Policy Analysis

On October 15, James Dorsey, a syndicated columnist and author of the blog (and forthcoming book) The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer , addressed a Washington Institute Policy Forum. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks. Over the past several years, soccer fields across the Middle East

Islamists look weaker in the country's new leadership, while the king continues to show his influence.

The leading Sunni cleric's shift toward militant views on Syria and Egypt may be a bellwether for future intra-Sunni sectarian strife in the Middle East.

The recent suspension of U.S. aid to Egypt is a self-inflicted wound, but a flexible interpretation of the gesture and attention to Egypt's economic needs could soften its negative impact.

Turnout for the Saudi women drivers demonstration planned for late October will help gauge public interest in mobilizing for reforms in the kingdom.

Watch the 2013 Zeev Schiff Memorial Lecture on Middle East Security with Amos Gilad, director of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau at Israel's Ministry of Defense.

Amid international efforts to rid Syria of chemical weapons, opposition leaders are offering advice about how to prevent extremist groups from gaining a permanent foothold.

Any effort to counter the jihadists' growing hearts-and-minds campaign in Syria will require significant U.S. support for mainstream rebel forces.

After a meteoric political rise and six months in one of the toughest jobs in Israeli public life, Yair Lapid made his inaugural visit to Washington at a moment when the U.S.-Israeli relationship faces a range of critical tests, from nuclear diplomacy with Iran to peace diplomacy with the Palestinians

In recent months, optimism has replaced malaise in the Iran nuclear talks. This shift is usually attributed to the election of the more pragmatic Hassan Rouhani as president and the impact of U.S. sanctions on Iran's economy. Yet a third, equally important factor is also at work: namely, the United

Agreement to develop a gas field off Gaza's Mediterranean coast could boost the peace process with Israel.

A new document reiterates Iran's likely approach to negotiations with the West: creating fissures between the United States and Europe in order to break international consensus and coordination on nuclear sanctions.

Cutting aid will cost Washington substantial influence in Egypt without achieving any gains for either American geostrategy or democratic prospects within the country.

This article is part 2 of a series on violent extremism in the United States; read part 1, which discusses the Fort Hood case. Homegrown violent extremism (HVE) remains one of America's greatest national security threats. According to former homeland security secretary Janet Napolitano, "One of the most striking elements

The following is the first of a two-part series on U.S. government efforts to counter violent extremism in America; part 2 offers recommendations for establishing a comprehensive prevention strategy. Last month, the United States and Turkey jointly announced the creation of the $200 million Global Fund for Community Engagement and

Institute managing director Michael Singh joined Matthew Duss of the Center for American Progress for a Bloggingheads.tv discussion of Iranian president Rouhani's UN address and the choices facing U.S. policymakers as they explore diplomatic solutions to the nuclear impasse.

If President Obama stands fast on key requirements, both sides can get what they need most: relief from crushing sanctions, and a strategic shift in Tehran.

More than any previous Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani is an open book. In addition to his own copious Persian-language writings, he has engaged the domestic and international press throughout his three-decade political career, including as former chief nuclear negotiator. Analyzing these writings, speeches, and interviews can help clarify fundamental questions

The Washington Institute's Philip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow addressed a Senate hearing on the prospects of diplomatic breakthrough with Iran. The following is an excerpt from his prepared remarks; download the PDF to read more, or watch video of the full hearing. The rapid pace of events since Iranian president

Absent greater U.S.-Iraqi cooperation and stronger political leadership in Baghdad, the country's security crisis could stretch beyond the current decade and become part of the regional landscape.