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- Viewpoint LevantUS Foreign Policy LevantUS Foreign PolicyTillerson’s Departure: Implications for Middle East PolicyMar 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 The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseStrategic Considerations of the UAE’s Role in YemenMar 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 LevantSecurity and Defense 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 QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionUS Allies Upstage Tillerson’s Mideast TourFeb 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… 
- Policy Analysis LevantEnergy and Economics LevantEnergy and EconomicsTurkey’s Challenge to Arab Interests in the Horn of AfricaFeb 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 Sectarianization 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… 
- Policy Analysis IraqEnergy and Economics IraqEnergy and EconomicsJordanian-Iraqi Relations on the Mend, but Problems RemainFeb 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… 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionFits and Starts Characterize UN Mediation in Yemen, Syria, and LibyaFeb 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 Resolution LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAn Unsettling Overview of the Middle East in 2018Feb 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 Defense The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseThe Aden Battle and Yemen’s De Facto PartitionFeb 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 EgyptUS Foreign Policy EgyptUS Foreign PolicyThe Middle East Nuclear Picture: Peaceful Programs or Not, Cause for ConcernFeb 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 OmanConflicts and Conflict Resolution OmanConflicts and Conflict ResolutionDeterminants of Oman’s Strategic Position on the Gulf CrisisJan 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 IraqDemocracy and Governance IraqDemocracy and GovernanceUnsettling Times for Iraqi KurdistanJan 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 Policy LevantUS Foreign PolicyThe Middle East in 2018: A Trump Administration To-Do ListJan 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 Governance IranDemocracy and GovernanceRegime Unity Will Decide the Fate of Iran’s ProtestsJan 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 Saudi ArabiaThe GCC Saudi ArabiaThe GCCCostly Mistakes in Saudi Decision-Making in Yemen and LebanonDec 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 EgyptMedia and Technology EgyptMedia and TechnologyPress Freedom Reversals in Post-Arab Spring CountriesDec 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 Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceImplications of Saleh’s Assassination on Yemen’s FutureDec 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 Economics QatarEnergy and EconomicsThe GCC’s Future Is in the Balance after Its 38th Summit MeetingDec 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 LevantUS Foreign Policy LevantUS Foreign PolicyMissing Considerations of the Counterterrorism AllianceNov 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 Policy LevantUS Foreign PolicyUS Military Planning in the Middle East: Increasing Challenges, Vague StrategiesNov 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 Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionTrump Embraces the Saudi Vision of the Yemen ConflictNov 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… 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceIs Power Trumping Legitimacy in Saudi Arabia?Nov 16, 2017Imad K. HarbPrince Mohammed bin Salman’s Machiavellianism endangers at least three pillars of legitimate rule in Saudi Arabia: royal family consensual decision-making, con… 
- Policy Analysis LebanonDemocracy and Governance LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceUS Curbs Saudi Arabia’s Surge in LebanonNov 14, 2017Joe MacaronClear statements from the White House and the Department of State appear to have curbed the Saudi surge in Beirut and toned down Riyadh’s rhetoric against the … 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceIs Mohammed bin Salman Overplaying His Hand?Nov 6, 2017Imad K. HarbMohammed bin Salman may think that consolidating power in his hands will help the kingdom face its challenges, but he would do well to know that sidelining imp… 
- Policy Analysis IraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics IraqRegional Relations and GeopoliticsAmid Regional Chaos, US Seeks Improved Saudi-Iraqi TiesNov 6, 2017Charles W. DunneDespite many pitfalls, the Trump Administration is quite keen on helping to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq in an effort to contain Iranian inf… 
- Policy Analysis LevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics LevantRegional Relations and GeopoliticsAnkara’s Ambiguous Policy toward a Divided GCCOct 30, 2017Mustafa GurbuzAs a key player in the GCC crisis, Turkey has tried to support Qatar while avoiding potential deterioration in Ankara-GCC relations, which would result in nega… 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceDomestic Troubles for the Saudi Arabian LeadershipOct 24, 2017Imad K. HarbMohammed bin Salman’s challenge to established norms of governance in Saudi Arabia and the abrupt changes in its economic and social conditions may help pull t… 
- Policy Analysis IraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Kirkuk Battle Is a Watershed Event for IraqOct 19, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Iraqi central government harnessed domestic and international support to abort the Kurdish referendum for independence, in the process weakening the KRG’s … 
- Policy Analysis IranSecurity and Defense IranSecurity and DefenseThe Art of (Decertifying) the Deal: Trump’s Iran Strategy and the Nuclear Agreement’s FutureOct 17, 2017Charles W. DunneThe president’s decertifying the Iran nuclear deal does not terminate US participation in the JCPOA but opens the door to such a move, roils US relations with … 
- Policy Analysis LebanonDemocracy and Governance LebanonDemocracy and GovernanceWill US, Saudi Pressure Deter Hezbollah in Lebanon?Oct 12, 2017Joe MacaronGiven the current status quo in Lebanon, the best American and Saudi pressure can do is to make the country’s political environment unbearable for Hezbollah. 
