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- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicyWashington’s Strategy in the Post-Soleimani Middle East
Jan 15, 2020Joe MacaronJoe Macaron writes that the post-Soleimani Middle East offers both challenges and opportunities but the Trump Administration does not seem to have a strategy t…
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Foreign PolicySoleimani’s Assassination Backfires Big Time
Jan 7, 2020Daniel BrumbergWashington’s killing of Qassem Soleimani violates the red lines that the United States and Iran had previously respected in order to avoid escalation, and make…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceRepressing Criticism of Israel in the United States: Trump’s Executive Order
Jan 3, 2020Yousef MunayyerIn the long term, Trump’s executive order conflating anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is another effort to silence the debate in the United States on Israel’s p…
- Viewpoint
IranUS Foreign PolicyA Middle East Calamity Is about to Unfold
Jan 3, 2020Imad K. HarbKilling Soleimani has put the Middle East at the edge of a dangerous abyss and hastened an inevitable confrontation between the United States and Iran.
- Viewpoint
Saudi ArabiaUS Foreign PolicyThe Khashoggi Verdict: Whitewashing a Murder
Dec 26, 2019Imad K. HarbSaudi Arabia's reputation remains on the line despite the whitewashing and the convoluted twists of Khashoggi’s killing. For now, at least, in Jamal’s case “ju…
- Policy Analysis
IranRegional Relations and GeopoliticsThe 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 Analysis
LibyaUS Foreign PolicyThe Trump Administration Tries a New Policy in Libya
Dec 18, 2019Gregory AftandilianWashington is now firmly pressing Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar to stop his offensive on Tripoli and allow for a negotiated settlement with the GNA. With so …
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelConflicts and Conflict ResolutionBurgeoning 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 …
- Washington Policy Weekly
LevantUS Foreign PolicyWashington Grapples with How to Respond to Turbulent Middle East
Dec 11, 2019Marcus MontgomeryMarcus Montgomery examines the administration’s reassessment of its posture in the Middle East as officials grappled this week with how best to use military as…
- Policy Analysis
IranDemocracy and GovernanceIs 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 Analysis
IraqDemocracy and GovernanceWith 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…
- Washington Policy Weekly
LibyaUS Foreign PolicyThe Conflict in Libya Resurfaces on Washington’s Agenda
Nov 27, 2019Marcus MontgomeryMarcus Montgomery discusses the renewed interest in both Congress and the Trump Administration to address the ongoing conflict in Libya and asks whether the Un…
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsCloser 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…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelDemocracy and GovernanceDesperate Netanyahu Pulls out All the Stops
Nov 26, 2019Yousef MunayyerA desperate Netanyahu will use all tools in a demagogue’s box, including racist incitement against the Palestinians, in order to remain politically alive—or at…
- Viewpoint
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyUS Policy Reversal on Israeli Settlements
Nov 21, 2019Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan believes that the Trump Administration’s policy reversal about Israeli settlements is an overture to the president’s evangelical supporters a…
- Policy Analysis
Palestine/IsraelUS Foreign PolicyPresidential Candidates Open to Leveraging American Support for Israel
Nov 12, 2019Yousef MunayyerYousef Munayyer says that some Democratic candidates for president may be open to taking concrete steps to decrease American complicity in Israel's abuses and …
- Policy Analysis
US Domestic Politics and Elections2020 Election Issues
Nov 1, 2019Imad K. HarbWhile presidential elections in the United States depend to a great degree on the personalities of the Republican and Democratic candidates, each election has …
- Viewpoint
IraqUS Foreign PolicyPutting al-Baghdadi’s Demise in Perspective
Oct 30, 2019Khalil E. JahshanKhalil E. Jahshan looks at the deeper meaning of the United States’ killing of IS leader Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi and doubts if his demise will portend the end of …
- Policy Analysis
LevantMigrants, Refugees, and IDPsTrump’s Syria Decision and the Damage to US Foreign Policy
Oct 22, 2019Charles W. DunneThe fallout from President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision on October 6 to order US troops to stand aside as Turkey launched a long-planned incursion into north…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Turkish Military Operation in Northeastern Syria: Scope, Aims and Reactions
Oct 17, 2019Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)Turkey seems to be in a hurry to achieve its operational goals before pressure increases to bring the operation to an end or in order to pre-empt any operation…
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionTrump’s Syria Decision and the Turkish Operation
Oct 10, 2019Radwan ZiadehWithout American forces on the ground, Washington will not be able to realize its objectives in Syria, especially in confronting the Iran-affiliated militias t…
- Policy Analysis
Security and DefenseTrump Puts His Stamp on a Generational Shift at the Pentagon
Oct 9, 2019Joe MacaronAs Trump backs away from US commitments in the Middle East, a new generation of Pentagon leadership is being tested in how to navigate war and peace decisions …
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionConfusion 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.
