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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

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The Taliban flag on display in Kabul, Afghanistan
Brief Analysis
Iran Formalizes Ties with the Taliban
The two governments have been engaging for months on standard diplomatic issues, but the new embassy handover may prove more worrisome given that they are both rogue regimes capable of coordinating against U.S. interests in the region.
Mar 3, 2023
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
UAE aid in Jableh, Syria, following February 6, 2023, earthquake
Maps & Graphics
In-Depth Reports
Disaster Dynamics:
Assessing Middle East Responses to the Turkey-Syria Earthquake and Other Destructive Events
Regional generosity was on display after the February 6 temblor, but aid decisions do appear to be driven by political considerations.
Mar 3, 2023
◆
  • Sarah Cahn
  • Erik Yavorsky
New Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani attends the first regular session of the Council of Ministers in Baghdad in November 2022 - source: Reuters
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iraq’s Endless Electoral Law Debate
The Coordination Framework is poised to yet again change Iraq's electoral law, continuing a history of such changes that have destabilized and delegitimized the political system.
Mar 2, 2023
◆
  • Feyzullah Tuna Aygün
هيئة تحرير الشام
Articles & Testimony
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Imagined Communities in Its Proto-State
The jihadist group has been releasing upbeat online briefs about various locales under its control, seemingly aiming to unite residents in northwest Syria and soften its image abroad.
Mar 1, 2023
◆
  • Aaron Y. Zelin
  • Sarah Cahn
Turkish president Erdogan - Source: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
Turkey’s Disaster—and Erdogan’s: How the Earthquake Could Spell the End of His Rule
The president might find the current situation ominously similar to two decades ago, when a combination of devastating natural disaster and deep public dissatisfaction swept his Islamist faction to power.
Mar 1, 2023
◆
  • Soner Cagaptay
Chinese and UAE leaders meet
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Gulf Navigates a Multipolar World
Amid global uncertainty, Gulf states are seeking to strike a delicate balance between old and new partners.
Feb 24, 2023
◆
  • Fawzi al-Zubaidi
Brief Analysis
Changing Egyptian-Turkish Dynamics May Create Opportunities for Libya
Turkey’s tragic earthquake and Egypt’s economic crisis may lead both governments to ease their conflicts over Libya.
Feb 21, 2023
◆
  • Ben Fishman
Fires burn after the August 2020 port explosion in Beirut - source: Reuters
Brief Analysis
Washington Should Sanction Officials Obstructing the Beirut Port Investigation
Prosecuting those responsible for the disaster via an independent Lebanese judiciary would help safeguard public funds, contain corruption, enable reforms, and protect citizens.
Feb 17, 2023
◆
  • Hanin Ghaddar
Iran Missile
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Iran’s Mounting Missile Threats to Neighboring Countries
Iran's ballistic missile program poses regional threats that require international solutions.
Feb 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohammad Abu Ghazleh
Negev Forum
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Morocco, Israel, and the Future of the Negev Forum
Morocco is preparing to host the upcoming Negev Forum summit, an opportunity for the Kingdom to expand economic ties and bridge regional divides.
Feb 16, 2023
◆
  • Mohamed Chtatou
Blinken Hussein
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Variables the United States Should Consider on Dollar Smuggling in Iraq
U.S. pressure on Iraq to prevent dollar smuggling and dinar laundering can protect Iraq’s sovereignty and weaken Iran. But if executed without deliberation, this pressure could allow Russia and China to enhance their positions in the Middle East.
Feb 15, 2023
◆
  • Frzand Sherko
Brief Analysis
How Will Turkey’s Earthquake Affect the Current Election Cycle?
Once Ankara meets the initial challenge of determining an election date amid unimaginable human tragedy, it will face a campaign season dominated by debates over the conduct of relief efforts and the government’s level of responsibility for the growing death toll.
Feb 14, 2023
◆
  • Soner Cagaptay
Burns Visit Libya
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
Takeaways from William Burns’ Surprise Visit to Libya
Burns met with both Dbeibeh and Haftar, likely to discuss key U.S. concerns such as the Lockerbie case, energy security, and terrorism.
Feb 13, 2023
◆
  • Mohamed Eljarh
U.S. President George W. Bush and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf - source: U.S. government
Articles & Testimony
Musharraf’s Life Story Tracked Pakistan’s Struggle with the U.S.
The late leader’s funeral also shed light on the status of military-civil relations in Islamabad, where governments come and go but the military remains the most powerful party.
Feb 8, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
President Biden delivers the 2022 State of the Union address in Washington - source: U.S. government
Brief Analysis
The State of the Union and the Middle East
A compendium of what the past three U.S. presidents have said—and not said—about the region in their annual speeches before Congress.
Feb 8, 2023
◆
  • Eric Feely
Tehran protests
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
The Fractured Opposition to the Islamic Regime
The Iranian opposition has aligned itself well with the recent protest movement, but evidence of its ability to play an organizational or leadership role in future protests remains limited.
Feb 7, 2023
◆
  • Ata Hoodashtian
Flags of Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Turkey on display in Riyadh
Brief Analysis
Arab Gulf States Shift Toward More Harmonious Relations
After years of simmering tension, the recent evidence of positive change cannot be ignored.
Jan 30, 2023
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani in 2022 - source: Wikimedia Commons
Brief Analysis
Sudani’s Wobbly Balancing Act Between Tehran and Washington
Although it is still too early to write the prime minister off as an Iranian lackey, he is on a familiar trajectory for Iraqi governments: doing the minimum necessary to prevent deterioration with Washington while satisfying the voracious demands of his Iran-backed partners.
Jan 27, 2023
◆
  • David Schenker
French President Macron and Moroccan King Mohammed VI in Rabat - source: Reuters
Fikra Forum
Fikra Forum
France’s Balancing Act: Mending Relations and Ending Moroccan Visa Restrictions
A recently announced visa decision and a presidential visit to Rabat indicate France’s eagerness to regain its diplomatic position in the region.
Jan 25, 2023
◆
  • Frances McDonough
  • Sabina Henneberg
Video
Brief Analysis
Civil Society in Tunisia: Resetting Western Policy Expectations
Three experts discuss the relevance and focus of Western efforts to nurture reform in post-revolutionary Tunisia amid recent democratic backsliding by President Saied.
Jan 25, 2023
◆
  • Sabina Henneberg
  • Amy Hawthorne
  • Jean-Louis Romanet Perroux

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