- Policy Analysis IraqDemocracy and Governance IraqDemocracy and GovernanceThe Kurdish Referendum and Cross-Communal Dynamics in IraqOct 12, 2017Gregory AftandilianWhile Abadi’s popularity has risen because of his stewardship of the successful anti-Islamic State campaign, his standing could be jeopardized if the crisis ov… 
- Policy Analysis IraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationDoes Turkey Really Want to Punish Iraqi Kurdistan?Oct 3, 2017Mustafa GurbuzTurkey may feel that it has to impose punitive measures against Iraqi Kurdistan over the referendum but countervailing Turkish domestic political conditions ma… 
- Policy Analysis IraqDemocracy and Governance IraqDemocracy and GovernanceIraq’s Kurds Vote to Secede, but Problems LoomOct 2, 2017Imad K. Harb Khalil E. Jahshan Joe Macaron Marcus Montgomery Abdulwahab Al-Qassab Radwan Ziadeh Mustafa GurbuzThe widespread disapproval of the Kurdish referendum inside Iraq, the region, and internationally points to potential serious developments for the Kurds and a … 
- Policy Analysis IraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Strategic Implications of Reopening the Baghdad-Amman HighwaySep 29, 2017Joe MacaronWhile pivotal for Jordan’s and Iraq’s economies, the recent re-opening of the Amman-Baghdad highway has strategic and security implications for faraway powers … 
- Policy Analysis IraqDemocracy and Governance IraqDemocracy and GovernanceThe Follies and Pitfalls of the Kurdish ReferendumSep 22, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Kurdish referendum is a dangerous play with delicate Kurdish and Iraqi politics to shore up KRG President Masood Barzani’s legitimacy in Iraqi Kurdistan. 
- Policy Analysis IranInternational Law IranInternational LawTrump’s United Nations Speech: More of the SameSep 20, 2017Marcus MontgomeryPresident Trump’s speech before the UN mixed isolationism and economic nationalism with calls for international consensus building, two irreconcilable position… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseThe US and the GCC: A Steep Learning Curve for President TrumpSep 18, 2017Imad K. HarbIn its first year in office, the Trump Administration must work on remedying its shortcomings on Gulf affairs and strive to safeguard the GCC’s unity as a stra… 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Trump Administration’s Wishful Policies in the Yemen ConflictSep 13, 2017Gregory AftandilianProlonging the Yemeni conflict with unending military assistance to the Saudi-led campaign has been a disaster. The long-suffering Yemeni people deserve a chan… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict ResolutionTroubling Ambiguities in the UAE’s Role in YemenSep 8, 2017Imad K. HarbThe UAE’s ambiguous policies in Yemen expose the entire restoration of Yemeni legitimacy to uncertain circumstances, put it and Saudi Arabia at cross purposes,… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict ResolutionCan the Gulf Cooperation Council Survive the Current Crisis?Sep 7, 2017Kristian Coates UlrichsenThe GCC is likely to survive the current crisis, at least on paper, but to become far less relevant as policymaking is driven by younger decision-makers who ha… 
- Policy Analysis LevantUS Foreign Policy LevantUS Foreign PolicyAn Evaluation of President Trump’s Emerging Counterterrorism StrategyAug 30, 2017Charles W. DunnePresident Trump’s counterterrorism strategy that relies on military solutions is unlikely to succeed in a region with complex politics, dubious allies, and lon… 
- Policy Analysis IranConflicts and Conflict Resolution IranConflicts and Conflict ResolutionIs the Turkey-Iran Rapprochement Durable in Iraq and Syria?Aug 24, 2017Mustafa GurbuzGiven the historical nature of the Turkish-Iranian rivalry, a durable rapprochement between Turkey and Iran requires assurances about the future of the Kurds a… 
- Policy Analysis IraqSecurity and Defense IraqSecurity and DefenseThe Realities and Challenges of a New US SOFA with IraqAug 15, 2017Gregory AftandilianThe United States and Iraq are currently negotiating a new Status of Forces Agreement that is contingent upon numerous domestic, regional, and American conditi… 
