- Show all
- Arab Americans/ Muslim Americans
- Climate and Environment
- Conflicts and Conflict Resolution
- Democracy and Governance
- Diplomacy and Negotiations
- Economic Affairs
- Education and Development
- Energy and Economics
- Global Health and Health Policy
- Identity Politics and Sectarianization
- Infographics and Fact Sheets
- International Law
- International Law and International Bodies
- Israeli War Tactics and Genocide
- Justice, Equality, and Human Rights
- Media and Technology
- Migrants, Refugees, and IDPs
- Protests and Activism
- Public Opinion
- Public Opinion, Protest, and Debate
- Regional Implications and Geopolitics
- Regional Relations and Geopolitics
- Religion and Politics
- Security and Defense
- The GCC
- The War in Ukraine
- The War on Gaza
- Top 10 Readings on the Gaza War
- Topic-Test
- US Domestic Politics and Elections
- US Foreign Policy
- US Policy
- Violent Extremism
- Women & Gender Issues
- Policy AnalysisTurkeyRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Turkish-Egyptian Reconciliation Efforts Echo a Shifting Regional Order
Mar 26, 2021Daniel BrumbergOver the past month, Turkey has taken steps to restore diplomatic relations with Egypt. That President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spearheaded this effort is para…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egyptian-Saudi Relations: Strategic Ties with Some Political Strains
Feb 9, 2021Gregory AftandilianEgypt and Saudi Arabia continue to be strategic partners in the Middle East, buoyed by shared interests and certain threat perceptions. Saudi Arabia values Egy…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egypt’s Changing policy in Libya: Opportunities and Challenges
Jan 21, 2021Khalil Al-AnaniOn December 27, 2020, a high-ranking Egyptian diplomatic and security delegation visited the Libyan capital of Tripoli to hold talks with the United Nations-ba…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Where Can Palestinian Leaders Turn as Gulf Arabs Turn Away?
Oct 15, 2020Yousef MunayyerThe recent normalization agreements between the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain with Israel have sent shock waves throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds and ha…
- Policy AnalysisRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Arab League’s Many Failures
Oct 8, 2020Abdulwahab Al-Qassab Khalil E. Jahshan Tamara Kharroub Imad K. Harb Radwan Ziadeh Nabeel A. Khoury Sheila CarapicoOver its 75-year history, the 22-member League of Arab States (LAS) has declined as an organization—from one that represents and pushes for collective, purpose…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The French Initiative in Lebanon: Endgame and Challenges
Sep 16, 2020Joe MacaronFrench President Emmanuel Macron has been leading a charm offensive in Lebanon since the August 4th Beirut explosion as Paris seeks to reinvigorate its role in…
- Policy AnalysisJordanRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egypt-Iraq-Jordan Alliance Tries to Change Middle East Dynamics
Sep 16, 2020Curtis R. RyanOn August 25, 2020, the leaders of Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan met in Amman for the third in a succession of meetings marking ever-closer relations between the thr…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russian-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…
- 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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…
- 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 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 AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
Confusion in Iraq: A Fractious Political Process and Free-Wheeling Militias
Mar 30, 2020Abdulwahab Al-QassabAbdulwahab al-Qassab highlights Iraq's current political problems and calls upon Iraqi politicians to put aside their differences and concentrate on how to avo…
- Policy AnalysisJordanUS Foreign Policy
Jordan and Trump’s Peace Plan
Mar 24, 2020Gregory AftandilianJordan’s relations with Israel have hit a low point following the unveiling of the Trump peace plan because of fears over annexation of Israeli settlements in …
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russian-Turkish Tensions in Syria May Help Mend the US-Turkish Divide
Mar 20, 2020Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg studies the intricacies of Turkey's involvement in Syria and accommodation with Russia as it simultaneously hopes to enlist the assistance of t…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Muted Arab Attempt to Restore Influence in Syria
Mar 18, 2020Joe MacaronWill Arab countries be able to renew their influence in Syria given the ever-present inter-Arab rivalry and unfavorable geopolitical factors?
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Egypt-Turkey Strained Relations: Implications for Regional Security
Mar 18, 2020Khalil Al-AnaniEgyptian-Turkish tensions over influence, Libya, the eastern Mediterranean, and the Gulf region have increased regional insecurity and require de-escalation an…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Complications for Turkey in Idlib
Mar 17, 2020Mustafa GurbuzAnkara’s options in Idlib are extremely limited as it must enforce moderation on the part of the extremists as well as address the refugee crisis.
- From our AffiliatesSyriaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Moscow Summit: Will the Ceasefire Hold in Idlib?
