Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan watches the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing - source: Reuters

The Middle East at the Olympics: Six Countries Compete While Great Power Politics on Display

Because regional leaders are treating the games as another stage for balancing historic partnerships with current economic and security interests, Washington should keep drawing clear lines regarding their ties with Beijing.

Feb 9, 2022

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Carol Silber

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah Leaders Are Dreading the Election—But They Have a Plan

Opposition parties may win enough votes to strip Hezbollah’s parliamentary majority, but the group is already preparing to employ its usual tactics of postponement, paralysis, and street violence if necessary.

Feb 1, 2022

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

“The Holocaust Was an Arab Story Too”: Holocaust Remembrance in the Arab World

المحرقة كانت قصة عربية أيضاً: إحياء ذكرى "الهولوكوست" في العالم العربي

The Washington Institute’s executive director reflects on this year’s wave of remembrance events in the region, including his remarks at two landmark programs in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Jan 28, 2022

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Robert Satloff

Brief Analysis

Saad’s Sad Goodbye: Hariri Leaves Lebanese Politics

Despite seeming more well-intentioned than most of his colleagues in Beirut’s political elite, Hariri ultimately became part of the coterie that has pushed Lebanon to the brink of state failure.

Jan 25, 2022

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David Schenker

Portraits of Baha'i adherents arrested in Iran on display in Brazil - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Increased Persecution of the Bahai

Targeting the faith’s followers is a longstanding feature of the Islamic Republic but has been escalating of late.

Jan 21, 2022

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Mehdi Khalaji

A U.S. military helicopter evacuates personnel from the American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan

Articles & Testimony

Trading Places

After two decades of direct U.S. involvement, what went so wrong in Afghanistan compared to the relative successes seen in Iraq?

Jan 7, 2022

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David Pollock

In-Depth Reports

Power to the People?

Scrutinizing the U.S.-Arab Effort to Supply Energy to Lebanon via Syria

Residents of the beleaguered country desperately need electricity, but a U.S.-Arab scheme carries complications that could benefit Syria's Assad regime.

Dec 16, 2021

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Katherine Bauer
Ben Fishman
Hanin Ghaddar
Simon Henderson
David Schenker
Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

Gulf Arab Summit Could Be Overshadowed by Israel-UAE Meeting

Normalization with Israel will be the elephant in the room at the Riyadh summit, though Iran diplomacy and persistent internal rifts bear close watching as well.

Dec 13, 2021

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Simon Henderson
Elana DeLozier

In-Depth Reports

Seasoned Skeptics

Why Syrian Kurds Have Resisted Political Islam

The historic role of Sufism, an inclination toward the secular left, and recent repression under extremists have all driven the Kurds away from religiously informed ideology.

Dec 13, 2021

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Sirwan Kajjo
Oula A. Alrifai

President Biden and Secretary of State Blinken host the Summit for Democracy. Source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

The Summit for Democracy Skips the Arab World

To address the region’s democracy gap, Washington needs to develop consistent messaging on reform objectives and help its partners focus on achievable goals such as protecting free speech, dissidents, and civil society.

Dec 8, 2021

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Ben Fishman

Articles & Testimony

Lebanon Stands at a Crossroad Between a Painful Revival and a Complete Submission to Iran

The country’s ongoing crises are closely intertwined with Hezbollah’s internal challenges, creating real potential for change if the West stands firmly behind fair elections, judicial accountability, and targeted pressure.

Dec 7, 2021

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Hanin Ghaddar

Video

Brief Analysis

Three experts discuss how Washington should shape its regional response to persistent protest movements, economic struggles, and democratic backsliding.

Dec 2, 2021

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Chiraz Arbi
Yasir Zaidan
Alberto Fernandez

Brief Analysis

A New Chance at Kingmaking for Iraqi Kurds

With militias on the back foot, the United States should lean on Kurdish and Iraqi leaders to find unity of purpose in confronting the destabilizing actions of pro-Iran groups.

Dec 1, 2021

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Bilal Wahab

Afghan women attend a photography class, 2013.

Articles & Testimony

The Taliban Remain the Same, But Society Has Changed

Years of U.S. involvement visibly advanced the dignity and prospects of Afghan women, but wholly abandoning them now would risk undoing much of this progress.

Dec 1, 2021

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Audio

Brief Analysis

Podcast: Russia's War in Syria

Leading scholars examine the origins and current trends of Russian involvement in the Middle East, as well as implications for U.S. strategy in the region.

Nov 23, 2021

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Lester Grau
Michael McFaul

◆ Middle East PolicyCast

Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein

In-Depth Reports

Preparing for Orderly Change in Jordan When the Time Comes

The kingdom has navigated tricky successions in the past, and many of the elements that allowed it to do so remain in place today.

Nov 22, 2021

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Ghaith al-Omari

◆ Sudden Succession Essay Series

Rebel soldiers in Libya during the 2011 revolution. Source: AP

Articles & Testimony

December Elections in Libya Risk a Return to Civil War

Authorities have come too far to risk resuming violence or dividing the country with a rushed, heavily boycotted vote.

Nov 21, 2021

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Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

Top Agenda Items for the U.S.-Egypt Strategic Dialogue

In addition to continuing the discussion of withheld U.S. funding, Secretary Blinken’s team should focus on steering Cairo toward productive steps in Ethiopia, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, and Syria.

Nov 5, 2021

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David Schenker

Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Egypt display the victory and Rabaa signs at a protest

Brief Analysis

The Muslim Brotherhood Sees Cairo’s Flirtation with Biden as an Opportunity

Many Brotherhood members seem eager to exploit recent U.S.-Egyptian gestures on human rights, but there is little likelihood that the Sisi government will reconcile with the fractured, unpopular Islamist group.

Oct 27, 2021

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Haisam Hassanein

A Sudanese protester against military rule

Brief Analysis

In Sudan, the Masks Come Off After a Military Coup

After months of nebulous plotting, the domestic and foreign actors who drove opposition to Hamdok’s reformist government will become more discernible as the generals look for ways to solidify their hold on power.

Oct 26, 2021

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Alberto Fernandez

Supported by the

Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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