Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Syria after Assad: Heading toward a Hard Fall?

Rather than ending Syria's civil war, the regime's fall might herald a new, more dangerous phase, and the United States should prepare accordingly.

Dec 5, 2012

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Michael Eisenstadt

Brief Analysis

How Would Assad Use Chemical Weapons?

Amid new chemical weapons activity in Syria, Washington must prepare for the practical implications of acting on its warnings.

Dec 4, 2012

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Jeffrey White

Articles & Testimony

Legacies to Avoid in the Middle East

Congratulations on your election victory, Mr. President. Now you have four more years to achieve the lofty goals you have set for yourself. While these are principally domestic, you have also outlined a list of herculean objectives in foreign policy – from climate change to "global zero" to a "new

Dec 4, 2012

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

The End of the Forty-Year Peace Between Israel and Arab States

Despite recent strategic shifts in the region, there is much the United States can do to postpone the return of interstate Arab-Israeli conflict.

Dec 4, 2012

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Robert Satloff

Brief Analysis

Egypt's Theocratic Future: The Constitutional Crisis and U.S. Policy

Egypt's hastily drafted constitution, which will likely pass an upcoming referendum, facilitates Islamist domination by co-opting the military.

Dec 3, 2012

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Robert Satloff
Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

The New Arabists

A review of "Syria: The Fall of the House of Assad" by David W. Lesch

"In 2000, not long after Syrian dictator Hafez al-Assad died and was succeeded by his son Bashar, analogies between the Assads and the Corleone family of The Godfather started to make the rounds. While details of the popular metaphor varied, the dominant focus of the comparison was on whether Bashar

Dec 3, 2012

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David Schenker

Brief Analysis

Iraq's Oil Future

The United States has a crucial role to play in defusing Baghdad's tension with the Iraqi Kurds and developing the country's longer-term oil policy -- two intertwined issues that are central to keeping Iraq united.

Dec 3, 2012

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Kuwait's Election Makes Gulf Arab Rulers Nervous

Gulf states seem to view Iran as a more important challenge than domestic unrest, but Kuwait's recent troubles indicate they are no longer immune to the pressures sweeping the Arab world.

Nov 30, 2012

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Why Won't Morsi Back Down? Read His Resume

Morsi's political biography suggests that he is a hardline enforcer, not a compromiser, and his latest actions confirm it.

Nov 30, 2012

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Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

Palestine at the UN: Mixed Messages

On November 29, the anniversary of the 1947 UN General Assembly vote to partition the British Mandate of Palestine into "an Arab state and Jewish state," the assembly will vote on a new draft resolution recognizing Palestine as a nonmember observer state. A majority vote in favor is all but

Nov 28, 2012

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

Beyond Gaza: The Foreign-Policy Implications of Morsi's Power Grab

It's only a matter of time before the Egyptian president's domestic extremism extends to international relations.

Nov 27, 2012

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Palestinian Refugees Languish in Lebanon

Not only is discussion of settlement of the Palestinian refugees currently within the Lebanese borders taboo, since 1990 it has also been unconstitutional.

Nov 26, 2012

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Spoiling the Gaza Ceasefire

Outside Hamas's control, jihadi groups in Gaza and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula may cause the greatest threat to stability in the region.

Nov 26, 2012

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Articles & Testimony

Shame on Anyone Who Ever Thought Mohammad Morsi Was a Moderate

Given the Brotherhood's belief that it can mobilize legions of foot soldiers to win any street battle domestically, only international pressure might force it to think twice about its undemocratic approach.

Nov 26, 2012

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

Maliki Government's Whitewashing of Hezbollah

Ali Musa Daqduq's release from Iraqi custody is an ominous sign of the direction in which the Maliki government is taking Iraq and underscored how quickly Washington's influence over its erstwhile ally in Baghdad has waned.

Nov 20, 2012

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Palestinian Media on Gaza: Contrasting the PA and Hamas

In contrast to the more measured tone of Palestinian media coverage of the Gaza conflict in the West Bank, Hamas-controlled media are relentlessly inciting violence, indulging in venomous hate speech, and gloating about imaginary hits on Israeli civilian targets.

Nov 20, 2012

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David Pollock

Brief Analysis

Responding to Assad's Use of Airpower in Syria

Through innovative use of Patriot missile batteries and command-and-control aircraft, Washington and its allies could create a much-needed protective arc for Syrian civilians without having to penetrate the regime's still-formidable air defenses.

Nov 20, 2012

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Jeffrey White

Articles & Testimony

The Fuel for the Flames

How forces inside Israel, Gaza, and Egypt are feeding the latest deadly conflagration, and what Washington can do about it.

Nov 18, 2012

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

Gaza and the New Middle Eastern Order

Washington should craft its response to the Gaza crisis to reinforce its position and alliances in the region.

Nov 16, 2012

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Through Khamenei's Eyes

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's Unique Take on the Uprisings in the Arab World

The Iranian nuclear program and the Assad regime share a commonality: both aim to undermine Western interests in the Middle East. For this reason, as much as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei values the nuclear program as a pillar of the Islamic Republic's political identity, his pro-Assad stance has taken its own place in Iran's regional policy.

Nov 15, 2012

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Mehdi Khalaji

Supported by the

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin 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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Featured experts

David Schenker

David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics. He is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.

Ghaith al-Omari

Ghaith al-Omari is the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.

Hanin Ghaddar

Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute's Rubin Family Arab Politics Program, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant.

Bilal Wahab

Bilal Wahab was the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

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