Energy & Economics

Policy Analysis on Energy & Economics

Brief Analysis

Israel's Gulf Breakthrough

A new Israeli diplomatic office in the UAE is a rare public indication of a broader trend.

Nov 30, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Russia Will Want to Make Turkey Pay

For now, Moscow's retaliation will most likely come against Turkish commercial exports or gas imports, but continued Russian operations near the border mean that a dangerous military escalation is still possible.

Nov 27, 2015

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Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Sophisticated Finances That Could Trip Up ISIS

Restricting the group's access to banks has forced it to use riskier methods of moving money, but it still draws major revenue from extortion and other sources.

Nov 22, 2015

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Putin Visits Iran

To reap the benefits and avert the dangers of Moscow's latest developments with Iran, Washington and Europe should adopt a strategy that allows them to cooperate on Syria and antiterrorism efforts, while continuing pressure on issues such as the Ukraine conflict and S-300 deliveries to Tehran.

Nov 20, 2015

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Brenda Shaffer

Articles & Testimony

How Do ISIS Terrorists Finance Their Attacks?

Whether the Paris terrorists were funded by their own activities in Europe or ISIS revenues from Syria and Iraq, the fact remains that small sums of money can facilitate painfully successful attacks, so cutting off the group's finances is no panacea.

Nov 18, 2015

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

Kerry in Tunis: Bolstering an Arab Democracy Through Strategic Dialogue

At a time of political and economic uncertainty in Tunisia, this week's bilateral talks could offer urgent protection to the lone 'Arab Spring' success story.

Nov 12, 2015

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Sarah Feuer

Brief Analysis

Israel's Leviathan Gas Challenge and the Consequences of Failure

After months of bureaucratic foul-ups, Israel may be close to approving a new regulatory framework to develop its offshore natural gas resources, but another political fumble could have dire economic repercussions.

Oct 27, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Royal Schism in the House of Saud

Persistent reports of royal disquiet about the role of the king's favored son indicate that a showdown between rival factions may be imminent.

Oct 16, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Jordan’s Energy Supply Options: The Prospect of Gas Imports from Israel

The kingdom's energy security dilemmas need to be considered in the context of its diverse geopolitical challenges, including external security threats from ISIS and domestic resentment toward Israeli actions in Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Oct 12, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Iran's Post-Deal Economic Stagnation Challenges Rouhani

The Iranian president has taken steps to limit his vulnerability to a plodding recovery, but over time a failure of sanctions relief to bring about dramatic economic improvements could harm his political outlook.

Oct 8, 2015

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Patrick Clawson

Articles & Testimony

Russia Pursues a New Baghdad Pact

Putin's latest Middle Eastern moves are aimed not so much at expanding his front line of tensions with the West, but rather at making a deal by proving that he has acquired a lot of cards in the region.

Oct 8, 2015

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Ehud Yaari

Brief Analysis

Putin's Syria Adventure Is an Opportunity for Washington and Ankara

The bold military gamble in Syria surprised and confused the international community, but Putin has given the United States and Turkey a reason to more assertively counter Russia's ambitions in its own backyard.

Oct 6, 2015

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Lt Col John R. Barnett

Articles & Testimony

The Future of Kurdistan

Whether Iraqi Kurdistan becomes a de facto or de jure nation, it will face the same challenge that all oil-dependent states face: the need to diversify its economy, create good jobs, and live within its means as a hedge against fluctuating oil prices.

Oct 2, 2015

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Syria's Good Neighbors: How Jordan and Lebanon Sheltered Millions of Refugees

If the war and its resultant mass refugee flows continue, economic and social pressures could destabilize Jordan and Lebanon, steering more displaced Syrians toward Europe.

Sep 28, 2015

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David Schenker

Articles & Testimony

Kirkuk May Be Key to National Reconciliation in Iraq

One of the country's most strategic provinces is up for grabs, but Baghdad and the KRG are too politically and economically broken to reach out and help.

Sep 24, 2015

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Beyond the Vote (Part 4): Challenges for the Sanctions Regime

Three experts discuss the need to better inform U.S. and European companies about the continued risks of doing business with Iran, including the particulars of how secondary sanctions will be enforced once the nuclear deal is implemented.

Sep 22, 2015

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Chip Poncy
Patrick Clawson
Matthew Levitt

Devils You Don't Know

The Iraqi government's fight against ISIS is less important than how it deals with the impending economic crisis and the complex political and sectarian issues that drive the country's various militias.

Sep 8, 2015

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

Saudi King Comes to Washington, with His Son

The royals will likely try to smooth relations that have been strained by the Iran nuclear deal and differences over Syria and Yemen.

Sep 2, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Iran's 'Frozen' Assets: Exaggeration on Both Sides of the Debate

Before the nuclear deal was signed, the freezing of Iranian assets was incomplete, so the loosening of restrictions on these assets will have less impact than implied by past and current arguments.

Sep 1, 2015

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Patrick Clawson

Brief Analysis

Egyptian Offshore Gas Find Curtails Israel's Options

The major discovery is good news for Egypt but will likely impede Israel's much-delayed plans to exploit and export its own offshore reserves.

Aug 31, 2015

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Simon Henderson

Supported by the

Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy

The Washington Institute's Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy embodies the Institute's long-term research focus on the conservative Arab Gulf states -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman -- and the key role these countries play collectively as a primary source of the world's oil and natural gas.

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Featured experts

Patrick Clawson

Patrick Clawson is the Morningstar Senior Fellow and Research Counselor at The Washington Institute.

Simon Henderson

Simon Henderson is the Baker Senior Fellow and director of the Bernstein Program on Gulf and Energy Policy at The Washington Institute, specializing in energy matters and the conservative Arab states of the Persian Gulf.