Policy Analysis

In this new study, jihadi expert Aaron Y. Zelin provides a framework for understanding how the Islamic State goes from no control to full consolidation of control in a particular area. Three case studies show how this framework plays out ...

What will the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement mean for Iran and the United States?

The United States needs a new doctrine for the Middle East. This new strategy should acknowledge that some allies in the Muslim world, especially Saudi Arabia, no longer act as forces of stability. The U.S. administration must demand demonstrable changes in state-sanctioned religious indoctrination if it hopes to mitigate the

Washington and Tehran must act now to prevent further escalation between their respective naval forces.

The executions earlier this month followed an upsurge in convictions in the Specialized Criminal Court.

Russia's summer 2015 entry into the Syrian war and Turkey's subsequent shootdown of a Russian jet reportedly violating its airspace have upended previously smooth ties between Ankara and Moscow. Yet the ensuing tensions have given the United States an unprecedented opportunity to restore strong cooperation with Turkey, not only in

Undoubtedly, Saudi Arabia faces a delicate situation. The United States has effectively abdicated its historical leadership role in the Middle East. Egypt and Turkey are too preoccupied with internal strife to assume regional responsibilities. Meanwhile, Iran has interpreted the recently concluded P5+1 agreement as a license for an unrestrained offensive

The PA should have the courage to tell the public that its security services did assist Israel in apprehending terrorists, and that they will do so again on the religious ground that the Quran forbids the killing of innocents.

The Islamic State's choice of target likely reflects a very deliberate attempt to short-circuit U.S.-Turkish military efforts along the Syrian border and exacerbate tensions in Europe.

The lone Arab Spring success story has much to be proud of, but considerable challenges remain, and Tunisia will need significant American assistance for the foreseeable future.

Fundamental questions now center on how exactly the seizure occurred, how the sailors were treated, and whether Washington offered a quid pro quo for their release.

Having a permanent military foothold in the Gulf will put Turkey in an elite group of powers, but more presence also means more exposure, whether to Saudi-Iranian tensions or other local crises.

The prince's latest foreign policy initiative is to confer with Islamabad, presumably seeking help with Iran, and potentially including military and nuclear cooperation.

Even a short, sharp burst of direct military clashes would serve as a reminder to both sides of the overriding imperative to keep their conflict limited to the territories of unfortunate third parties.

By taking an overcautious approach in Syria, the president has highlighted America's failure to have an open discussion about the real strategic lessons of the Iraq war.

The momentum of Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, the king's young son, appears almost unstoppable, but many oppose his ascent.

A holistic approach to counterterrorism demands more than just a 'capture and kill' posture, and new funds for relevant State Department programs are a step in the right direction.

For now, the handful of Nour candidates who won seats are seemingly content to continue endorsing the Sisi government, but political opposition and violence outside parliament may prove much more significant to how Egypt's Salafis divide in the future.

Just hours before Pyongyang claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb, Iran unveiled another underground facility and showed off North Korean-designed long-range missiles.

An Egyptian analyst and a Washington Institute expert discuss the results and implications of the latest Institute polls conducted in the region, touching on the Syria war, Iran, perceptions of U.S. policy, and other pressing issues.