All Policy Analysis by Simon Henderson

The scuttling of a high-profile opportunity for commercial engagement is a reminder that expanding Gulf-Israel ties to the public realm will be a slow, thorny process.

The oil giant’s latest moves will help fund ambitious infrastructure projects, but the implications for foreign investment and economic diversification remain to be seen.

Those who favor helping the Saudis develop their nuclear industry are running up against skeptics who fear Riyadh cannot be trusted with such capabilities.

The latest success will encourage more exploration in the area, but probably more regional rivalry as well.

National pride and honor can be tricky variables, especially when not accompanied by common sense.

Sending a princess to head the embassy in Washington has grabbed the headlines, but her predecessor’s elevation to deputy defense minister may have greater policy and political implications.

The trip has coincided with a new flare-up in India-Pakistan tensions, making Riyadh’s balancing act between regional rivals trickier than ever.

The ball has bounced mostly in the regime’s direction since 1979, though Tehran may now be approaching the revolutionary equivalent of imperial overstretch.

Even as exploration companies make crucial advances on specific projects, broader development of the area’s resources will require the players to overcome political tensions and market hurdles.

Out of the public view, access to Islamabad’s nuclear and missile technology could be the main agenda item for a bilateral meeting whose reported purpose is financial support.

Recent reforms are running up against deep-seated cultural realities, and some foreign investors and officials are not ready to forget the Khashoggi incident.

Coming the same week as Secretary Pompeo’s Middle East tour, the incident is a powerful example of the regional threat posed by Iran.

All eyes will be on the secretary’s speech this week, so striking the right balance between President Trump’s domestic imperatives and the realities of regional policy is crucial.

The whirlwind tour could yield some surprises, but substantial positive outcomes will be hard to come by without clear, unified messaging from the administration.

Photographs from Prince Talal Bin Abdulaziz's funeral provide a predictive glimpse into Saudi political life.

Ministerial changes seemed likely in the wake of the Khashoggi crisis, but some of the specifics came as a surprise.

Riyadh’s allies need to adjust more to the kingdom’s dynamic decisionmaking, once noted for being slow and cautious.

The cartel’s uncertain future may be shaped by any number of economic and diplomatic wildcards, including Russian outreach, Qatari gas exports, and U.S. turmoil over the Khashoggi murder.