Policy Analysis

THE MIDDLE EAST has been home to incessant turmoil and instability since the end of World War II, yet as President Obama enters his second term, he faces a spectrum of threats in this region unparalleled in modern history. Iran's nuclear program rapidly approaches the threshold to breakout capability, perhaps

If the president takes a risk and advocates interim steps, he will be making a major contribution toward sustaining a two-state vision that is slowly fading in the minds of Israelis and Palestinians.

The Washington Institute's managing director testified before the Senate regarding next steps to address Syria's ongoing war and its effects on the population. The following is an excerpt from his prepared testimony. Download the PDF to read his full remarks. "The humanitarian crisis in Syria is of a scale with

A nuclear-armed Iran could bring Soviet-style intimidation to the Middle East.

To get back on the road toward peace, democratization, and perhaps even EU membership, Turkey's leaders will need to forge ahead on language reforms aimed at recognizing the country's ethnic minorities.

The administration should overcome its hesitations and embrace the leadership role that only the United States can play in addressing the region’s big problems.

Morocco has found a formula for stability through gradual reform, with the king firmly in control behind the scenes, and this deserves strong U.S. support

What two leaders who see the world quite differently must do to build bridges on Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The growing political struggle over the 2013 presidential elections in Iran may substantially divert the attention of the Islamic regime from external issues and hamper the progress of nuclear talks.

Recent cases, including the July 2012 bus bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria, have forced reluctant European leaders to seriously debate the issue of banning Hezbollah.

Neither of these two polar-opposite views, model or mirage, does justice to Morocco's uniquely mixed picture or prospects.

Talks with Iran in Turkey next week and in Kazakhstan next month are important, but Tehran still needs to clarify the details of its controversial nuclear program.

The Israeli-Syrian border is quiet no more, as armed Islamist rebels pledge to take back the Golan Heights.

Even if the Supreme Leader's fatwa against nuclear weapons were enshrined in a UN document, strong monitoring and verification measures would still be the indispensable core of any agreement.

What's behind Hezbollah's expansion of terror operations into Europe?

Bahrain's appointment of the reconciliation-minded crown prince as first deputy prime minister is a sign of progress, despite the potential for opposition from royal hardliners and overreaction in Washington.

Sign up for live event broadcast alerts from The Washington Institute On March 7, 2013, Andrew J. Tabler, Jeffrey White, and Simon Henderson addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute to discuss their recent trips to Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Israel, and the Persian Gulf. Mr. Tabler is a senior

In response to Iraq's troubling new budget, Washington should pressure Baghdad to leave the KRG's monthly funding intact and increase the allocation for oil cost recovery.

On February 14, 2013, Washington Institute senior fellow Michael Eisenstadt presented a briefing on missile defense and Iran at a conference on missile defense organized by the Polish Institute of International Affairs in Warsaw.

Given Hezbollah's long and sordid history in Europe, and the fact that it has now resumed violent operations there, what will it take to get EU member states to ban the group?