- Policy Analysis
AlgeriaJustice, Equality, and Human RightsAlgeria’s Standoff between Protesters and the Regime
Oct 2, 2019Gregory AftandilianThere is a dangerous standoff in Algeria between the protesters, who are demanding regime change, and the military establishment, which wants to maintain the s…
- Policy Analysis
Security and DefenseA Balance Sheet on America’s “War on Terror” in the Middle East
Oct 2, 2019Charles W. DunneAlthough al-Qaeda and the Islamic State may have lost much of their ability to mount major mass-casualty attacks in the United States and Europe, splinter grou…
- Policy AnalysisLevantUS Domestic Politics and Elections
Evangelicals and the 2020 Elections
Oct 1, 2019Jonathan KuttabEvangelical Americans constitute one of the largest voting blocs in the United States. They number about 74 million, or about 22.5 percent of a population of c…
- Policy Analysis
IranConflicts and Conflict ResolutionLearning to Say “No” To Saudi Arabia on Iran and Yemen
Sep 25, 2019Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg writes that against the background of the White House’s escalating conflict with Tehran, Washington seems unwilling or unable to break its habi…
- Policy Analysis
US Domestic Politics and ElectionsPompeo’s Rising Influence in the Trump Administration
Sep 24, 2019Joe MacaronHaving outlasted many of his colleagues, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the most connected official in Trump’s inner circle. But what is the extent of his i…
- Policy Analysis
IranConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Attacks on Saudi Oil Installations are a Game Changer
Sep 17, 2019Khalil E. Jahshan Kristian Coates Ulrichsen Abdulwahab Al-Qassab Joe Macaron Imad K. HarbThe latest attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations are a game changer in Saudi domestic politics and in regional and international affairs.
- Viewpoint
US Domestic Politics and ElectionsTrump Fires Bolton Over Policy Disagreements: The Middle East Reacts
Sep 16, 2019Khalil E. JahshanObserving the Trump presidency is a dizzying process that leaves one in a constant state of perplexity, frantically groping for the most accessible rational ex…
- Policy Analysis
IraqConflicts and Conflict ResolutionIraq’s Dilemma: The Uncertain Future of the Popular Mobilization Forces
Sep 13, 2019Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS)Although Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces were instrumental in defeating the Islamic State, their political influence has had a profound impact on the future…
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe US Decision to Disengage from the Syrian Crisis
Sep 11, 2019Radwan ZiadehWith Syrian and Russian forces aggravating the situation in northern Syria, President Erdoğan needs to protect Turkish interests in Syria and himself against d…
- Policy Analysis
LebanonConflicts and Conflict ResolutionAssessing the Latest Conflagrations between Israel and Hezbollah
Sep 11, 2019Joe MacaronThe latest conflagrations between Israel and Hezbollah were an attempt to dictate new rules of engagement. Nevertheless, both sides appear to be committed to t…
- Policy Analysis
IranSecurity and DefenseIs an American-Iranian Dialogue Coming?
Sep 4, 2019Daniel BrumbergDaniel Brumberg writes that with increasing tensions in the Middle East and the strengthening position of Iranian hard-liners, Rouhani and Zarif might have mor…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA Crumbling Saudi-Emirati Alliance in Yemen May Change US Gulf Policy
Sep 4, 2019Charles W. DunneThe UAE's backing of Yemen’s southern separatists has angered Saudi Arabia and helped lead to a reevaluation of American policy toward the conflict. More volat…
- Policy Analysis
LevantJustice, Equality, and Human RightsIsrael Shuts Out Tlaib and Omar, Stoking a Partisan Divide
Aug 28, 2019Yousef MunayyerBy shutting the door on Representatives Tlaib and Omar, Netanyahu may have broken open the floodgates of partisan politics on Israel that establishment Democra…
- Policy Analysis
LevantSecurity and DefenseShould the United States Include Israel in the Gulf Maritime Coalition?
