Policy Analysis

The government doesn't want to boost the stature of the military, it has a big Alawite community, and plenty of other reasons.

The open declaration of Jabhat al-Nusra's affiliation with al-Qaeda only reiterates the need for U.S. leadership in helping the mainstream rebels contain the jihadists.

On April 9th 2013, the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin welcomed Institute executive director Robert Satloff for a discussion of the foreign policy challenges and opportunities facing the second Obama administration.

Prince Zeid bin Raad, Jordan's UN ambassador, and veteran U.S. diplomat Ambassador James F. Jeffrey debated responses to the Syrian crisis and the future of the Middle East at the 2013 Lafer Symposium. Watch their wide-ranging discussion.

The following excerpt is from the 2013 edition of the World Almanac of Islamism , a comprehensive anthology on the state of radical Islam in countries worldwide. Download the PDF to read the Libya chapter, or visit the AFPC website to access the full series. The tragic death of U.S

Pro-Assad sentiment and sectarian tensions in the south have made Ankara think twice about intervention and could bring the fighting over the border.

The role of oil in Iran's economy is declining, undercutting Western efforts to press the regime by reducing its oil export revenue.

The number of Europeans joining the Syrian jihad is not as high as some fear, but their impact on the war and potential threat upon returning home could be disproportionately great.

Washington should tell Morsi that politicized prosecutions and other autocratic moves are increasing the risk of wider violence.

Amid uncertain leadership and growing domestic criticism in Saudi Arabia, Washington should press Riyadh to tolerate greater political participation, accelerate the succession discussion, and prevent Iran from exploiting the situation.

If Washington and its partners build on incremental technological progress and greater regional cooperation, they can field a Gulf missile defense network capable of dealing with Iran's growing arsenal.

Young activists will likely be important agents of structural reform in the small Gulf states, and Washington should make more effort to engage them.

If substantive peace talks are to have any chance of proceeding, Israeli and Palestinian leaders must first send basic signals regarding settlements and acceptance.

As Yemen's National Dialogue unfolds in the coming weeks, Washington should press stakeholders to address not only reform, but also the ongoing al-Qaeda threat.

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.

Washington should work with Ankara, the Syrian opposition, and Baghdad to ensure that new PKK peace talks alleviate their mutual concerns about Syria's future and the Kurdish question.

Because Egypt's economic crisis has political roots, international donors cannot save the country by themselves. But they can use the IMF negotiations to help Cairo recognize that a turnaround will require not just economic reform, but more inclusive government and political reconciliation.

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

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.