The U.S. Loses a Trusted Partner in Fighting Terrorism
Before leaving Saudi Arabia last week for a long holiday in Morocco, King Salman issued a decree officially putting his young son, Crown Prince Mohammed […] More
Allies
Shifting Sands: Saudi Arabia’s Succession
Saudi Arabia underwent another dramatic shift in mid-June when Saudi ruler King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud elevated his son, Prince Mohammad Bin Salman (MbS), to […] More
MbS’ Successful Power Play
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently underwent another dynastic shake-up as Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman supplanted his elder cousin and former Minister of […] More
Pakistan’s ISI: The True Deep State
While the origins of the phrase may be traced back to Turkey, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) today represents the defining example of a “deep […] More
Pakistan’s Double Game, Unpacked
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is one of most powerful intelligence agencies in the world, as it works to further Pakistani interests in South Asia. The […] More
Pakistan’s Proudly Double-Dealing Intelligence Service
Pakistan’s intelligence organization, known as Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has ensnared the U.S. in a double game for years. Operating in the shadows of the Pakistani […] More
UAE Hacking Allegation Roils Regional Crisis
More mixed signals have emerged on the rift between Qatar and some of its Arab neighbors, as a new report citing U.S. intelligence officials says […] More
G20 Summit a Mixed Bag for Trump
Leaders of the world’s 20 most powerful economies met for the Group of 20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, last week to discuss a wide range […] More
Trump Visit a Win for Polish Government
The President of the United States Donald Trump visited Warsaw, the capital of Poland, on Thursday, the president’s first trip to the Central-Eastern Europe (CEE) […] More
Harsh Demands from Arab States to Qatar but Room for Compromise
On Friday, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and a number of allied Arab states provided Qatar with a list of 13 steep demands that […] More
Will Macron’s Parliamentary Win Mean Greater European Security?
French President Emmanuel Macron clinched a parliamentary majority on Sunday, when his en Marche party won more than 300 of the 577 seats in the […] More
UK Vote Leaves Brexit, Future Security Strategy Hanging
British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party surprisingly lost a dozen seats in the House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament, in snap elections […] More
Europe Is Boosting Defense Spending – And It’s Not All About Trump
America’s commitment to European security is up in the air under the Trump Administration, raising the question, will Europeans have to take more responsibility for […] More
America First? Why the U.S. Can’t Go It Alone – And Neither Can Europe
Donald Trump’s interactions with our European Allies and his renunciation of the Paris Climate Accords have left our Allies baffled and startled. Faced with “America […] More
Never Waste a Good Crisis: Forcing Europe to Stand Up for Itself
U.S. President Donald Trump shook the post-war foundation of German foreign policy: its integration into the European Union (EU) and NATO. By questioning Pax Americana […] More
Would an Arab NATO Help Stabilize the Mideast — or Inflame Iran?
During last week’s Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, President Donald Trump and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud strongly condemned Iranian support for […] More
Arab NATO Plan Could Backfire, Driving Tehran Toward Moscow, Beijing
Iran’s leaders probably view the idea of an Arab NATO to confront Tehran as a U.S.-directed and Israeli-supported Sunni Muslim alliance against Shia Iran. […] More
Iranian Voters Weary of Rogue State Status, Look West
The Cipher Brief’s Bennett Seftel sat down with Emad Kiyaei, Policy Advisor at the American Iranian Council to discuss Iran’s recent elections, U.S. President Donald […] More