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- 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…
- Policy AnalysisInternational Law
Trump’s UN Performance: Does the US Have a Strategy?
Sep 28, 2018Joe MacaronThe Trump Administration's performance at the United Nations General Assembly raises questions about whether Washington has a clear and consistent strategy to …
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense
US Involvement in Yemen: Changing Course Required as Disaster Worsens
Sep 26, 2018Charles W. DunneWith no end in sight, no exit strategy, and little to show for its involvement so far, the US should revise its strategy soon or face mounting international an…
- Policy AnalysisInternational Law
Trump Brings His “America First” Agenda to the United Nations
Sep 25, 2018Joe MacaronFor the second time since assuming power last year, President Donald Trump comes to the United Nations (UN) with his “America First” agenda, his Administration…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Cabinet Stalemate in Lebanon May Be Delaying a Political Confrontation
Sep 24, 2018Joe MacaronFour months after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri was designated to lead a national unity government on May 24, there appears to be no end in sight for the…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Oslo at 25: Long Dead and Now Finally Buried?
Sep 24, 2018Yousef MunayyerFor 25 years, the Oslo process has been dying a slow death because of Palestinian weakness, overemphasis on ensuring Israeli security, and the Trump Administra…
- Policy AnalysisIraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Time to Reboot American-Iraqi Relations
Sep 13, 2018Charles W. DunneAs the conflict in Syria draws to its inevitable bloody close, the United States can't afford to ignore Iraq. In fact, it is time to reboot US-Iraqi relations.
- ViewpointLevantInternational Law
The Trump Administration’s “Peace Plan” Threatens Global Peace and Security
Sep 12, 2018Tamara KharroubOn September 10, 2018, the United States ordered the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) office in Washington, DC. A statement by the Depa…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Five Years after Sisi’s Coup: Soul Searching, Resistance, and Division
Sep 12, 2018Daniel BrumbergSisi is building a full autocracy in Egypt. He will not be intimidated by pushback from state-linked elites but by a genuine healing of the Islamist-secular br…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaDemocracy and Governance
Libya Cries Out for More International Commitment
Sep 7, 2018Imad K. HarbDespite the UN’s efforts to assist Libya, it remains up to the country’s leaders themselves to agree to a political settlement and begin to restore the authori…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
The Trump Administration’s Grandstand on Idlib
Sep 7, 2018Joe MacaronAs Russia and the Syrian regime gear up for the Idlib offensive, the United States is giving Moscow a free hand short of using chemical weapons.
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Saudi Arabia’s Extrajudicial Arrests: Between Reforms, Modernization, and Human Rights Violations
Aug 31, 2018Tamara KharroubThe White House deals another blow to Palestinians, cutting millions of dollars in aid; Trump Administration officials pan Washington to talk Syria, Yemen, Ira…
- ViewpointIraqDemocracy and Governance
The Complicated Formation of the Iraqi Government
Aug 30, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabIraq’s fourth parliament since the 2003 American invasion will convene in regular session on September 3, amid confusion and speculation about the formation of…
- Policy AnalysisJordanMigrants, Refugees, and IDPs
Washington Adopts Israel’s Positions: The Refugee Chapter
Aug 29, 2018Yousef MunayyerPresident Trump has presided over making American policy toward Israel and Palestine more in line with Israeli positions; now with respect to the Palestinian r…
- 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 AnalysisLevantSecurity and Defense
US Defense Budget Prioritizes Securing Israel over Deterring Iran
Aug 24, 2018Joe MacaronThe 2019 US defense budget reveals that the Trump administration has no clear way forward for Syria or Yemen and that its commitment to Israel exceeds the US d…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Complications of the Houthis’ Role in the Red Sea
Aug 23, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe Houthis’ attack on two Saudi Arabian tankers near the Bab al-Mandab waterway prompts questions about whether they and Iran can disrupt shipping in the Red …
- ViewpointThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Congress is Rattled by the US Role in Yemen—But Will It Matter?
Aug 22, 2018Marcus MontgomeryCriticism from Capitol Hill has been largely symbolic because few in the Republican majorities in the House and Senate have opted to challenge the president on…
- 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Shifting the Balance of Power from Ramallah to Gaza
Aug 17, 2018Khalil E. JahshanIf successfully implemented, the latest agreement on a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas may pave the way for a radical change in Palestinian power from the …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Why Are Israel and Hamas Negotiating a Cease-fire Now?
Aug 16, 2018Yousef MunayyerAs the Trump Administration speaks of a “deal of the century,” questions arise about why Israel and Hamas are negotiating for a truce in the Gaza Strip.
- 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…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Ticking Time Bomb of Northern Syria
Aug 15, 2018Mustafa GurbuzThe Assad regime’s coming Idlib offensive will cause serious troubles and endanger the US security structure in northern Syria.
- Policy AnalysisQatarThe GCC
Can a GCC Reconciliation Summit at Camp David Succeed?
Aug 14, 2018Gregory AftandilianPresident Trump is planning to host a GCC reconciliation summit in September to shore up Arab support for his Iran policies; but to succeed, he will need to re…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Putin Arbitrates Iran’s Presence in Syria
Aug 10, 2018Daniel BrumbergRumors of a rocky Russian-Iranian alliance have been greatly exaggerated. Putin as arbiter in Syria will only do what serves Russia’s influence there.
- ViewpointSaudi ArabiaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
The Latest Example of Erratic Saudi Foreign Policy
Aug 9, 2018Imad K. HarbOnce again, impulsive, ill-advised, and harmful foreign policy decisions are negatively impacting Saudi Arabia’s global standing. The kingdom has expelled the …
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Dangerous Confusion in US Iran Policy
Aug 7, 2018Charles W. DunneThe latest Trump Iran tweet and announcement revealed a lack of a coherent Iran policy in the wake of the US withdrawal from the JCPOA regulating Iran’s nuclea…
- Policy AnalysisLevantEducation and Development
The State of Education in the Arab World
Aug 6, 2018Ilham NasserWhen closely examining reports on the status of education in the Arab region, the main conclusions have pointed to the Arab states’ deficits in educational att…
- ViewpointSecurity and Defense
An Arab NATO? The Folly of Trusting Trump
Jul 31, 2018Imad K. HarbThe Trump Administration is said to be pushing for establishing a Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA). Discussions for the plan will be conducted during a su…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Middle East Concerns of American Strategic Planners
Jul 26, 2018Gregory AftandilianUS strategic planners involved in the Middle East have concentrated on protecting vital sea lanes and assisting partner countries against threats, but without …
- Policy AnalysisLevantIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Separate and Unequal in Israel: The Foundations of Discriminatory Law
Jul 26, 2018Yousef MunayyerIsrael’s new nation-state law enshrines discrimination, with constitutional weight, into the Israeli state’s legal system, spelling further marginalization and…
- Policy AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
Iraq’s Southern Intifada: Mere Demands or a Popular Revolution?
Jul 25, 2018Abdulwahab Al-QassabThe latest protests in Iraq point to a public backlash against entrenched Shia parties involved in widespread corruption, sectarian politics, and loyalty to Ir…