Policy Analysis

The implications of the assault on al-Khobar are huge. It confirms that there has been a significant shift in the pattern of terror attacks in Saudi Arabia; the battle between Osama bin Laden and the royal House of Saud is shifting gear. Although the casualties are far fewer than those

Following Israel's recent raid in Rafah, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel's actions as "state terrorism" while Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul hinted that strains had emerged in the Turkish-Israeli relationship. In general, Turkey's governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) has lately adopted an alarmingly critical attitude toward Israel

Amid anticipation that Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon will soon get his Gaza withdrawal plan back on track, it is important to examine the only other instance of Israeli settlement evacuation—namely, Israel's withdrawal from Sinai in the wake of the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt. How was evacuation handled at

Any Israeli withdrawal from Gaza or evacuation of settlements would be a positive step. Yet, Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei needs to develop a plan for dealing with Gaza immediately, rather than waiting until after Israel confirms its intention to withdraw from that territory. In particular, the Palestinian Authority (PA)

The fiery death of the leader of Iraq's governing council in a car-bomb explosion in Baghdad was a ghastly reminder of the problems facing the country. It's dangerous. We don't know who is causing the violence. And we don't know much about the political leadership that the US occupation forces

Cyprus For years, the Turkish Cypriots have been blamed for the Cyprus issue. Nevertheless, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan personally convinced UN secretary general Kofi Annan to open the fourth round of negotiations, and Rauf Denktas, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, was much more productive in

The natural answer to this question is "a Palestinian state." Indeed, during the Oslo process, Israel operated under this very premise. Over the past three and a half years, however, considerable doubts have arisen about whether this is what the Palestinians really want. Of course, the leaders of Hamas explicitly

You have heard President Bush talk about a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East. The president's vision of the future for the Middle East is predicated on one clear principle: that the advance of freedom and democracy leads to peace and progress for all. As the president has

Over the past week, oil prices have exceeded $40 per barrel for the first time since the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and gasoline prices in parts of the United States are now more $2 per gallon. Contributing to this increase were heightened concerns about supply, particularly in the wake

Over the past two weeks, the Bush administration has circulated a revised draft of its Greater Middle East Initiative, a plan designed to support political, economic, and social reform throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds. According to news reports, the new draft -- a version of which will be presented

Four basic assumptions have passed away. The first is the assumption that peace will bring security. Many believed that, once peace was achieved, the motivation behind attacks against Israel would vanish. If we could just reach a peace agreement, some argued, there would be no more terror. Peace, we believed

My initial intention was to give a lengthy presentation of the Israeli disengagement plan. The pace of changing circumstances, however, means that no one can guarantee the chances of the plan's being implemented in the near future. I can only say that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is truly committed to

Jonathan Davidson: The European approach to the Middle East peace process is conditioned by a multitude of factors. I will highlight three of them. First, Europe has a deep and longstanding historical relationship with the Middle East. Second, we are neighbors, particularly since the European Union (EU) expanded to twenty-five

For some time, we have all been preoccupied with Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral withdrawal plan. The fate of the peace process today depends on the outcome of political maneuvers taking place in Israel. And, once again, we find ourselves in a vicious circle, even taking steps backward. Instead

Terrorist Financing in the United States While individual terrorist attacks can be carried out at a relatively low cost, the need to recruit operatives and provide them with safe houses, training, and support requires significant funding. The United States has proven to be a good venue for fundraising by terrorist

Keynote addresses by Stephen Hadley and Maj. Gen. Giora Eiland. With David Frum, Jessica Tuchman Matthews, Brig. Gen. Eival Gilady, Nabil Amr, Jonathan Davidson, Dennis Ross, and David Satterfield.

You have heard President Bush talk about a forward strategy for freedom in the Middle East. The president's vision of the future for the Middle East is predicated on one clear principle: that the advance of freedom and democracy leads to peace and progress for all. As the president has

Robert Satloff, The Washington Institute: Dr. Mathews, how would you define "success" in Iraq? Is it achievable, and, if so, what is required to ensure it? What would be the consequences of failure to achieve your definition of success? Jessica Tuchman Mathews: Let me first say that I speak only

April 25, 2004, was a great day for American foreign policy in the Middle East. A sea of protesters converged upon the nation's capital to support women's rights in one of the largest demonstrations for social justice and equality in the history of the United States. As Washington struggles to

The State Department released the 2003 edition of Patterns of Global Terrorism last week in accordance with its congressional mandate to provide an accounting of international trends. With several spectacular terrorist attacks, the war in Iraq, and a series of counterterrorism victories, 2003 witnessed profound changes in the arena of