Policy Analysis

Even as Washington adapts to changing circumstances, the risks for U.S. military personnel in Jordan will likely persist.

The recent deal to restore electricity to the territory will ease short-term concerns, but given the turbulent Palestinian and regional political scene, a more sustainable solution will require setting up independent mechanisms for utility provision.

The retaliatory attacks against alleged Islamic State facilities in eastern Syria apparently failed to hit any of their intended targets, undermining Iranian deterrence and raising questions about the effectiveness of Iran's missile force.

Although pro-American, now-crown-prince Muhammad bin Salman has a firm view of Saudi Arabia's place in the world and his own role in securing it.

Bluster from the Kremlin should not be interpreted to mean Putin wants a direct military confrontation with the United States.

Watch the European Union's counterterrorism coordinator discuss plans to combat the Islamic State after the caliphate falls.

The United States cannot defeat the Islamic State without first reckoning with Iran's nefarious role in Syria.

Iran-led forces present arguably the greatest future threat to U.S. military personnel and overall interests in Syria, and therefore must be the centerpiece of a broader strategy addressing the conflict.

June 20, 2017 This month marks the tenth anniversary of the violent Hamas coup that took control over the 1.9 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. There is still no end in sight to their predicament – but this is most certainly not because Hamas enjoys popular support among the

Washington should avoid the appearance of taking sides in the rivalry between the Saudi crown prince and his younger cousin, the deputy crown prince.

Watch European and American policymakers discuss how the West is confronting a new generation of Islamist-inspired violent extremism.

Doha is overdue in aggressively targeting terror financiers, but addressing the latest batch of regional al-Qaeda designations could go a long way toward easing Gulf tensions.

The Washington Institute's Simon Henderson and Cipher Brief's Bennett Seftel met to discuss key areas of Saudi-China cooperation, the ways in which increased bilateral relations affect China's role in the Middle East, and ties between China and Iran.

June 15, 2017 Surprising results from a highly credible new survey in the West Bank and Gaza conducted May 16-26, 2017, demonstrate that Palestinians are often more moderate than their leaders on short-term political issues -- such as "pay for slay" bonuses for terrorists, a U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem

The Institute's leading Russia expert outlines the best means of tempering Moscow's influence in the region, recommending a more active U.S. military and diplomatic role while explaining why Putin will never be a reliable partner there.

June 15, 2017 Does Qatar fund terrorism? Certainly. It is an argument based on an accusation that is applicable to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Russia, and the United States. As long as there is no agreed-upon definition of terrorism, any and all governments that provide

June 14, 2017 The intersection of views and interpretations, a lack of understanding of the issue, confusion regarding language or how to distinguish between different meanings along with less visible reasons, have all created confusion about terms relating to Islam and what it means to be a Muslim. Due to

Pressing circumstances have pushed the Jordanian business community to set aside ideological objections and become more open to major projects with Israel.

The de facto leaders of Saudi Arabia and the UAE know how to change positions as pressures demand, but getting it wrong in Qatar, Yemen, and other regional hotspots could have dreadful consequences.

If Washington fails to press Russia diplomatically and raise the military costs on Hezbollah, a wider confrontation may erupt between U.S. and Iranian proxies in Syria.