- Policy Analysis EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution EgyptConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAn Economic Explanation for Egypt’s Alignment in the GCC CrisisAug 9, 2017Imad K. HarbWith Egypt heavily reliant on Saudi Arabia and the UAE for its economic stability and survival, Cairo may not find much room for independent foreign policy dec… 
- Policy Analysis IraqDemocracy and Governance IraqDemocracy and GovernanceExistential Questions: Iraq Gears up for ElectionsAug 7, 2017Charles W. DunneIraqi political forces are beginning to come together, pick fights, ingratiate themselves with potential foreign patrons, and evaluate the mood of the country … 
- Policy Analysis Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance Saudi ArabiaDemocracy and GovernanceMohammed bin Salman’s Elevation and the Way ForwardAug 1, 2017Imad K. HarbCrown Prince Mohammed bin Salman faces serious challenges in affirming Saudi Arabia’s domestic stability and addressing the fallout from the GCC crisis and the… 
- Policy Analysis IraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionImproving Iraq-GCC Relations: No Time Like the PresentJul 27, 2017Charles W. DunneIraq’ reintegration into the Arab world, particularly in terms of improving its relations with its Gulf neighbors, will support its stability as well as ensure… 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe GCC Crisis: Media, Hacks, and the Emergence of “Cyber Power”Jul 25, 2017Tamara KharroubMedia tools have been employed heavily in the GCC crisis to suppress freedom of the press and expression, indicating a shift from military and soft power to a … 
- Policy Analysis IraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Day after Mosul’s LiberationJul 25, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabCrafting a new social and political order after the defeat of ISIL in Mosul, and elsewhere in Iraq, is a responsibility for the Iraqis, their allies, the regio… 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionStupendous Hubris…and Its DamageJul 18, 2017Imad K. HarbRevelations in the Post article stand the entire GCC crisis on a new footing, now that tangible information has been made public and confirms the Qatari govern… 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionQatar-US Memorandum of Understanding: A Game ChangerJul 11, 2017Imad K. HarbThe MOU is a game changer and provides a significant milestone on the road to a political solution that preserves GCC unity, stability, and prosperity. 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEducation and Development The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEducation and DevelopmentYouth Unemployment Remains the Main Challenge in the Gulf StatesJul 11, 2017Gregory AftandilianPersistently high youth unemployment remains the chief domestic challenge facing the Gulf states. Efforts to encourage the private sector to absorb new entrant… 
- Policy Analysis IraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationThe Independence Referendum: A Pyrrhic Victory for BarzaniJul 10, 2017Mustafa GurbuzThe Kurdish decision to hold a referendum on independence from Iraq may bring happiness to the Kurds but will come at a heavy price for the Kurdish leadership. 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict ResolutionCurrent Competing Dynamics in the GCC RegionJul 10, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe competing strategic dynamics of Gulf and other actors complicate the current crisis and make its resolution contingent upon sometimes divergent interests. 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAbsent Rationality in the GCC CrisisJul 5, 2017Imad K. HarbDevelopments since last May have shown a careless disregard on the part of the Saudi Arabia-United Arab Emirates-Bahrain entente of the basic tenets of rationa… 
