Policy Analysis

Baghdad has good reason to be concerned about the relationship’s trajectory, but that doesn’t mean Washington should proceed with troop withdrawals just yet.

Mismatching objectives and means has repeatedly produced failure and undermined consensus, but Washington no longer has the luxury of bad statecraft on pressing issues like Iran’s nuclear program.

An Iran-backed brigade led by a U.S.-designated human rights abuser is preparing to repeat its unfair practices and dominate local Christian voting in this year's general election.

Beirut stands at the goal line of a major win for the Middle East, but only if America quarterbacks the last push.

If Sharaa wants to avoid repeating Assad’s mistakes, he may have to genuinely decentralize political power and establish a federal system, though this would raise difficult questions about resource allocation.

With the clock ticking on the post-Assad honeymoon period, Washington still has time to acknowledge the realities on the ground by providing crucial U.S. know-how and strategic support to the international aid, recovery, and counterterrorism missions.

A “four-zone” reconstruction plan could win Arab, Israeli, and U.S. support while avoiding mass relocations out of Gaza.

Most of the top militia leaders appeared too cowed to show up, but a wide assortment of senior Iraqi "resistance" and political figures did attend, including potential future candidates for prime minister.

In a world that is multipolar and America has less relative power, the United States no longer has the luxury to practice statecraft badly.

In its latest propaganda campaign, the Islamic State is underscoring the strategic significance of Somalia in its expansionist agenda.

The cessation of Houthi-Iraqi joint strikes on Israel does not mean that Houthi money-movers and trainers have gone home; more likely, they are now a permanent feature of Iraq and merit close scrutiny from counterterrorism analysts.

The supposed “status quo” that some commentators are pushing Israel to embrace is so disfigured and hollowed out that it no longer meets the definition of the phrase.

Whether authorities call it “Egyptian gas” or “Jordanian gas,” the simple fact is that Israeli offshore supplies could help with Syria’s major power shortage if the necessary arrangements are ironed out.

Although past peace efforts have fallen apart due to diplomatic stumbles and Kurdish opposition, the situation on the ground in Iraq, Syria, and Turkey has changed dramatically enough to warrant optimism about Ankara’s current talks.

If Ankara seals the deal and preempts potential spoilers, the results could prove historic for Turkish politics, Erdogan’s legacy, joint counterterrorism efforts, and wider U.S. regional interests.

Ankara and Washington should offer incentives to the new leadership in Damascus to encourage an inclusive governance process and make Syria work.

Under heavy pressure from the Trump administration, the Arab states with the most to gain—and lose—in Gaza should be spending the next two weeks doing everything they can to reach consensus on bold, concrete counter-proposals.

The FBI deposition on Steven Troell’s killers and other evidence provides a closer look inside cross-militia Iraq terrorist cells operated by Iran's Qods Force and potentially linked to the facade brand Ashab al-Kahf.

Even a short aid freeze can do great damage to programs that are vital to pressuring the Islamic Republic, keeping Washington abreast of developments inside Iran, and ensuring the safety of those fighting for freedom on the ground.

A senior NATO official joins U.S. and regional experts to discuss how the Trump administration’s initial peacemaking forays might affect the war’s broader geopolitical stakes, from great power competition in the Middle East to rare-earth minerals and Western counter-messaging.