All Policy Analysis by David Schenker

Middle Easterners fear the White House will return to bad habits by dropping its demands on Syria in order to appease Iran.

The Beirut embassy bombing and Iran's anticipated retaliation against Saudi Arabia could threaten Lebanon's already tenuous stability.

Given the complexities and dynamics of the Syrian conflict, it is distinctly possible that Israel could be drawn into the fighting. Perhaps more important, the risk of spillover will likely extend years into the future, since the war's aftermath will not include near-term peace between Syria and Israel. How can

One of the most influential Sunni clerics in the Middle East, Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, has been calling on Egyptians to “go out to the streets” and confront the military. His controversial edicts have enraged Egypt’s new leaders and incited violence between the rival camps.

The leading Sunni cleric's shift toward militant views on Syria and Egypt may be a bellwether for future intra-Sunni sectarian strife in the Middle East.

Given the numerous external threats facing Jordan and the reversal of the Brotherhood's political fortune at home, the organization is now the least of King Abdullah's worries.

Islamist violence has chased off tourists, and now it threatens a key waterway -- and Egypt's entire economy.

Under current conditions, suspending military assistance to Cairo would be counterproductive for U.S. interests and contractors alike.

There is ample justification for intervention in Syria once U.S. strategic interests are factored into the equation, regardless of the chemical red line.

If Israel continues to act as Cairo's proxy terrorist hunter, it could erode the Egyptian military's reputation, undermine General Sisi's popularity, and attract even more militants looking to wage jihad from the Sinai.

Recent street battles, bombings, and political defections mark the beginning of the end of Hezbollah's relative impunity in Lebanon, potentially heralding protracted violence.

If Washington wants to shore up King Abdullah and secure Jordan, it should do everything possible to hasten the departure of Syria's Assad regime.

On July 3, Washington Institute fellow David Schenker presented a paper at an EU parliamentary conference titled “Briefing, Discussion, and Legal Implications of Religious Persecution.” The following is an excerpt; download the PDF to read the full paper. Egypt has long been ruled by authoritarians, and for most of the

As sectarian strife embroils the Middle East in conflict and the United States gradually withdraws from the area, it is time for China to start pulling its weight on issues of regional stability.