizing its existence in the wider Arab world by aggressively pursuing relations with the monarchies of the …
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Trump, American Jews, and Israel: Driving a Deeper Wedge
Nov 9, 2018Yousef MunayyerUS support for Israel today is partisan in ways not seen before, thanks in part to shifting demographics and opinions and also to changes in the relationship b…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Flawed American Sanctions Policy on Iran
Nov 9, 2018Daniel BrumbergThe capacity of the United States and its regional friends to affect the Middle East’s geostrategic map could diminish further as flaws in the American strateg…
- Policy AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Congress and President Trump after the 2018 Midterm Elections
Nov 8, 2018Marcus MontgomeryDivided government and increased polarization in Congress are likely to make routine legislative business extremely difficult.
- ViewpointYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Is the United States Serious about Ending the Yemen Conflict?
Nov 2, 2018Khalil E. JahshanBipartisan congressional pressure and the Khashoggi murder may have forced the Trump Administration to revise its position on Yemen.
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
The 2018 Midterm Elections: What Do They Mean for the Middle East?
Nov 1, 2018Marcus MontgomeryPresident Trump is potentially days away from being handed a divided Congress; a Democratic-led House could challenge Republican orthodoxy over US policy regar…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Will the Istanbul Summit Offer Hope for Syria?
Nov 1, 2018Joe MacaronThe Istanbul summit on Syria was the first serious attempt in years to advance a viable Syrian political process; but obstacles remain, including American-Russ…
- ViewpointIraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russian Gains Are American Losses in the Arab World
Oct 30, 2018Imad K. HarbPutin’s assessment of a receding American international influence paves the way for an even larger Russian role in the Arab world.
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Khashoggi Affair: The Five Stages of Saudi Denial
Oct 27, 2018Khalil E. JahshanComing to terms with the heinous crime and its implications for the kingdom was a slow and painful process reminiscent of the five stages of grief model associ…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
The Global Magnitsky Act and Saudi Arabia
Oct 26, 2018Marcus MontgomeryThe Trump Administration prefers to accept a plausible story about the Khashoggi killing that allows the president to maneuver away from sanctioning Saudi indi…
- Research PaperEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Regional States and Egypt’s Democratic Transition
Oct 25, 2018Imad K. HarbQatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates were the most influential external actors in Egypt’s transition to democracy and its reversal after the 2011 …
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
Has Saudi Arabia Become a Monarchy of Fear?
Oct 24, 2018Daniel BrumbergWith increasing authoritarian tendencies in the current Arab political order, the Khashoggi killing may point to Saudi Arabia as approaching being a monarchy o…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Sochi Agreement on Idlib Tests Russian-Turkish Relations
Oct 19, 2018Joe MacaronThe irregularities in implementing the Sochi Agreement regarding Idlib will put Russian-Turkish relations to the test and may doom the Idlib ceasefire.
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaThe GCC
The Khashoggi Affair: Can Congress Force the President’s Hand?
Oct 18, 2018Marcus MontgomeryKhashoggi’s murder prompted many in Congress to speak out forcefully; but for Republicans, a political battle with the president over relations with Riyadh may…
- Policy AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iraq’s Changing Political Landscape: The Beginning of a New Era?
Oct 17, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabElecting a new president and choosing a new prime minister may provide some hope for positive changes in Iraq’s current political conditions.
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Haley Leaves the UN: Using Israel as Her Way to the White House
Oct 17, 2018Yousef MunayyerOn her ambitious quest to the presidency, Nikki Haley missed no opportunity to use her post at the United Nations to defend Israeli policies and to bash and pu…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaThe GCC
The Khashoggi Affair and the Future of Saudi Arabia
Oct 12, 2018Imad K. HarbJamal Khashoggi’s disappearance has taken on the importance of a serious international incident whose repercussions are likely to remain with the kingdom for a…
- Policy AnalysisMoroccoJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Assessing Morocco’s Human Rights Picture: Constitutional Reform May Not Be Enough
Oct 11, 2018Charles W. DunneWhile Morocco’s constitutional changes were meant to limit the powers of the absolute monarchy, the Moroccan king remains the final arbiter of the political sy…
- Policy AnalysisInternational Law
John Bolton vs. Bureaucratic Washington: Implications for the Middle East
Oct 11, 2018Marcus MontgomeryHow effectively Bolton steers the NSC through the gauntlet of Washington’s bureaucracy will go a long way in determining US policy toward the Middle East and N…
- Policy AnalysisInternational Law
Trump’s Unprincipled “Principled Realism” Benefits Trump, Not the World
Oct 5, 2018Daniel BrumbergTrump’s speech at the UNGA set out the basic dividing line that separates the Trump Administration from the normative, institutional, and legal consensus that …
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
Arab Leaders Return from New York with Little to Show
Oct 4, 2018Joe MacaronRepresentatives of Arab governments delivered their remarks at the United Nations General Assembly last week. A review of the 16 speeches shows that they focus…
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
A September to Forget: Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UNGA
Oct 3, 2018Yousef MunayyerThe major addresses by Trump, Netanyahu, and Abbas at the UN General Assembly failed to achieve any advances on the question of Palestine. The Palestinians con…