Mar 11, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)The failure of previous arrangements regarding Syria suggests that the latest ceasefire agreement between Turkey and Russia may only be temporary. Read this an…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russia Has Limits on Its Influence in the Middle East
Mar 10, 2020Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that despite Russia’s success in Syria and stealthy gains in the Middle East since 2015, the limits on its capabilities have become inc…
- Policy AnalysisIraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The United States and Iran Continue to Maneuver in Iraq
Feb 21, 2020Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian contends that after the very tense period of December 2019-January 2020, the United States and Iran are seeking to restore their credibilit…
- Policy AnalysisRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Dangerous Consequence of Marginalizing the Arab “Moderates”
Feb 18, 2020Joe MacaronBy prioritizing Arab-Israeli normalization in order to deter Iran, the Trump Administration is enabling Arab authoritarians and reinforcing the dangerous possi…
- Policy AnalysisYemenConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Yemen: Order of Battle Trumps Peace
Feb 3, 2020Nabeel A. KhouryMilitary clashes in Yemen will not advance the interests of the warring parties, cautions Nabeel Khoury, who sees that victory there is only pyrrhic amid the d…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonUS Foreign Policy
US, Iran Prolong Détente in Lebanon with a Status Quo Cabinet
Jan 29, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron contends that the new Lebanese government of Hassan Diab is a continuation of the old oligarchic status quo and appears to prolong the US-Iran déte…
- From our AffiliatesLibyaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Turkey’s Growing Role in Libya: Motives, Background, and Responses
Jan 9, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)There are fears that external interventions in Libya may prolong its conflict and threaten the future and territorial integrity of the country. Read this analy…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Is Turkey Playing with Fire in Libya?
Jan 6, 2020Mustafa GurbuzTurkish troops aim to buttress Libya's Government of National Accord, but escalating tensions in the Mediterranean may actually harm both Ankara and Tripoli.
- Policy AnalysisLibyaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Libya-Turkey Memorandum of Understanding: Local and Regional Repercussions
Jan 2, 2020Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)The signing of the Libyan-Turkish memorandum of understanding on maritime sovereignty in the Eastern Mediterranean has coincided with increased tensions both w…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The United States and Iran Readjust to New Realities in Iraq and Lebanon
Dec 18, 2019Joe MacaronAfter 15 years of rivalry in Iraq and Lebanon, the United States and Iran are adjusting their policies based on a new reality of popular uprisings that challen…
- Policy AnalysisPalestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Burgeoning Arab-Israeli Normalization? Not Quite What You Think
Dec 11, 2019Yousef MunayyerEfforts to normalize relations between Arab leaders and Israel will continue to collide with the overwhelming rejection of normalization by the peoples of the …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe GCC
GCC Reconciliation Is Coming, but Pesky Issues Remain
Dec 8, 2019Imad K. HarbA limited reconciliation between parties to the GCC crisis is likely to take place during the upcoming summit in Riyadh. However, certain thorny and serious po…
- ViewpointThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe GCC
Challenges to Resolving the GCC Crisis
Dec 4, 2019Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan discusses the challenges inherent in a reconciliation between Qatar and the neighboring countries that embargoed it and precipitated the unse…
- Policy AnalysisIranDemocracy and Governance
Is Iran on the Edge of a Precipice?
Nov 27, 2019Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg questions whether the latest protests in Iran will produce a wider political movement, one that has the support of an urban professional and bu…
- Policy AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
With Iraq’s Mounting Chaos Spreading, Time for a US Policy Reboot
Nov 27, 2019Charles W. DunneCharles W. Dunne argues that in light of Iraq’s current crisis, the United States must take bold steps to help stabilize the country, enhance anti-corruption a…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Closer Egyptian-Russian Relations Causing a Headache in Washington
Nov 26, 2019Gregory AftandilianGregory Aftandilian states that US officials are warning Egypt not to move ahead with the purchase of advanced Russian jet fighters; however, developing ties b…
- From our AffiliatesYemenRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Riyadh Agreement on Yemen: Arrangements and Chances of Success
Nov 18, 2019Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)The Riyadh Agreement’s success will depend in large part on the local parties’ conviction that it serves their purposes at this time more than continued war do…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Russia’s Gains in Syria Could Be a Blessing in Disguise
Nov 6, 2019Joe MacaronJoe Macaron argues that while Russia may fill the vacuum left by the withdrawal of American troops from the Turkish-Syrian border, it could have challenges dea…
- Policy AnalysisSyriaRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Russia-Turkey Deal for Syria Will Go Nowhere
Nov 5, 2019Mustafa GurbuzMustafa Gurbuz analyzes the problems in implementing the initial phase of the latest Turkish-Russian agreement in Syria, concluding they indicate that the deal…
- Policy AnalysisLevantDemocracy and Governance
By Electing Kais Saied, Tunisians Recast Their National Politics
Oct 17, 2019Daniel BrumbergThe Tunisian electorate has handed the independent candidate Kais Saied a huge victory. With 73 percent of the vote against Nabil Karoui’s 27 percent, he now h…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Confusion in Turkey’s Regional Foreign Policy
Oct 8, 2019Mustafa GurbuzTurkish foreign policy choices in Syria, Sudan, Libya, and Somalia are plagued with contradictions that may lead to self-defeating outcomes.
- ViewpointIraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Disturbing Developments in Iraq’s Security Establishments
Oct 1, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabInterference by Iran and Iraqi political groups in the functioning of the Iraqi armed forces and security services has resulted in deteriorating discipline amo…
- Policy AnalysisNorth AfricaDemocracy and Governance
Tunisia Struggles to Project Foreign Policy Independence
Aug 22, 2019Daniel BrumbergTunisia’s leaders would do well to balance their hopes for democracy and human rights with the pragmatic exigencies of an independent foreign policy that prote…
- ViewpointIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Iraq Enters the Israel-Iran Proxy War
Aug 20, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabIsraeli strikes against the Popular Mobilization Units in Iraq may have created another battleground in the proxy war between Israel and the Islamic Republic o…
- Policy AnalysisLevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Partition and Spheres of Influence in Syria
Aug 5, 2019Radwan ZiadehRadwan Ziadeh opines that Syria can no longer be considered a homeland for all Syrians and that its partition has become a reality. Restoring its societal make…
- Policy AnalysisNorth AfricaDemocracy and Governance
Tunisia’s Fragile Democracy after Essebsi
Aug 2, 2019Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg argues that Tunisia’s Essebsi leaves behind a political crisis that is partly rooted in a convoluted constitutional language that does not clea…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Hamas Plans a Comeback to Damascus: US and Regional Implications
Jul 31, 2019Joe MacaronHamas is looking to realign itself with Syria as the Trump Administration floats ideas about Palestinian-Israeli peace; however, it appears that the Syrian reg…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Various Players Maneuver for an Uncertain Future in Syria
Jul 24, 2019Gregory AftandilianRussia, Iran, Turkey, and Israel are positioning themselves to play a role in Syria’s uncertain future now that the Assad regime is defeating the opposition in…
- Policy AnalysisIranRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Hard Choices Facing Tehran and Washington
Jul 10, 2019Daniel BrumbergIf the Trump Administration decides to adhere to a strategy of pushing for regime change in Tehran, Iran’s leaders might eventually embrace a fraught nucleariz…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Saudi-Emirati-Egyptian Alliance Steering US Middle East Policy
Jun 26, 2019Charles W. DunneWith the American retreat from the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt are presenting themselves as reliable allies. However, they are pursuing an ag…
- Policy AnalysisIranIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Iraq’s Militias and the US-Iran Impasse
Jun 6, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Iraqi government has a difficult time managing its mutual relations with Iran and the United States because of the influence of Iran-supported militias in …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Is Partition Becoming a Reality in Yemen?
May 22, 2019Imad K. HarbIf Yemen’s southern secessionists succeed in establishing a UAE-controlled rump state, Saudi Arabia will have to contend with either continuing the conflict in…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Worrisome Competition in the Red Sea Subsystem
May 1, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Red Sea subsystem involves many capable regional and international actors with competing agendas that, if not reconciled, could increase tensions and lead …
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
The Trickiness of Syria’s Return to the Arab League
Mar 29, 2019Imad K. HarbIt is important for Arab states to continue to withhold Syria’s membership until Damascus agrees to a political process that leads to a transition from Assad’s…
- 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 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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 AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Trump Administration’s Objectives in Syria
Aug 28, 2018Imad K. HarbAmerican officials’ latest pronouncements on Syria are intended to help insinuate some important preferences as the conflict there arguably nears its end on Ru…
- Policy AnalysisBahrainRegional Relations and Geopolitics
The Exclusionary Turn in GCC Politics
Aug 21, 2018Kristian Coates UlrichsenThe emergence of a hyper-hawkish geopolitical axis running from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi has widened existing fractures within the GCC and inflicted potentially lon…
- Policy AnalysisLevantInternational Law
Israel Returns to Basics in Syria: “Better the devil you know”
Aug 15, 2018Joe MacaronAfter nearly seven years of unrest next door, Israel opted to coexist with the Assad regime and to return to the stability in the occupied Golan Heights that l…