Policy Analysis

Military assistance can make Syrian rebel forces more effective, help shape the post-Assad period for Syria, and increase influence and access for the donor.

As Syria heads toward a meltdown spilling over its borders -- with loss of control over strategic weapons, accelerated refugee flows, spreading extremism, and Sunni-Shiite clashes -- only engaging with those doing the fighting will give Washington much influence over events.

A look at the major incoming players in the new Israeli government and where they stand on Iran, the Palestinians, and other key issues.

The president tilted U.S. policy toward Israel in substantive ways, especially with regard to resuming peace talks with the Palestinians and repairing Israel-Turkish ties.

As Europe debates listing Hezbollah as a terrorist entity, Washington should propose more joint actions to step up pressure on the group.

President Obama was right when he noted that innovation is just as important to the U.S.-Israel relationship as security cooperation.

During his recent Middle East visit, President Obama forged an emotional connection with the people of Israel, earned credibility to deal with Iran’s nuclear research, and put the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on the regional agenda, according to Washington Institute Executive Director Dr. Robert Satloff and David Makovsky, the Institute’s

The Muslim Brotherhood may have the votes for now, but Egypt is a ship without a rudder.

The Syrian regime has good reasons to both use chemical weapons and disguise what it has done. Having pegged out a firm stance on such weapons, Washington should respond vigorously with defensive measures while the investigation of reported use proceeds.

The impacts would be horrifying, but Assad probably can't employ them effectively on a large scale -- yet.

Perhaps Washington's best Arab ally, the monarch increasingly lacks money and political stability.

Subscribe to Washington Institute videos on YouTube. Sign up for live event broadcast alerts from The Washington Institute On March 18, 2013, David Makovsky, Michael Singh, and Dennis Ross addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Mr. Makovsky is the Ziegler distinguished fellow and director of the Project on

On the tenth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the New York Times convened an online panel of experts to discuss whether the war was worth the cost in light of continued violence and political problems. The following contribution was made by Michael Knights, a Boston-based Lafer fellow with

Subscribe to Washington Institute videos on YouTube. Sign up for live event broadcast alerts from The Washington Institute On March 18, 2013, Dennis Ross, David Makovsky, and Michael Singh addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Ambassador Ross, the Institute's counselor, served most recently as special assistant to President

The director of the Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence testified before the House regarding Hezbollah's growing terrorist activity worldwide. The following is an excerpt from his prepared remarks; download the PDF to read the full testimony. "...Today's hearing on Hezbollah's strategic shift is extremely timely. This week marks

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.

The following article is one of three to emerge from " Dateline Egypt and North Africa: Updates from the Field," a Policy Forum hosted by The Washington Institute on March 5. The other two are Aaron Zelin's op-ed " Tunisia's Post-Revolution Blues" and David Pollock's PolicyWatch " Rule the Casbah

Hezbollah is watching Europe closely, much as it watched Argentina twenty-one years ago this week.

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