Aug 21, 2019Joe MacaronWashington’s decision to include Israel in the US-led maritime Gulf coalition might expand the theater of conflict between Israel and Iran, weaken Gulf allies,…
- Policy Analysis
BahrainConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Drama since Manama: Kushner’s Failed Initiative
Aug 15, 2019Yousef MunayyerJared Kushner’s latest trip to the Middle East appears to have failed in charting a way forward for the Trump Administration’s illusive peace deal between Pale…
- Policy Analysis
IranIdentity Politics and SectarianizationTrump’s Sanctions on Hezbollah Threaten Lebanon’s Stability
Jul 30, 2019Nabeel A. KhouryCurrent conditions in the Middle East and American sanctions against Hezbollah could upset the delicate balance of power in Lebanon and potentially lead to an …
- Policy Analysis
IranIdentity Politics and SectarianizationThe Symbolism behind the Latest US Sanctions against Hezbollah
Jul 17, 2019Joe MacaronThe latest US sanctions against Hezbollah--and their impact on domestic Lebanese politics--are largely symbolic. In reality, the Trump Administration may have …
- Policy Analysis
IranRegional Relations and GeopoliticsHard 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…
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Palestinian Public Rejects Kushner’s Plans
Jul 8, 2019Imad K. HarbA recent survey in the West Bank and Gaza Strip shows that 79 percent of Palestinians approved of boycotting the Manama workshop and 76 percent doubt Kushner’s…
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Bahrain Workshop in Retrospect: Critical Israeli and American Jewish Responses
Jul 2, 2019Khalil E. JahshanThe general Israeli approval of the Trump Administration’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan was not universal, noting that some Israeli peace groups, US and Israeli …
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionKushner’s Economic Plan Liquidates the Cause of Palestinian Statehood
Jun 27, 2019Imad K. HarbImagine, if you will, that it is Spring 2017 and you are Jared Kushner, son-in-law of the newly sworn-in American president. He has anointed you special envoy …
- Policy Analysis
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionA US-Turkish Agreement Remains a Challenge in Northeastern Syria
Jun 26, 2019Joe MacaronUS officials may be rushing a deal with Turkey in northeastern Syria that could lead to a Turkish-Kurdish confrontation and stall the American withdrawal from …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptRegional Relations and GeopoliticsSaudi-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 Analysis
IranSecurity and DefenseIran: How Trump is Emboldening the Hawks and Hardliners
Jun 25, 2019Imad K. HarbUS hawks, their Gulf allies and Israel will see Trump's preference for avoiding military confrontation as capitulation.
- Policy Analysis
LevantInternational LawThe Greenblatt Fallacy
Jun 19, 2019Imad K. HarbMr. Greenblatt’s extolling the virtues of the Bahrain meeting later in the month to supposedly improve the Palestinians’ economic conditions is condescending a…
- Policy Analysis
LevantInternational LawFriedman’s West Bank Annexation Remarks: Political Implications
Jun 17, 2019Khalil E. JahshanAmbassador Friedman’s remarks about Israel’s right to annex parts of the West Bank signal that the Trump Administration may be ready to endorse another Israeli…
- Policy Analysis
IranIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq’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 Analysis
IranInternational LawOn the Lebanese-Israeli Border, US and Iran Are Negotiating
Jun 5, 2019Joe MacaronA breakthrough in Beirut is helping American mediation in the land and maritime border dispute between Lebanon and Israel, but many obstacles still prevent a q…
- Policy Analysis
The Path to Ending Conflicts: Prospects and Hindrances
Jun 1, 2019Amatalalim AlsoswaThese remarks are the edited transcript of the keynote address Dr. Alsoswa delivered at Arab Center Washington DC’s annual conference on September 20, 2018, “T…
- Policy Analysis
BahrainMigrants, Refugees, and IDPsThe Kushner Bahrain Ordeal: Why Are the Palestinians Boycotting?
