Members Only The Promises and Perils of Syrian Kurdistan
Syria’s Kurds are best known for the role that their military arm, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), currently play as the military backbone of […] More
Latest Middle East Briefs
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Members Only Rethinking the U.S. Alliance with Kurdish Fighters in Syria
As the ISIS “Caliphate” in Syria and Iraq faces annihilation in coming weeks, the U.S. must rethink relations with its highly problematic but effective ally […] More
Members Only Can Trump Get Iran and Europe to Ink a New Nuclear Deal?
U.S. President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani exchanged blows at the UN General Assembly in New York this week – taking aim […] More
Members Only Chances ‘Slim’ for a Quick Fix to GCC Standoff
The dispute between Qatar and its four regional counterparts – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates – has entered into its fourth […] More
Members Only Threats to American Interests Increase as Gulf Diplomacy Dissolves
The ongoing dispute between Qatar and its neighbors – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates – has thrown the U.S. into a […] More
Members Only Gulf Crisis Still Smolders as Washington Searches for Options
Well into its fourth month, the tense standoff between Qatar and the four Arab nations that severed diplomatic ties with Doha – Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, […] More
Members Only Risk and Reward: What Iran Learned after a Decade of Nuclear Talks
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.” It was […] More
Members Only World Watches as U.S. and Iran Spar Over Nuclear Deal at U.N.
The future of the Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is likely to take center stage at this week’s […] More
Members Only Get Tough on Beirut to Rein in Hezbollah Threat
Hezbollah – an Iran-backed militia that controls southern Lebanon – boasts a medium-sized army and a whopping arsenal of up to 150,000 rockets and missiles. […] More
Members Only Hard Reckoning Awaits Cairo for Sweeping Crackdowns
At least 18 Egyptian policemen were killed Monday in an ISIS attack on a security convoy in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Over the last few years, […] More
Members Only The Legacy of Leadership Decapitation after 9/11
Since the September 11 attacks, the U.S. has used leadership decapitation – the targeting and killing of terrorist leaders – as a pillar of its […] More
Members Only Don’t Overestimate Drone Strikes’ Power to Kill High Value Targets
Since 9/11, eliminating terrorist leaders through a strategy known as leadership decapitation has emerged as key pillar of the United States’ counterterrorism strategy. Although the […] More
Members Only Resilient ISIS Immune to Killing of its Top Leaders
The removal of top terrorist leaders from the battlefield continues to be a critical element of the United States’ counterterrorism strategy. In the years since […] More
Members Only Trump and Kuwaiti Emir Hint at End to Gulf Crisis
President Donald Trump and the Emir of Kuwait – one of two Gulf countries that has not cut ties with Qatar – said in a […] More
Members Only Opportunity for ISIS as Sinai Civilians Sour on Cairo
Despite its role as a critical partner for the U.S. in the global fight against terror, Egypt has struggled to quash an extremist insurgency in […] More
Members Only Egypt’s President Stands on Shifting Sands
As a key U.S. ally in the Middle East, Egypt has played an integral role in helping to combat the region’s terrorist threat, particularly since […] More
Members Only Will Egypt’s Currency Reform Raise Risk of Revolt?
Last November, Egypt’s Central Bank announced it was taking steps to allow the pound to trade freely on the currency market. The move to float […] More
Members Only Iran Nuclear Deal Falls Short on Missiles
As part of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic agreed to suspend activities related to its development of ballistic missiles capable of carrying […] More
Members Only Negotiate Now to Limit Range of Iranian Bombs
Earlier this summer, the Trump administration chalked up a number of supposed achievements in its ongoing efforts to contain Iran’s ballistic missile program. U.S. President […] More
Members Only Nebulous Language Enables Tehran’s Missile Ambitions
Although the U.S. has stated that Iran remains in compliance with the Iran nuclear deal, Tehran continues to expand its ballistic missile capabilities and conduct […] More
Members Only Iran Rejects UN Inspections of Military Sites
Iran has rejected a U.S. demand that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors be allowed to check out Iranian military sites. “Iran’s military facilities are […] More
Members Only Israel and Hezbollah Eye Their Next War
On August 15, Israel’s Channel 2 news revealed satellite photos of an Iranian missile production facility near the town of Baniyas in northwestern Syria, capable […] More
Members Only An Israeli War with Hezbollah Risks War with Iran
In a speech on August 13, Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s Secretary General, reassured his public that Israel will not attack Hezbollah and Lebanon, arguing that Israeli […] More
Members Only IDF Would Face an Old Foe Battled-Tested by Syria
Hezbollah – an Iran-backed militia that controls southern Lebanon – boasts a medium-sized army and a whopping arsenal of up to 150,000 rockets and missiles. […] More