Webcast Tuesday

Video
The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of U.S.-Kurdish Relations in Iraq
Join us for a webcast conversation taking stock of U.S.-Kurdish relations on the thirtieth anniversary of the election of the first local government of Iraqi Kurdistan. Watch live starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
May 17, 2022, starting at 1:00 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT)
◆
  • Vance Serchuk
  • Amberin Zaman
  • Bilal Wahab

Expert Alert: Simon Henderson

Read key analysis of succession and future leadership in the UAE from Baker Fellow Simon Henderson, director of the Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy, including:

De Facto Becomes De Jure as MbZ Is Named UAE President

MbZ and the Future Leadership of the UAE

Media contact: Anna Brown, Media Relations Associate | email | 202-230-9550

Recent Institute Analysis

Israeli Prime Minister Bennett meets with the UAE's foreign minister in December 2021 - Source: Reuters
Video
Building an Arab-Israel Bloc: Can It Compensate for a Reluctant Washington?
Arab, European, and Israeli experts assess the possibilities and limits of normalization, discussing concerns about Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. retrenchment, and the Palestinian issue.
May 12, 2022
◆
  • Nickolay Mladenov
  • Zohar Palti
  • Ebtesam al-Ketbi
  • Karim Haggag

Special Event

Russian president Vladimir Putin
Video
Decoding the "Riddle, Mystery, and Enigma" of Russia and the Emerging New World Order
Two veteran diplomats discuss what implications the Ukraine war holds for multilateral institutions, international law, and the global order they aim to uphold.
Apr 27, 2022
◆
  • Dennis Ross
  • Paula Dobriansky

In Focus: The Ukraine Crisis and the Middle East

Decoding the "Riddle, Mystery, and Enigma" of Russia and the Emerging New World Order
Two veteran diplomats discuss what implications the Ukraine war holds for multilateral institutions, international law, and the global order they aim to uphold.
Apr 27, 2022
◆
  • Dennis Ross
  • Paula Dobriansky
The Russian Propaganda in Arabic Hidden from the West
Russian narratives are increasingly suffusing Arabic social media depictions of the war in Ukraine.
Apr 18, 2022
◆
  • Nadia Oweidat
Why Arab Allies Don’t Trust the U.S. on Ukraine
“This will not stand,” the president said after Iraq invaded Kuwait, but no such fortitude has been evident in response to Iran’s continued aggression.
Apr 9, 2022
◆
  • Robert Satloff
A Battle Over Oil Rages Alongside Russia’s War in Ukraine
The latest OPEC+ production decision is a clear statement that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other traditional American partners are still at loggerheads with Washington.
Mar 31, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson

Webcast with Israel's Minister of Defense

Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz - source: Israeli Ministry of Defense
Video
Defense Minister Benny Gantz Discusses Israel's Strategic Challenges
The country's top defense official shares his insights on recent terrorist attacks, the Iran nuclear talks, the Ukraine war, expanding cooperation with regional countries, and more.
Apr 11, 2022
◆
  • Benny Gantz

Podcast - Listen Now to the Complete First Season

Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule Podcast cover image - source: TWI
Audio
Podcast: Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule
Listen to a podcast series shining a bright light on the global terrorist and criminal activities that Lebanese Hezbollah would rather keep hidden from view.
February-March 2022
◆
  • Matthew Levitt

In-Depth Study

Leaders of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Maps & Graphics
The Age of Political Jihadism:
A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
The Syria-based group now functions more like a government than a nonstate actor, portending a reorientation for the larger jihadist movement.
May 9, 2022
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin

Recent Webcasts

Israeli police respond to a shooting in Tel Aviv - source: Reuters
Terror and Turbulence in Israel and the West Bank
Three experts discuss the risks of escalating violence on the ground, the Israeli and PA response so far, and U.S
Apr 8, 2022
NATO member flags fly at half-staff in solidarity with victims of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks - source: NATO
NATO Counterterrorism Trends: Current and Future Threats
The alliance’s CT chief reflects on what member states, their militaries, and their international partners should focus on as they
Mar 17, 2022

Reform, Protest, Change

Middle East doctor, Turkish protestor, veiled voter
A New Start for the U.S. on Mideast Democracy and Human Rights
In a region where publics are clamoring for healthcare, housing, jobs, and freedom of expression, progress toward electoral democracy need not always be the top priority.
Sep 19, 2021
◆
  • David Pollock
  • Robert Satloff

Militia Spotlight

LK profile
Profile: Liwa Khaibar
With probable links to Kataib Hezbollah, this minor facade group claimed a major rocket attack on al-Asad Air Base, but
Feb 15, 2022
KH fundraising
Kataib Hezbollah Behind "Grassroots" Iraqi Fundraising for Yemen
The Iran-backed militia tried to make its solo effort to boost the Houthi drone arsenal look like a widely coordinated
Feb 1, 2022

Recently in Fikra Forum

Jordanian flag
Russian Move on Ukraine Opposed by Most Jordanians, Who Prefer Ties with United States
A new public opinion poll in Jordan, commissioned by the Washington Institute and conducted in March, documents a surprisingly solid
Apr 26, 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed in 2018 - source: Reuters
The Russian Propaganda in Arabic Hidden from the West
Russian narratives are increasingly suffusing Arabic social media depictions of the war in Ukraine.
Apr 18, 2022

In Focus: Gulf States

UAE President Muhammad bin Zayed - source: Reuters
De Facto Becomes De Jure as MbZ Is Named UAE President
The succession of one of the most energetic emerging Arab leaders suggests an even more active regional role.
May 16, 2022
◆
  • Simon Henderson