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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

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Kurdish woman fighter
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
◆
  • 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
Popular Protest, Democratic Prospects, and U.S. Policy Dilemmas in the Middle East
Three experts discuss how Washington should shape its regional response to persistent protest movements, economic struggles, and democratic backsliding.
Dec 2, 2021
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
PolicyCast Russia Episode Cover
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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • Alberto Fernandez
A Lebanese protester holds a sign denouncing Iranian influence
Brief Analysis
Amid Beirut Clashes, Lebanese Investigators Need Protection
By safeguarding Judge Bitar ahead of next year's election, the international community could help strengthen the small but important space he represents within Lebanon’s foundering, Hezbollah-dominated institutions.
Oct 20, 2021
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  • Hanin Ghaddar
Articles & Testimony
Saudi Arabia: What Has Changed, What Hasn’t
An expert discusses persistent questions about Saudi policy two decades since the September 11 attacks, explaining why some of them are still so difficult to answer definitively.
Oct 13, 2021
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Newcastle United fans celebrate the Saudi purchase of their team
Brief Analysis
Saudi Soccer Investment Augurs a Different Gulf Rivalry
Riyadh’s purchase of a struggling English club could shift some of the region’s core tensions and maneuvering to a different field of play.
Oct 8, 2021
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  • Simon Henderson
Brief Analysis
Elections Without Democracy in Iraq?
The often-hazardous two-year struggle that led to this vote has left many of the youth movement’s most ardent supporters disillusioned with the electoral process entirely, so Washington will have to narrow its focus.
Oct 6, 2021
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  • Bilal Wahab
  • Calvin Wilder
Middle East Protests, Burning Flag
In-Depth Reports
Washington and the Next Arab Spring
Should protests grow more destabilizing, the United States will need to balance its values and interests regarding bilateral ties, the popular movement in question, broader regional dynamics, and competition with Russia or China.
Oct 3, 2021
◆
  • Sarah Feuer
  • David Schenker
◆ Reform, Protest, Change
Hoquq candidates
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
The Hoquq Candidates: Kataib Hezbollah’s Aspiring Parliamentarians
Hoquq is competing head-to-head with other "resistance" factions in key Shia constituencies, especially Asaib Ahl al-Haq.
Sep 30, 2021
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  • Michael Knights
◆ Militia Spotlight
Brief Analysis
Qatar’s Council Election Has Gulf-Wide Implications
The long-delayed poll will be watched carefully by the country’s neighbors, though the sundry restrictions on voters and council members may limit its near-term policy impact.
Sep 30, 2021
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Audio
Articles & Testimony
Hezbollah’s Grip on Lebanon Is Weakening. Here’s How Washington Can Help.
Instead of continuing to work with corrupt Lebanese state institutions, the United States should pursue opportunities with the business community and civil society, whose members are eager to separate themselves from the group.
Sep 20, 2021
◆
  • Hanin Ghaddar

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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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