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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

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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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
◆
  • 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
Brief Analysis
Tweet Signals Major Upgrade in Relations Between U.S. Gulf Allies
Yet the photo of an informal meeting among the Saudi, Qatari, and UAE leaders also suggests their uncertainty about American support.
Sep 20, 2021
◆
  • Simon Henderson
Middle East doctor, Turkish protestor, veiled voter
In-Depth Reports
A New Start for the U.S. on Mideast Democracy and Human Rights
In a region where publics are clamoring for healthcare, housing, jobs, and freedom of expression, progress toward electoral democracy need not always be the top priority.
Sep 19, 2021
◆
  • David Pollock
  • Robert Satloff
◆ Reform, Protest, Change
Brief Analysis
Sistani vs. the Militias: The Future of Iraqi Sovereignty
The international community needs to pay more attention to developments in Najaf, where Sistani-backed groups are forcefully pushing back against Iran but still face the longer-term question of who will continue his message.
Sep 14, 2021
◆
  • Hamdi Malik
A Taliban fighter at a police station in Kabul
Articles & Testimony
How Not to Repeat My History with the Taliban
To avoid the worst outcomes, Washington needs to assiduously enforce any deals with the new Afghan leadership, cooperate effectively with other world powers, and explain to a domestic audience how the withdrawal will facilitate a focus on different priorities.
Sep 2, 2021
◆
  • David Pollock
Badr Troops
Maps & Graphics
Brief Analysis
Profile: Badr Organization
Badr is the wellspring of many of today's armed resistance groups and still operates under the indirect and sometimes direct control of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Sep 2, 2021
◆
  • Michael Knights
  • Crispin Smith
  • Hamdi Malik
◆ Militia Spotlight: Profiles

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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
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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