May 31, 2019Khalil E. JahshanThe proposed US “Peace to Prosperity” workshop in Bahrain is destined to fail because it ignores Palestinian participation and avoids linking economic prosperi…
- Policy Analysis
LevantJustice, Equality, and Human RightsInsult of the Century: Assessing the Trump Administration’s Peace Plan
May 30, 2019Yousef MunayyerThe Trump Administration’s Palestinian-Israeli peace deal, leaked to the press, and the upcoming Bahrain meeting represent an insult to the Palestinians and ar…
- Policy Analysis
IranThe GCCArab Leaders Trying to Decipher US Iran Policy
May 30, 2019Daniel BrumbergThe Trump Administration’s contradictory statements and signals about its approach to Iran are increasing the confusion for GCC states and Iraq as tensions mou…
- Policy Analysis
IranThe GCC“Maximum Pressure” on Iran Stresses US-Iraq Ties
May 29, 2019Charles W. DunneThe US policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran intensifies pressure on the US-Iraq relationship, too. Baghdad is eager to step out of the fray, and Washington nee…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaSecurity and DefenseHow a Legal Loophole is Helping Trump Sell Arms to Saudi Arabia
May 28, 2019Marcus MontgomeryPresident Trump is using tensions with Iran to bypass Congress and push through weapons sales to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
- Policy Analysis
IranUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsA US-Iranian Clash Presents Dangers and Opportunities for Russia
May 10, 2019Daniel BrumbergRussia stands to benefit from the current standoff between the United States and Iran because President Putin has built good relations with all parties, which …
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsThe First Amendment Blocks Anti-BDS Legislation in the United States
May 8, 2019Yousef MunayyerDevelopments over the last several months have shown a shift in the battle over the right to boycott Israel in the United States, with the First Amendment pres…
- Policy Analysis
Democracy and GovernanceTrump versus Biden: US Politics and the Middle East
May 7, 2019Joe MacaronA Trump-Biden contest in the 2020 presidential elections would likely be a battle between two opposing views of America and its foreign policy in the Middle Ea…
- Policy Analysis
LibyaReligion and PoliticsHaftar’s Attempted Coup and Trump’s Collusion over Libya
Apr 23, 2019Imad K. HarbIt is doubtful that Haftar’s campaign against Tripoli will end Libya’s chaos; indeed, it is likely to exacerbate and extend the country’s civil war and increas…
- Policy Analysis
Democracy and GovernanceThe Post-Mattis US Administration and the Rise of Trumpism
Apr 9, 2019Joe MacaronFollowing the resignation of former Defense Secretary James Mattis, conservatives in the Trump Administration are consolidating and applying their far-reaching…
- Policy Analysis
Saudi ArabiaMigrants, Refugees, and IDPsAs Congress Scrutinizes Yemen, Spotlight Shines on Saudi Arabia and Its Partners
Apr 9, 2019Charles W. DunneCongress's vote to end US support for the war in Yemen reflects growing anger at Saudi Arabia. That anger is also extending to two of the kingdom’s closest all…
- Policy Analysis
IranIdentity Politics and SectarianizationIraq Torn between Iran, the United States, and the Islamic State
Apr 3, 2019Abdulwahab Al-QassabSince the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, Iran has implemented policies to ensure its regional influence and control of Iraqi affairs. Recent American isolationi…
- Viewpoint
LevantInternational LawTrump and the Occupied Syrian Golan Heights
Mar 25, 2019Radwan ZiadehTrump’s presidential proclamation officially recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory will have serious implications for international law, US role i…
- Viewpoint
LevantInternational LawDo Not Recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over the Occupied Golan
Mar 15, 2019Imad K. HarbBy agreeing to Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights, the Trump Administration would be dealing a serious blow to its global influence––let alone its moral …
- Policy Analysis
EgyptSecurity and DefenseThe US-Egypt Political-Military Relationship: A Critical Assessment
Mar 13, 2019Charles W. DunneOnce a pillar of American regional planning in the Middle East, Egypt’s relationship with the United States is likely to be reevaluated by the new House of Rep…
- Policy Analysis
IranIdentity Politics and SectarianizationZarif Throws Down the Gauntlet Carefully
Mar 12, 2019Daniel BrumbergBy threatening to resign, Zarif made it clear that he would continue his international engagement efforts and, in so doing, defend the place and legitimacy of …
- Policy Analysis
LevantUS Domestic Politics and ElectionsCan the 2020 Democratic Candidates Change the US-Israel Relationship?
Mar 6, 2019Yousef MunayyerDemocratic presidential contenders have a difficult task reconciling their party’s traditional pro-Israel position with that of young and progressive activists…
- Viewpoint
LevantConflicts and Conflict ResolutionThe Trump Administration Is Buying Time in Syria
Feb 26, 2019Joe MacaronIt is no secret that Trump does not see any financial or strategic value in keeping US forces in Syria; however, his policy there has been like an aimless roll…
- Policy Analysis
Democracy and GovernanceHow Principled Is US Realism in the Middle East?
Feb 22, 2019Charles W. DunneUS authority, credibility, and interests in the Middle East are paying the price for the administration's confusion and abandonment of principles in its foreig…
- Viewpoint
US Foreign PolicyThe Trump Administration Repeats Its Follies in Warsaw
Feb 15, 2019Imad K. HarbThe Warsaw conference was another example of Trump’s failed foreign policy, one that runs away from past mistakes by creating others that lead to further disap…
- Viewpoint
Saudi ArabiaInternational LawThe Khashoggi Affair: Saudi Denial 2.0
Feb 14, 2019Khalil E. JahshanSaudi Arabia continues to deny its leadership’s responsibility for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, despite all the evidence that has emerged since his assassin…
