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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 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…
- 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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…
- Policy Analysis
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 GovernanceUS Curbs Saudi Arabia’s Surge in Lebanon
Nov 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 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 GeopoliticsAmid Regional Chaos, US Seeks Improved Saudi-Iraqi Ties
Nov 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 GeopoliticsAnkara’s Ambiguous Policy toward a Divided GCC
Oct 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 GovernanceDomestic Troubles for the Saudi Arabian Leadership
Oct 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 ResolutionThe Kirkuk Battle Is a Watershed Event for Iraq
Oct 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 DefenseThe Art of (Decertifying) the Deal: Trump’s Iran Strategy and the Nuclear Agreement’s Future
Oct 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 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 GovernanceThe Kurdish Referendum and Cross-Communal Dynamics in Iraq
Oct 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 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 GovernanceIraq’s Kurds Vote to Secede, but Problems Loom
Oct 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 ResolutionThe Strategic Implications of Reopening the Baghdad-Amman Highway
Sep 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 GovernanceThe Follies and Pitfalls of the Kurdish Referendum
Sep 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 LawTrump’s United Nations Speech: More of the Same
Sep 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 DefenseThe US and the GCC: A Steep Learning Curve for President Trump
Sep 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 ResolutionThe Trump Administration’s Wishful Policies in the Yemen Conflict
Sep 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 ResolutionTroubling Ambiguities in the UAE’s Role in Yemen
Sep 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 AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Can 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 PolicyAn Evaluation of President Trump’s Emerging Counterterrorism Strategy
Aug 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 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 DefenseThe Realities and Challenges of a New US SOFA with Iraq
Aug 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 ResolutionAn Economic Explanation for Egypt’s Alignment in the GCC Crisis
Aug 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 GovernanceExistential Questions: Iraq Gears up for Elections
Aug 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 GovernanceMohammed bin Salman’s Elevation and the Way Forward
Aug 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 ResolutionImproving Iraq-GCC Relations: No Time Like the Present
Jul 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 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 ResolutionThe Day after Mosul’s Liberation
Jul 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 ResolutionStupendous Hubris…and Its Damage
Jul 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 ResolutionQatar-US Memorandum of Understanding: A Game Changer
Jul 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 DevelopmentYouth Unemployment Remains the Main Challenge in the Gulf States
Jul 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 SectarianizationThe Independence Referendum: A Pyrrhic Victory for Barzani
Jul 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 ResolutionCurrent Competing Dynamics in the GCC Region
Jul 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 ResolutionAbsent Rationality in the GCC Crisis
Jul 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 ResolutionThe GCC in Turmoil: Repercussions of the Gulf Crisis on Iraq-GCC Relations
Jun 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 ResolutionThe Yemen Conflict and Its Elusive Political Solution
Jun 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 ResolutionSaudi, UAE Demands to End Qatar Crisis: Commands, Diktats, and Ultimatums
Jun 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 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 EconomicsImpact of the GCC Crisis on Global Energy Markets
Jun 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 GCCPresident Trump Failed His Gulf Test
Jun 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 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 ResolutionWhy Qatar? Explaining Contentious Issues
Jun 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 ResolutionEgyptian-Saudi Relations: Managing a Difficult Marriage
Jun 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 ResolutionThe Dangers of Arab Normalization with Israel
Jun 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 ResolutionA US-Iran Race to Control the Damascus-Baghdad Highway
May 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 RightsGaping Holes in Trump’s Well-Received Speech
May 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…
- Policy Analysis
LevantReligion and PoliticsTrump’s Riyadh Speech: Same Intolerance, Different Packaging, No Strategy
May 24, 2017Tamara KharroubTrump’s speech in Saudi Arabia received praise and acclaim but it is hard to see if the president has indeed changed his opinion about Islam and Muslims.
- Policy Analysis
IraqIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq Beyond the Islamic State
May 17, 2017Charles W. DunneAfter the defeat of ISIL and the reconquest of Mosul, how will Iraq’s government address the lingering issues of national identity, minorities, and Kurdish asp…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionCautionary Notes to the GCC about Trump’s Visit
May 15, 2017Imad K. HarbPresident Trump’s erratic behavior and lack of knowledge and his administration’s institutional problems require great caution from GCC leaders when he visits …
- Policy Analysis
IranDemocracy and GovernanceChallenges Facing Iran’s Presidential Contenders
May 9, 2017Imad K. HarbIran’s presidential candidates are acutely aware that if elected, they would have to hew to the wishes and ultimate desires of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
