To Defeat Iran’s Proxies in Iraq, the U.S. Should Use an Old Adversary
OPINION — The real war will begin where the last one never ended: Iraq. With President Donald Trump back in office and reaffirming his pledge to […] More
Middle East
One Month Into U.S. Campaign, Assessing Damage to the Houthis
EXPERT INTERVIEW— For the past month, the United States military has been carrying out its most robust campaign yet against the Houthi militia, which is […] More
Dealing with Nuclear Proliferation in a Dangerous Moment
OPINION — Numerous U.S. allies have expressed concerns regarding the nuclear weapons programs of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Most of those concerns have come […] More
To Beat China, America Must Balance AI Innovation with National Security
OPINION — While the White House is busy restricting trade with China, it keeps unlocking the back gate. Even as the Department of Commerce expanded export restrictions on March 26 to prevent […] More
The Latest
Violence in Gaza, Yemen and Syria Tests Middle East – and the Trump Administration
EXPERT INTERVIEW – Just a few weeks ago, the Middle East seemed in a rare moment of relative calm: ceasefires were holding in Gaza and […] More
Oman’s Double Game in Yemen Has Dangerous Consequences
OPINION — For more than three decades, Oman has served in the role of mediator for the resolution of disputes in Yemen. This began after north […] More
Playing the Role of ‘Good Shepherd’ in a Post-Assad Syria
OPINION — Israel’s new Middle East security reality is coming into sharper focus in a volatile Syria, where sectarian clashes are taking place and aggressive Israeli […] More
Expert Q&A: The Options for Trump 2.0 on Iran
EXPERT INTERVIEW – Almost lost in the Trump administration’s push for an end to the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and its tariff wars against […] More
In Post-Rebellion Syria, Deadly Violence and Huge Opportunity
EXPERT INTERVIEW — For the first time since the December rebellion that overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad, Syria has seen a spate of large-scale violence, […] More
The Global Shift To Authoritarianism
OPINION — Based on my numerous assignments abroad, my work for the late Director of Central Intelligence William Casey as his Special Assistant and subsequent work […] More
Why Jordan and Egypt Are Critical to Trump’s Gaza Proposal
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT – On Tuesday, with Jordan’s King Abdullah II at his side, President Donald Trump exuded confidence that the Arab world will […] More
On Gaza, Trump Says the Quiet Part Out Loud – and Then Some
OPINION — Embedded in President Trump’s shocking proposal to “own” and develop the Gaza Strip are some uncomfortable truths and even some “common sense,” as […] More
Expert Q&A: Trump’s Proposal Sparks Call for ‘Practical’ Change in Gaza
EXPERT Q&A — The Cipher Brief turned to Ambassador Dennis Ross to discuss President Donald Trump’s proposal to “take over” Gaza, and the debate it has […] More
Could Trump’s Shocking Plan for Gaza Lead Anywhere?
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT – As President Donald Trump doubles down on his idea of a U.S. takeover of Gaza, Arab governments are also doubling […] More
Iran, the Nuclear Program, and Trump 2.0
As the second Trump Administration took office, it found a Middle East landscape that had been transformed dramatically in the last year alone. Nowhere is […] More
Parsing the Opportunity from Extreme Challenges in the Middle East
EXPERT INTERVIEW / PERSPECTIVE – The Middle East has changed dramatically over the past four years, creating both extraordinary challenges and opportunities for the region […] More
Expert Q&A: Understanding the New Russia-Iran “Strategic Partnership”
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Russian President Vladimir Putin received his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, in Moscow on Friday to sign a “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.” Russian […] More
Another Inauguration – in Lebanon – Offers Hope for the Middle East
OPINION — If 2024 ended with “cautious optimism” about Syria, in the wake of that country’s ouster of the Assad regime, 2025 may be beginning with a […] More
Expert Q&A: The Gaza Deal — and the ‘Trump Effect’
EXPERT INTERVIEW — On the day the Israeli cabinet voted to approve the long-awaited ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza, The Cipher Brief spoke with a former advisor […] More