Democracy & Reform

Loosening the ties that bind Iraq together is a risk, but holding too tightly is the greater danger.

Increased U.S. support for the opposition and credible threats of military force are vital to altering the calculations of other parties and advancing diplomacy.

Two leading scholars of Russian and Chinese foreign policy explored Moscow and Beijing's evolving interests and approaches to the Middle East at the Institute's 2013 Soref Symposium.

Anwar E. El Sadat, president of Egypt's Reform and Development Party, joined Institute counselor and former White House Middle East advisor Dennis Ross at The Washington Institute's 2013 Soref Symposium for a conversation on Egypt's ongoing transition to post-Mubarak rule.

President Morsi and the Brotherhood are deploying Islam primarily as a rhetorical device for maintaining internal unity and distinguishing themselves from their rivals.

To avoid upsetting the kingdom's stability, Washington should be more discreet about U.S.-Jordanian security cooperation on Syria.

Qatar, an often-difficult ally, has been actively aiding the Syrian opposition and the Egyptian government, and Washington will likely press Doha to coordinate better on both issues.

The political wrangling that effectively forced Fayyad to step down raises serious questions about the PA's economy, security cooperation, and political transparency, as well as U.S. efforts to revive the peace process.

Amid embassy warnings and an uptick in violence, Washington should urge the Bahraini government and mainstream political groups to avoid worsening the situation ahead of the upcoming auto race.