Policy Analysis

Some foreign policy guidelines for the incoming administration as it prepares for a world that has become more competitive and less susceptible to U.S. influence.

Read or watch a conversation between a Washington Institute expert and the governor of Kirkuk, who shares firsthand perspectives on how Iraqi authorities and their partners can handle ethnic tensions in post-liberation Mosul.

If the United States more openly addressed the wider strategic threat posed by Iran's role in Yemen, it could convince its allies in the Saudi-led coalition to modify their controversial military tactics, reduce civilian suffering, and support a serious peace effort.

Although the Israeli political tussle over settlement outposts may have no real domestic legal impact in the end, it could spur President Obama to take UN action during his last days in office.

Why is Turkey suddenly passionate about helping fight Da’esh?

After so much hope, what happened?

If a case can be made for a country too big to fail in the Middle East, it would be Turkey.

How will the election's outcome shape the direction of U.S. Middle East policy, and how do America's friends in the region view the prospect of a new administration? Read or watch a conversation between leading Middle Eastern journalists and U.S. policy experts.

The most reliable road to Kurdish sovereignty still runs through Baghdad, not through Ankara or the Trump White House.

Yes, Israel is popular right now, but most of its new friendships are based on assessments of common interest, and such assessments can change overnight.

Given his campaign rhetoric about Russia, Putin, and NATO, Trump could decide to pursue a number of problematic policy moves, such as lifting Crimea-related sanctions in exchange for Moscow's cooperation in Syria.

Well before his inauguration, the president-elect can take steps to calm foreign allies and build domestic support by conveying a sense of his strategy and priorities overseas, both in private and, to some degree, publicly.

Iran's missile force could double or triple in size by the time the major limits imposed by the nuclear deal are supposed to be lifted, so any attempts to improve on the JCPOA should address Iran's missile program as well.

As an idea, the Islamic State has gone global, attracting far more foreign terrorist fighters than all previous jihadist conflicts combined. But as a so-called state or "caliphate," how successful has it really been at expanding its global footprint through the establishment of "provinces" around the world? And what will

If the American-Russian diplomatic process permanently fails, Syria could be on the brink of becoming the epicenter of international jihadism.

As Shiite militias in Iraq attempt to become potent political actors, they may follow Hezbollah's Lebanese model: using military leverage over the government to wrestle power on Iran's behalf.

In this short video, Institute Executive Director Robert Satloff explores implications of the election of Donald J. Trump for America’s role in the region.

How did the group rise to power so quickly after Mubarak's ouster in 2011 -- and then just as quickly lose public support and fall from power itself? Read or watch a conversation between leading experts on Egyptian politics.

In addition to the schadenfreude of many loyal to the Islamist movement after the attack, there were other voices which were impossible to ignore: those of a group mourning for the soldiers while simultaneously criticizing the army’s leadership.

In the unlikely event that either side decides to follow through on its declared intentions, each has multiple options for advancing on the Islamic State's heartland.