What’s Next for the Palestinians?
President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has left Palestinian leaders questioning the United States’ ability to effectively spearhead any […] More
Archive for ‘Bennett Seftel’
How Recognizing Jerusalem Could Jettison – or Jumpstart – Peace Talks
The decision by President Donald Trump to officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital could give the U.S. added leverage to demand difficult concessions from the […] More
UAE’s Share of the Task Fighting al Qaeda in Yemen
The U.S. and its Gulf allies have clawed back Yemeni territory from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which has exploited the Yemeni conflict […] More
Egypt Struggles to Suppress ISIS in the Sinai
Friday’s deadly terrorist attack at the Al-Rawda mosque in the north of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula demonstrates that the so-called Islamic State’s Sinai affiliate remains a […] More
Devastating Sinai Attack Points to ISIS
On Friday, militants carried out a devastating attack at a mosque in the city of Bir al-Abed located in Egypt’s northern Sinai province, leaving at […] More
Best Of: The Devil’s Puzzle: Defining International and Domestic Terrorism
The car ramming attack that occurred in New York City on Oct. 31 killed eight people and reignited debate over what constitutes domestic and international […] More
Saudi Arabia’s ‘Game of Thrones’ In Lebanon
The sudden resignation of Saad Hariri as Lebanon’s prime minister during his trip to Riyadh earlier this month raised suspicions about whether Saudi Arabia facilitated […] More
AMISOM: A Decade into the Fight Against Al Shabaab
The multinational peacekeeping force known as AMISOM has been losing the momentum in its battle against al Shabaab in Somalia, as evidenced by the massive […] More
How to Weigh the Worth of the Iran Nuclear Deal
The mid-December deadline for Congress to determine whether to re-impose nuclear-related sanctions on Iran is rapidly approaching – with uncertain progress. Enacting these additional sanctions […] More
U.S.-Philippine Relations Rebound Under Trump
In the Philippines Monday, President Donald Trump will try to maintain momentum as the U.S. rebuilds its relationship with Manila amidst rising Chinese influence. Ties between the two nations […] More
Royal Reshuffle and Yemen Missile Strike Threaten Saudi Stability
Another shakeup atop the Saudi royal family, coupled with an escalation in the war in Yemen, has paved the way for the Saudi heir to […] More
Will Southeast Asia Go the Way of Populist Philippines?
President Donald Trump leaves Friday for a nine-day trip to Asia, a continent that has stayed relatively free of the populism that has washed over […] More
With Coffers Draining, ISIS May Seek Donations & Step Up Crime
Once billed the richest terrorist group in history, ISIS’ revenue streams are drying up, which may force it to rely more heavily on criminal enterprises […] More
Palestinian Authority & Hamas: Peace at last?
After years of failed mediation efforts, the elusiveness of Palestinian unity may have finally come to an end. Throughout the last decade, Palestinian politics have […] More
Nation Building or Targeted Killings: Tough Choices for U.S. in Somalia
The truck bomb that devastated the Somali capital of Mogadishu and killed more than 320 people on Saturday was the deadliest terrorist attack in Somalia’s […] More
Al Qaeda Spinoffs Rise from Syrian Ashes
One of the most worrisome trend lines in the Syrian civil war has been the accelerated growth of al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham […] More
Philippines Faces Long Slog Against ISIS
Now into its fourth month, fighting between Philippine forces and pro-ISIS militants in the Philippine island of Mindanao has nearly subsided, with only a handful […] More
War, Plague and Famine Ride Over Yemen
Billed the “forgotten child” of the Middle East, Yemen is ensnared in a three-year old civil war with no end in sight. Despite haphazard international […] More
ISIS ‘Caliphate’ Fades but Social Media Empire Remains
Since the U.S. declared its War on Terror 16 years ago, it has achieved a number of battlefield successes against its main terrorist adversaries, al […] More
How the U.S. and Iran Play the Afghan ‘Great Game’
As Afghanistan’s western neighbor, Iran maintains a vested interest in prodding war-torn Afghanistan towards achieving political and economic stability. Burdened by Afghan refugees and a […] More
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
Al Qaeda Thrives Across Weak West African States
Earlier this year, The Cipher Brief examined the deteriorating security situation across North Africa, contending that al Qaeda’s regional offshoot, al Qaeda in the Islamic […] More
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
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