Will COVID-19 Usher in the Era of the Surveillance Industrial Complex?
Bottom Line Up Front In order to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), countries around the world have been moving to implement new […] More
Soufan Center
Instability in Southern Yemen Exposes Rift Between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi
Bottom Line Up Front In late April, Emirati-supported separatists in southern Yemen declared self-administration, demonstrating further strains in the Saudi Coalition and a growing […] More
What are the Policy Options Available for Countering Disinformation?
Bottom Line Up Front Disinformation campaigns can have wide ranging impacts, from altering elections to encouraging acts of violence. Both the public and private […] More
United States and Iran Heading Slowly Toward the Brink Again
Bottom Line up Front The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated both Iran and the United States, but has not prevented tensions between them from escalating […] More
How Will COVID-19 Impact U.S. Military Readiness?
Bottom Line Up Front COVID-19 has required the U.S. military to shift personnel and materiel to a domestic mandate to augment civilian state and […] More
The United States is Struggling to Regain Influence in Syria
Bottom Line Up Front The United States is looking to consolidate and expand its presence in the eastern provinces of Deir al-Zour and al-Hasakah, […] More
The Wagner Group: A Russian Symphony of Profit and Politics
Bottom Line Up Front Created in 2014, the Wagner Group is a Russian private military company that maintains close ties to the Kremlin and […] More
Saudi Missteps Destabilize Global Oil Market
Bottom Line Up Front The April agreement among major oil producers to reduce global oil production has failed to stabilize world oil prices. Market […] More
The Plague of Domestic Violence During COVID-19
Bottom Line Up Front While much of modern life remains shut down, domestic violence is a constant plague for far too many throughout the […] More
How Will the Coronavirus Impact Afghanistan?
Bottom Line Up Front With Afghanistan sharing a border with Iran, one of the epicenters of the pandemic, government officials in Kabul have warned […] More
Iran and the United States Continue to Compete for Influence in Iraq
Bottom Line Up Front Baghdad’s difficulty in assembling a new government is a result of U.S.-Iran competition for influence in Iraq. The latest choice […] More
Coronavirus Exacerbates Growing Conflict and Insecurity in Africa
Bottom Line Up Front Cases of coronavirus are now reported in most African countries. Several African countries have seen a steadily growing number of […] More
The Coronavirus Will Increase Extremism Across the Ideological Spectrum
Bottom Line Up Front Fallout from the coronavirus pandemic is likely to provide a boost to extremists from across the ideological spectrum. Religious extremists, […] More
Saudi Arabia Declares Yemen Cease-Fire Amidst Growing Domestic Issues
Bottom Line Up Front Saudi Arabia announced a unilateral cease-fire in Yemen amidst growing concerns over the spreading coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia’s scorched earth […] More
Authoritarianism Receives a Boost from the Coronavirus Pandemic
Bottom Line Up Front Authoritarian leaders have used the coronavirus as an opportunity to further consolidate power and crush dissent. Countries including Turkey, Hungary, […] More
China’s Coronavirus Cover-up Campaign Continues
Bottom Line Up Front China’s propaganda efforts to cover-up the true scale of COVID-19’s impact on the health and safety of China’s citizens is […] More
Russian Imperial Movement Labeled a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity
On April 6, 2020, the U.S. State Department announced the designation of the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM) and three of its senior leaders pursuant […] More
Iran Continuing Overt and Covert Activities in Iraq
Bottom Line Up Front Iran is continuing its efforts to strengthen its influence in Iraq and drive U.S. military personnel out. Iran’s struggles with […] More