- Policy Analysis IraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe GCC in Turmoil: Repercussions of the Gulf Crisis on Iraq-GCC RelationsJun 27, 2017Abdulwahab Al-QassabIraq and the GCC have a long history of cooperation as well as enmity. How has the relationship between Iraq and GCC nations developed and what is the impact o… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Yemen Conflict and Its Elusive Political SolutionJun 26, 2017Gregory AftandilianOvershadowed by the conflict in Syria, Yemen continues to suffer from an internal civil war, a regional proxy war, and a grave humanitarian crisis. Unfortunate… 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionSaudi, UAE Demands to End Qatar Crisis: Commands, Diktats, and UltimatumsJun 23, 2017Joe Macaron Radwan Ziadeh Yousef Munayyer Tamara Kharroub Abdulwahab Al-Qassab Marcus Montgomery Imad K. Harb Mustafa GurbuzThe Saudi-led coalition presented Qatar a list of 13 demands to end the crisis. Analysts at Arab Center Washington DC provide an assessment and analysis of thi… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and DefenseForeign Policy Aspects of US Weapons Sales in the Gulf: What Does the United States Get Out of It?Jun 22, 2017David B. Des RochesUS government policy in the Arabian Peninsula is often maddeningly inconsistent to outside— and inside—observers. A republic such as the United States, which … 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEnergy and Economics The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEnergy and EconomicsImpact of the GCC Crisis on Global Energy MarketsJun 21, 2017Joe MacaronWhile the diplomatic row among GCC countries had no immediate impact on energy trade, the uncertainty and longevity of the crisis might have long term reverber… 
- Policy Analysis The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe GCC The Arabian Peninsula and The GulfThe GCCPresident Trump Failed His Gulf TestJun 15, 2017Imad K. HarbThe United States must show a full-fledged commitment to GCC unity and refrain from appearing to side with some of the council’s members against others. 
- Policy Analysis QatarRegional Relations and Geopolitics QatarRegional Relations and GeopoliticsWhat’s at Stake for the United States in the GCC Crisis?Jun 8, 2017Joe MacaronA lot is at stake for US national security in the Gulf, including the possibility of living with a divided GCC, the potential expansion of Iranian influence, a… 
- Policy Analysis QatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution QatarConflicts and Conflict ResolutionWhy Qatar? Explaining Contentious IssuesJun 6, 2017Imad K. HarbWhat should concern all members of the GCC today is working together not only to simply iron out differences but to provide an agenda for successful collective… 
- Policy Analysis EgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution EgyptConflicts and Conflict ResolutionEgyptian-Saudi Relations: Managing a Difficult MarriageJun 6, 2017Gregory AftandilianSaudi Arabia and Egypt need each other at this uncertain time and this inter-dependence keeps them together in a symbiotic relationship despite occasional stra… 
- Policy Analysis LevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Dangers of Arab Normalization with IsraelJun 1, 2017Dana El KurdArab normalization with Israel is a shortsighted policy on the part of governments, organizations, and individuals. Such a policy poses a risk to both the Pale… 
- Policy Analysis IranConflicts and Conflict Resolution IranConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA US-Iran Race to Control the Damascus-Baghdad HighwayMay 31, 2017Joe MacaronSecuring the Damascus-Baghdad highway and deterring Iran’s regional activities might lead to a direct US involvement in the Syrian war. 
- Policy Analysis LevantJustice, Equality, and Human Rights LevantJustice, Equality, and Human RightsGaping Holes in Trump’s Well-Received SpeechMay 26, 2017Imad K. HarbPresident Trump’s speech on better relations with Muslims exposed flaws and gaping holes the Administration will have to correct if it wants to advance its int… 
 











































































