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- Policy AnalysisNorth AfricaDemocracy and Governance
Challenges to Tunisia’s Transition to Democracy
Nov 21, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiRecent moves by the Tunisian executive suggest that the Jasmine Revolution is not unfolding as smoothly as expected and that the country may not be the excepti…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Is Egypt’s Population Growth a Blessing or a Curse?
Nov 20, 2017Sahar KhamisAt 98 million, Egypt’s rapid population growth is a threat to the national economy and an obstacle to the country’s prospects for development and prosperity.
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
Is 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 AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
US 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 AnalysisNorth AfricaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Emerging Security Challenges in North and West Africa
Nov 8, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiThe appearance of stability in the countries of north and west Africa belies a dangerous reality of the existence of many extremist groups feeding on poor soci…
- Policy AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Bilateral Disagreements Aside, Jordan and Israel Agree on Syria
Nov 7, 2017Gregory AftandilianJordan and Israel view military activities by Sunni extremists groups and by Hezbollah as threats and are using their developing ties with Russia to try to mit…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
Is 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 AnalysisIraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Amid 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Is Palestinian Reconciliation Viable This Time?
Nov 3, 2017Khalil E. JahshanThe Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement is the product of political manipulation between parties that lack confidence in each other’s strategic objectives. Th…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
A Century after Balfour: Israel’s Knesset Wants All of Palestine
Nov 2, 2017Yousef MunayyerA hundred years after the Balfour Declaration, Israeli lawmakers are slated to take legislative steps that, instead of moving toward democracy, would only doub…
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Raqqa’s Liberation and US Policy in Syria
Oct 31, 2017Radwan ZiadehThe Islamic State’s defeat in Raqqa was met with widespread approval among all Syrians, but the Kurds’ control of the liberated city and its surroundings promp…
- Policy AnalysisLevantRegional Relations and Geopolitics
Ankara’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 AnalysisEgyptIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Egypt’s Security Challenges in the Sinai Belie the Government’s Rhetoric
Oct 26, 2017Gregory AftandilianClashes in the northern Sinai Peninsula that resulted in scores of deaths of Egyptian security forces have underscored the durability of the extremist insurgen…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
Domestic 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 AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Libya’s Complicated Search for a Leader
Oct 24, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiLibya faces an uneasy distinction between a fragile state and a failed state and has fallen between the cracks of a dispute over legitimacy, struggle for power…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisLevantMigrants, Refugees, and IDPs
The Challenges of Turkey’s Operation in Syria’s Idlib
Oct 19, 2017Mustafa GurbuzTurkey is concerned about who controls neighboring Idlib Province in Syria but is equally interested in thwarting the Syrian Kurds’ plans for autonomy south of…
- Policy AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Undermining Tillerson and the Demise of US Soft Power
Oct 19, 2017Joe MacaronPresident Trump’s public undermining of his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is causing a paradigm shift in the international system. However, replacing Tiller…
- Policy AnalysisIranSecurity and Defense
The 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 AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Will 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 AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
The 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 AnalysisArab Americans/ Muslim Americans
Countering Violent Extremism under the Trump Administration: Shortsighted and Counterproductive
Oct 11, 2017Tamara KharroubTo counter violent extremism, the Trump Administration would better serve US interests and security by focusing on fostering democratic governance, investing i…
- Policy AnalysisMoroccoDemocracy and Governance
Morocco’s Rif Rises against the Makhzen’s Power
Oct 4, 2017Mohammed CherkaouiMorocco’s popular protests highlight three intersecting dilemmas: the future legitimacy of the monarchy, poor governance and widespread corruption, and the pot…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Egypt’s Role in Arab Politics: Punching Below its Weight
Oct 4, 2017Charles W. DunneEgypt’s traditional influence in the Arab world is a function of its ability to help resolve its problems. This influence is today on a downward trajectory as …
- Policy AnalysisIraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
Does 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 AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
Iraq’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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Mahmoud Abbas: A Lone Voice in the UN Wilderness
Sep 29, 2017Khalil E. JahshanPresident Abbas’s speech before the United Nations was true to the Palestinian essentials of appealing for justice in Palestine, denouncing Israel’s excesses a…
- Policy AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
The 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 AnalysisIranInternational Law
Trump’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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Future Implications of the Islamic State’s Demise in Syria
Sep 20, 2017Radwan ZiadehSyria’s developments regarding the Islamic State’s expected demise and the Astana meeting should not be taken to signal an end to the country’s war which has l…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense
The 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 AnalysisSaudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisNorth AfricaJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
A New Tunisian Law Tackles Violence Against Women
Sep 12, 2017Sahar KhamisThe new Tunisian law against violence against women sets a new model for the Arab world to emulate and raises the bar in the struggle for women’s rights and ge…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Troubling 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Will Netanyahu’s Legal Troubles Break the Stalemate?
