• Policy Analysis
    IraqDemocracy and Governance

    Iraqi Prime Minister al-Sudani Upstages His Benefactors in the Coordination Framework

    Jan 31, 2023Rend Al-Rahim

    Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, who was sworn in on October 27, 2022, has nearly completed the first 100 days of his tenure. In this short perio…

  • Policy Analysis
    EgyptRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Egypt’s Strategic Partnership with China: Opportunities and Implications

    Jan 27, 2023Khalil Al-Anani

    On December 8, 2022, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the inaugural China-Ar…

  • Policy Analysis
    TurkeyRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Turkey Faces a Dilemma in its Foreign Policy Toward Libya

    Jan 24, 2023Mustafa Gurbuz

    On January 9, 2023, a Libyan court suspended an energy exploration deal between Turkey and Libya’s Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) that was or…

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Depoliticizing Iraq-Gulf Relations Through Soccer

    Jan 11, 2023Zeidon Alkinani

    Iraq is defying its reputation and fighting against all odds in its attempt to depoliticize its regional image through the use of soccer. Between January 6 and…

  • Policy Analysis
    QatarRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Qatar’s Successful World Cup Signals a New Era in the Gulf and Beyond

    The 22nd FIFA Men’s World Cup came to an end in Doha, Qatar on December 18 with one of the most thrilling finals in the nearly century-long history of the comp…

  • Policy Analysis
    TurkeyConflicts and Conflict Resolution

    How Realistic Is an Erdoğan-Assad Rapprochement?

    Dec 28, 2022Mustafa Gurbuz

    Despite Turkey’s frequent threats that it will soon undertake a new military ground offensive in northern Syria, no such operation has yet materialized. This h…

  • Op-Eds
    Palestine/IsraelRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    De-Normalizing Israeli Normalization at the World Cup

    Dec 13, 2022Dana El Kurd

    At the international soccer tournament, Qatari anti-normalization activists as well as ordinary spectators have put Palestinian solidarity in the spotlight.Thi…

  • Viewpoint
    Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Saudi Arabia Will Not Find Strategic Protection in China

    Dec 13, 2022Imad K. Harb

    Saudi Arabia has just spent three days hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping in a summit that some believe could be fateful for the kingdom’s future strategic a…

  • External Readings
    Saudi ArabiaRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    China, the US and a new scramble for the Gulf

    Dec 7, 2022Marwan Bishara

    China is Saudi Arabia’s biggest trading partner, and the kingdom is China’s largest supplier of oil, so it’s normal for their leaders to meet and talk. But the…

  • Policy Analysis
    IraqRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Iraq’s Foreign Policy Balancing Act Is Likely to Continue

    Despite the support that Iraq’s new prime minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, has received from pro-Iran factions in the Iraqi Parliament, he is likely to purs…

  • Op-Eds
    Palestine/IsraelRegional Relations and Geopolitics

    Rise of Israel’s Anti-Arab Party Jeopardizes Regional Normalization

    Nov 23, 2022Dana El Kurd

    The recent Israeli elections, which brought the far-right Religious Zionist Party further into the mainstream, have sparked concern among policymakers across t…

  • Policy Analysis
    TurkeyThe War in Ukraine

    Turkey-Brokered Grain Deal Bolsters Erdoğan-Putin Partnership

    Nov 22, 2022Mustafa Gurbuz

    Turkey’s role in negotiations around Russia’s war in Ukraine has provided Ankara with extraordinary visibility on the global stage. Turkish President Recep Tay…