All Policy Analysis by Simon Henderson

Despite the challenges that usually accompany these high-level talks, Gulf countries seem keener than ever to counter the threat across the Persian Gulf.

Attacks on tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and Saudi Arabia’s main internal pipeline have accelerated the emerging Gulf crisis and could cause prices to spike worldwide.

Change is certainly happening in the kingdom, but it hasn’t been smooth, and doesn’t look like it will be so in the future either.

American ships and bombers are arriving in the Gulf at a time when nerves are raw and various players are making risky escalation wagers.

President Trump may be counting on the fact that U.S. voters oppose both higher gas prices and another war, but in the end he may have to pick one or the other.

Whether the young Saudi crown prince ultimately ascends to the throne will entail plenty of plot twists, but it also holds serious implications for the kingdom, the region, and U.S. interests.

The scuttling of a high-profile opportunity for commercial engagement is a reminder that expanding Gulf-Israel ties to the public realm will be a slow, thorny process.

The oil giant’s latest moves will help fund ambitious infrastructure projects, but the implications for foreign investment and economic diversification remain to be seen.

Those who favor helping the Saudis develop their nuclear industry are running up against skeptics who fear Riyadh cannot be trusted with such capabilities.

The latest success will encourage more exploration in the area, but probably more regional rivalry as well.

National pride and honor can be tricky variables, especially when not accompanied by common sense.

Sending a princess to head the embassy in Washington has grabbed the headlines, but her predecessor’s elevation to deputy defense minister may have greater policy and political implications.

The trip has coincided with a new flare-up in India-Pakistan tensions, making Riyadh’s balancing act between regional rivals trickier than ever.

The ball has bounced mostly in the regime’s direction since 1979, though Tehran may now be approaching the revolutionary equivalent of imperial overstretch.

Even as exploration companies make crucial advances on specific projects, broader development of the area’s resources will require the players to overcome political tensions and market hurdles.

Out of the public view, access to Islamabad’s nuclear and missile technology could be the main agenda item for a bilateral meeting whose reported purpose is financial support.

Recent reforms are running up against deep-seated cultural realities, and some foreign investors and officials are not ready to forget the Khashoggi incident.

Coming the same week as Secretary Pompeo’s Middle East tour, the incident is a powerful example of the regional threat posed by Iran.

All eyes will be on the secretary’s speech this week, so striking the right balance between President Trump’s domestic imperatives and the realities of regional policy is crucial.