Policy Analysis

What with Yemen, Iran, Syria, and oil, U.S.-Saudi relations appear to have many dimensions these days, so there is little time for questionable diplomatic gestures that could complicate the imminent nuclear and GCC summits.

Given the risks associated with further economic reform, Egypt's appointment of new and highly qualified cabinet ministers will not necessarily result in new policies.

Although U.S. and Gulf assistance has been vital thus far, Jordan's expenses related to hosting refugees and securing the border outstrip what it is receiving.

An exclusively hard-power approach to stopping ISIS could embolden its followers, while soft power alone is no match for the group's theological pull, so the U.S. government will need to look more closely at how its strategies are interpreted abroad.

Read a summary or watch video of this energetic debate on how Washington should balance vitally important relationships with Turkey and the Syrian Kurds in the fight against the Islamic State.

Erdogan's interactions with President Obama could shed light on long-gestating proposals for retaking ISIS-held areas in northern Syria, as well as the status of recent bilateral tensions and the future of Turkish policy toward the Kurds.

Ankara may have scaled back its grand ambitions in the Middle East, but is the EU ready to hold its nose in dealing with Erdogan's authoritarian administration?

A new court decision could stunt exploitation of offshore gas reserves, open the possibility of a heavy punitive arbitration award, and hamper foreign investment in Israel.

Police and prevention officers in the Islamist hotbed of Molenbeek are eager to step up their counterradicalization efforts, but they are running short on resources and time.

The Saudi-led coalition has waged a dynamic campaign, but all actions so far constitute a prelude to the tougher fighting ahead should the coalition launch an assault on Sana and the Houthi heartland.

In Iraq, the menace of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, has reared its head again, posing serious challenges to Prime Minister Abadi and his plans for government reform. For several months, Abadi’s efforts to fight corruption and replace incompetent ministers with technocrats have faced resistance

For the first weeks of 2016, the imminent “Geneva 3” conference was hyped as the best chance to a find a political solution to the seemingly indefinite Syrian civil war. Despite the buzz and high expectations for diplomacy, violence marked the eve of the negotiations. Syrian soldiers, the YPG, Afghan

The coalition has restricted Iranian resupply of the Houthis by air and sea, and selective reopening of Yemeni ports may be possible as they fall to pro-Hadi forces.

The air campaign has demonstrated surprising endurance and proficiency, but the coalition's strategic communications and efforts to mitigate collateral damage have been sorely lacking.

Small-scale attacks by homegrown radicals are out, complex plots to maximize carnage are in, and the long-term domestic threat to Europe is stark.

Five months ago Nawshirwan Mustafa, general organizer of the Change Movement (Gorran) party in Kurdistan, left Iraq for London under the pretext of receiving medical treatment for chronic back pain. His extended stay has puzzled not only his rivals, but also his supporters. Silence over Mustafa’s condition, as well as

By once again targeting foreign-funded NGOs, Sisi's government is reactivating the cycle of recriminations that nearly torpedoed the U.S.-Egypt relationship four years ago.

Two experts discuss Russia's increasingly assertive regional policy and what it means for American and allied interests. Read a summary or watch video of the full event.

Seemingly inflated vote totals and jumbled candidate lists raise questions about the transparency of the government's official election results and turnout estimates.

In-depth testimony on the group's ongoing criminal, terrorist, and military activity in the region and beyond, including the implications of a potential cash influx from Iran as international sanctions are relaxed.