Policy Analysis

Although the worst-case scenarios of just a few years ago are in abeyance, the best-case ones of transformative cooperation are also still out of reach.

For decades, the Iranian government has failed to address the country’s water shortages, causing social unrest that will only intensify if the problems continue.

Lebanese Shia, Sunni and Christians increasingly divided on U.S. and Russia, China maintains cross-sectarian favorability, and ties with Iran jump in importance among Sunni.

While Arabs polled in March see Russia as responsible for spiking food prices, frustration with prior governance failures and economic challenges are also evident in certain Arab states with struggling economies.

A former Pentagon advisor testifies on how the war might affect Moscow's ability to sell arms to MENA governments and project power in the region.

Turkey’s continued invasions in the KRI are part of Turkey’s broader regional strategy and expansion.

On the eve of the election, two Lebanese experts joined a former U.S. official to discuss the prospects for widening the cracks in Hezbollah’s core Shia constituency.

From Iraq and Afghanistan to Somalia and Ukraine, closely mentoring special operators has been far more impactful than building up conventional forces, but this approach requires hands-on American involvement.

Turkish counterstrikes may have instilled caution in militia rocketeers, suggesting more attacks may come against U.S. and Kurdish targets instead.

The succession of one of the most energetic emerging Arab leaders suggests an even more active regional role.

The voting results provide even more hope for change than meets the eye, though the winners will need international help to prevent Hezbollah from obstructing the next steps.

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.

Watch 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.

The emir will likely seek a role in reviving the nuclear agreement, as well as Iranian help with accommodating World Cup fans later this year.

A major international drug smuggler with close ties to Hezbollah has continued threatening Lebanese residents and helping the Assad regime next door, giving Washington ample cause to intervene.

Instead of leaving misinformation and whataboutism largely unchallenged, Washington and its allies need to express their perspective to Arab audiences more effectively while highlighting Russian and Chinese hypocrisy.

The Syria-based group now functions more like a government than a nonstate actor, portending a reorientation for the larger jihadist movement.

A coordinated response to Iran’s aggression can preserve U.S. and Western interests, reinforce Israel and America’s Arab allies, and promote regional stability.

Some potential allies in the Middle East may not be democracies, but they're not revisionist states either, so the United States cannot afford to write them off.

A recent poll indicates that Egyptians see ties with Moscow as more important than ties with the U.S., despite opposition for Putin's war in Ukraine.