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Helping Erdogan take the city could greatly decrease the civilian death toll and preserve U.S.-Turkish cooperation in Syria, but Washington will still need to decide what to do with the Kurds, its other key ally against the Islamic State.

Eastern Syria holds major hydrocarbon and agricultural resources that make it a vital asset in Assad's quest for regime self-sufficiency, and a potentially powerful source of U.S. leverage against him.

A century after diplomats Mark Sykes of Britain and François Georges-Picot of France drew up a secret agreement to divide the Ottoman lands of the Middle East, a look at the modern map indicates the resulting states have largely stood the test of time -- at least thus far. Most

After a surprising presidential election, Americans and foreign leaders have closely watched the executive transition for clues to American priorities and policy under the Trump administration. What does Donald J. Trump’s victory tell us about American politics – and how will our allies and adversaries respond?

A compendium of Institute analysis on the evolving challenges and opportunities that will face the Trump administration in the Middle East.

In a candid conversation, recently retired American military leaders assessed the foreign policy challenges confronting the United States as President-elect Donald J. Trump prepares to take office.

This collection of essays by Washington Institute experts explores how the United States can work with--or, in some cases, around--the various actors in heavily Kurdish-populated northern Syria to advance the fight against the Islamic State and create long-term stability. Successive pieces look at the Kurds themselves, Turkey, Arabs in the

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

Where does the Middle East fit into America's global strategy, and is the rise of Russian and Chinese great-power competition in the region a permanent new reality or an anomaly that the next president can reverse? This episode of the Institute's Near East PolicyCast podcast features a conversation with Michael

Watch an expert discussion of the jihadist challenges the next president will inherit even after the Islamic State's territorial 'caliphate' is defeated.

Is Russia's recent military foray into the Middle East a permanent move, and what if anything can the 45th president of the United States do to limit Moscow's mischief in the region without risking open confrontation and war between the world's leading nuclear powers? In this episode of the Institute's

From al-Qaeda to the Islamic State, the global terrorist threat has evolved rapidly in recent years, and will likely change further still in the next president’s term. In this episode of the Institute's Near East PolicyCast podcast, counterterrorism expert Matthew Levitt looks ahead to the next administration and the choices

How does misinformation arise and become accepted as fact by citizens and leaders? Three scholars discuss the origins and costs of erroneous information in the Middle East.

Watch a conversation with the Treasury Department's top coordinator for combating terrorist financing as he explains how Washington is countering the Islamic State's wealth and fundraising.

In this podcast episode from World Politics Review, Vish Sakthivel joins Peter Dörrie to talk about the outlook for Algeria when the Bouteflika era comes to an end.