U.S. Interests in Yemen Come with Tough Choices
The recent distrust between the United States and Saudi Arabia has raised questions about the crisis in Yemen. The U.S. supports Saudi forces by providing […] More
Middle East
Iran: Maximum Pressure and Perfect Storms
Last spring, two weeks after the Trump Administration withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the international arms control deal that curbed […] More
Lessons from the Past: MBS, Bring Back America!
As details about the disappearance of Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi are revealed, its worth looking back at the deeper roots of the U.S. – Saudi […] More
War Crimes in Yemen
The war in Yemen has been for some time one of the worst current man-made humanitarian disasters. Now, comes a report, from the United Nations Human […] More
The Global Threat Posed by Al-Qaeda
A United Nations report delivered to the Security Council last month offered a stark reminder that al Qaeda remains a serious threat around the world. […] More
Relations between Washington and Islamabad? It’s Complicated
Pakistan sits at a critical crossroads of U.S. Counterterrorism efforts, and geo-political strategy with China. Pakistan has elected a former cricket player, Imran Khan, as […] More
Future Security Relations Between U.S. and Turkey on the Brink
Iran hasn’t been the only target of U.S. sanctions in the past week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered retaliatory sanctions again two unnamed U.S. […] More
Hezbollah’s Armed Resistance
A recent European Union report offers an EU specific look at terrorism faced by member states in 2017. A part of that report focused on terrorist […] More
What’s Driving the War of Words Between the U.S. and Iran?
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comments on Sunday about Iran and its leadership ignited a war of words between the U.S. and Iran with President […] More
The Strategic Relationship Between Russia and Iran
The Trump Administration is increasing pressure on Iran since withdrawing from the JCPOA in May. Last month, the U.S. began pressuring other countries to halt […] More
Mapping Out OPEC’s Latest Moves
The OPEC conference in Vienna ended on June 22 with a Saudi-engineered defeat of Iran’s efforts to oppose any production hike. Masked in vague language, […] More
What Awaits Yemen After Hodeida?
In the second part of a Cipher Brief two-part series on the significant implications of the battle for Hodeida, Cipher Brief Expert Norm Roule, who […] More
The Future of Hodeida – Once a Hotbed of Global Espionage – Hangs in the Balance
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned Monday that military action in Yemen will fail. The warning comes as a Saudi-led coalition targeted Houthi rebels aligned with […] More
Afghanistan Quagmire Leaves U.S. With No Good Options
Update: June 18, 2018 – Despite an incredibly rare ceasefire between the Afghan Government and the Taliban in observance of Eid al-Fitr, two deadly suicide […] More
The Broader Implications of What’s Happening in Yemen
Pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have launched an assault on rebels holding Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah. Potential humanitarian casualties are […] More
Jordan’s $2.5b Security Lifeline to the Future
While the media is dominated by events in North Korea, it would be wise to devote some space to the decision this week by Saudi […] More
Iran’s Hegemonic Quest
The Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is putting the IAEA on notice that Tehran is likely to begin producing centrifuges that are used to […] More
Are Sanctions the Best Bet for Deterring Iran?
Weeks after withdrawing from the Iran nuclear accord, the Trump Administration ratcheted up pressure on Iran by imposing harsh sanctions on key Iranian figures who […] More