Aug 31, 2017Yousef MunayyerWith or without Benyamin Netanyahu, there is little reason to believe that any likely foreseeable Israeli government will be ready for peace with the Palestini…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Foreign Policy
An 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 AnalysisEgyptDemocracy and Governance
Egypt’s Extremist Groups and the Shrinking Political Space
Aug 29, 2017Gregory AftandilianThe Egyptian government’s repressive policies have contributed to the problem of extremism by constricting political space, severely cracking down on opponents…
- Policy AnalysisEgyptJustice, Equality, and Human Rights
Is the Trump-Sisi Honeymoon Over?
Aug 28, 2017Imad K. HarbThe State Department’s decision on aid to Egypt shows that the Trump Administration cannot sidestep established law or Congress’s power of appropriation despit…
- Policy AnalysisIranConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Is 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Stakeholders of the Syrian Conflict Divide the Pie
Aug 23, 2017Joe MacaronThe recent local and regional developments in Syria signal that it is entering a new phase where major powers are coming to terms with a compromise that the Sy…
- Policy AnalysisLibyaConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Still Elusive Libyan Peace
Aug 17, 2017Imad K. HarbThe political impasse in Libya may pave the way for a final collapse of the nearly failed Libyan state and the subsequent divorce between the eastern and weste…
- Policy AnalysisIraqSecurity and Defense
The 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 AnalysisEgyptConflicts and Conflict Resolution
An 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 AnalysisLebanonConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Stretched over Two Borders, Hezbollah is Making Israel Anxious
Aug 8, 2017Joe MacaronIn the long run, the risks of confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah may largely depend on how the US-Russia deal will unfold in southern Syria.
- Policy AnalysisIraqDemocracy and Governance
Existential 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Taylor Force Act: Putting the Palestinian Authority on Notice
Aug 3, 2017Marcus MontgomerySenators have agreed to revise a bill that will put the Palestinian Authority on notice, conditioning US aid to the PA on ending payments to Palestinian prison…
- Policy AnalysisSaudi ArabiaDemocracy and Governance
Mohammed 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 AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Improving 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 AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Palestine Recentered
Jul 25, 2017Yousef MunayyerThe Jerusalem events show that the Palestine issue remains central to the region and that a serious, sustained, and committed engagement in its resolution is p…
- Policy AnalysisLebanonDemocracy and Governance
Hariri Comes to Washington in the Shadow of Hezbollah’s Wars
Jul 25, 2017Joe MacaronThe measure of success for Hariri’s visit to Washington is his ability to convince US officials that the status quo is the best Lebanon can do considering the …
- Policy AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Arab Peace Initiative is Back on the Table; Netanyahu Is Not Budging
Jul 24, 2017Gregory AftandilianThe Arab Peace Initiative has not gone anywhere since it was launched in 2002. Developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict do not inspire confidence that …
- Policy AnalysisAlgeriaDemocracy and Governance
Challenges Facing Algeria’s Future
Jul 21, 2017Imad K. HarbAlgeria is challenged by a lethargic political system headed by an ailing president, a poorly performing rentier economy, and a rising Salafi Islam that is com…
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Stupendous 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 AnalysisJordanConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Jordan and the US-Russia Deal in Southern Syria
Jul 12, 2017Joe MacaronThe recent ceasefire agreement for southern Syria and the Syrian regime’s military campaigns may be turning points in Jordan’s position on the war in Syria.
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Qatar-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 AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEducation and Development
Youth 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 AnalysisIraqIdentity Politics and Sectarianization
The 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 AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Current 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 AnalysisUS Domestic Politics and Elections
When Friends Spy on Friends: A US Spy Tool Could Spell Trouble for the Middle East Under Trump
Jul 5, 2017Marcus MontgomeryFISA Section 702 is an often debated topic, but now there are serious concerns about how US spying will affect Middle Eastern countries under President Trump
- Policy AnalysisDemocracy and Governance
A Case for Human Rights and Democracy in US Middle East Policy
Jul 5, 2017Charles W. DunneAmerican advocacy of human rights has helped defend US security in the long term, stabilize US allies and the international system, and build the moral capital…
- Policy AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Absent 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 AnalysisIraqConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The Gaza Crisis and the Politics of the Light Switch
Jun 26, 2017Yousef MunayyerThe Gaza Strip is under unprecedented pressure. The situation on the ground has reached a climax over the past few months, making it ripe for either an implosi…
- Policy AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfConflicts and Conflict Resolution
The 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 AnalysisQatarConflicts and Conflict Resolution
Saudi, 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 AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfSecurity and Defense
Foreign 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 AnalysisThe Arabian Peninsula and The GulfEnergy and Economics
Impact 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 AnalysisLevantConflicts and Conflict Resolution
How Did Syria Become a Victim of Regional and International Conflicts?
Jun 19, 2017Radwan ZiadehAs a seventh round of peace talks is announced, the United States and Russia clash over Syria and the GCC crisis remains unresolved. What is the impact of conf…