Policy Analysis

Depending upon whom you talk to, anywhere from six to sixteen ethnic groups constitute the Syrian population, with the main six groups being: Sunni Muslim; Shiite Muslim (Alawite and Ismaili); Christian; Druze; Kurd; Circassian; and the stateless Palestinian refugees and their descendants. The Christians are not foreign to the Syrian

Whatever understandings the Trump administration reaches after the Islamic State is defeated, it needs to be clear about the stakes: if America does not stop the Iranians in Syria and Iraq, they will soon emerge as the region's dominant force.

As the Islamic State attempts to regenerate in tense multiethnic areas, Washington should view Arab-Kurdish dispute resolution as an essential counterterrorism mission, not an uncertain nation-building enterprise.

A row has erupted among GCC heavyweights only days after President Trump left Riyadh, potentially undermining the agreed policy of containing Iran.

The Muslim Brotherhood isn't behind the callous mass murder of Copts, but it's certainly fanning the flames of hatred.

Various players have been rushing to secure their spot in former Islamic State strongholds that will be strategically important to the next phase of the war.

His first overseas tour signaled a possible return to traditional American foreign policy, but all the symbolism will mean little without tough follow-up diplomacy to back it up.

May 25th, 2017 On his return from an extended African trip in March, Mohammed VI removed and replaced Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane with Saadeddine Othmani as head of government-designate. The Islamist party, realizing the seriousness of the situation, reviewed their political position and instructed Othmani to opt for malleability and

Despite setbacks in Syria, and anxieties over a potential future conflict with Israel, the group has substantially widened its reach in recent years.

With President Donald Trump participating in his first international summits, several of America's EU and Gulf allies will be considering the future of Libya. Trump's statement in April that he sees no role for the United States in Libya not only signaled a lack of interest in the fragile state

Even as the Islamic State continues to lose territory, its evolution in Libya since 2014 should convince Western authorities not to underestimate its capacity for directing lethal attacks abroad.

A Turkey expert reads between the lines of the latest meeting between the two presidents, assessing whether policy changes are afoot on Syria, the Kurds, and other issues.

A veteran U.S. diplomat assesses President Trump’s message during his first regional tour and the implications for U.S. foreign policy.

The latest crackdown by Bahraini security forces, which came two days after President Trump's friendly conversation with King Hamad, could raise tensions on the island and with Iran.

Publicly at least, the president's first trip to Israel focused on symbolic rapprochement rather than policy pressure, but at some point the administration will need to clarify its next steps on the peace process and Iran.

March 23, 2017 In mid-March, the Moroccan King Mohammed VI invoked Article Forty-Seven of the 2011 Constitution to remove President Abdelilah Benkirane from his post. The king asked the career politician from relatively modest means in Rabat-Salé to step down despite appointing him for a second term, his party winning

The newly proposed coalition is unsustainable because many Muslim-majority countries have conflicting agendas, but the United States can still push for mutual legal reform.

When President Trump traveled to Saudi Arabia last weekend, he was addressing not just his Saudi hosts but also an ad hoc Arab and Islamic summit conference. Until recently, the Arab world was undergoing a violent crisis inside its own countries, but today it is in a crisis of existence

While avoiding his two predecessors' emphasis on root causes, Trump offered help in the form of a new $110 billion Saudi defense purchase and continued military engagement in the region.

If Trump wants to broker a deal, he must first focus on the priorities held by each side -- including the U.S. side -- and the costs associated with inaction.