U.S. Policy

Policy Analysis on U.S. Policy

U.S. Safe Zone Deal Can Help Turkey Come to Terms with the PKK and YPG

Checking the YPG’s ascendance in Syria could bring the PKK back to the negotiating table, ultimately making Turkey more amenable to Kurdish enclaves across the border.

Aug 7, 2019

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Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

The Road Ahead on Iran Policy: Toward a Multilateral Strategy

Iran’s recent actions in the region challenge the core interests of many American allies, and rallying those partners around shared objectives would give U.S. policy a better chance of success.

Jul 26, 2019

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Clarifying Freedom of Navigation in the Gulf

Legal ambiguities have led to disagreements over how vessels can use the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf, so Washington should highlight them in any future talks with Iran.

Jul 24, 2019

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Why the U.S. Ejected Turkey from F-35 Fighter Jet Program, and Why the Turbulence Will Only Grow

The future of the bilateral relationship looks bleak after years of strategic divergence on crises in Iraq and Syria.

Jul 22, 2019

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Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

Sanctions on Iraqi Political Figures: Shaping the Impact and Message

The United States is now designating politicians who place personal or Iranian interests above the needs of the Iraqi people, but these efforts could go awry if locals don’t understand the justification or consequences.

Jul 19, 2019

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Michael Knights

Articles & Testimony

Will Iran 'Break Out' for a Nuclear Weapon, and What Can Trump Do?

Seeing that the president wants out of “endless Middle East wars,” Tehran seems to think that raising the pressure might get him to back off.

Jul 16, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

There’s a Deal to Be Had Between the U.S. and Iran

If Tehran agrees to extend the JCPOA’s sunset provisions and curtail its activity in Syria and Lebanon, Washington may be willing to lift the nuclear sanctions and create a special-purpose vehicle.

Jul 10, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Video

Will Turkey's Purchase of Russian Missiles Rupture U.S. Ties?

How have relations between NATO allies Turkey and the United States come to the brink of historic crisis?

Jul 9, 2019

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Soner Cagaptay

Articles & Testimony

Iran Steps Over the Line on Nukes. What’s the Next Step for Trump?

At the very least, the International Atomic Energy Agency should be pressured to conduct closer inspections of Iranian enrichment sites and other nuclear facilities.

Jul 2, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Jared Kushner’s All-or-Nothing Mistake in the Middle East

If the administration wants its peace plan to break the peace process paradigm, it must suggest immediately achievable and flexible short-term goals.

Jul 2, 2019

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David Makovsky

Brief Analysis

Khamenei Will See Sanctions on Him as a Direct Challenge to the Revolution

The Supreme Leader regards his rule as the central feature of the Islamic Revolution, so the latest White House order will seem like a shot at the entire system.

Jun 27, 2019

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Patrick Clawson
Mehdi Khalaji

Brief Analysis

Past U.S.-Iran Confrontations Hold Lessons for Current Crisis

Despite its measured approach thus far, Tehran may come to view the latest showdown as an existential conflict with an irresolute adversary, warranting greater risk-taking on its part.

Jun 27, 2019

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Michael Eisenstadt

Articles & Testimony

Democrats Can Show Trump the Way to Avoid War with Iran

The regime’s economic pain is real, so it may eventually be willing to talk about extending the nuclear deal’s sunset provisions and limiting its military infrastructure in Syria.

Jun 26, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Video

Brief Analysis

Assad's Thinking: How Did Syria Get Here, and Where Does the Regime Want to Go Now?

Former American and French ambassadors discuss the regime's calculus and preview the upcoming U.S.-Russia summit in Jerusalem. Watch video or read a summary.

Jun 21, 2019

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Michel Duclos
Robert Ford

Articles & Testimony

The Dilemma of an Imperfect Ally

There are no optimal options in the current Yemen war, but U.S. policymakers should seize the opportunity to bring Gulf governments into NATO-like agreements that avoid such dilemmas in the future.

Jun 20, 2019

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Elana DeLozier

Articles & Testimony

The Middle East and the U.S.-China 'Trade War'

The price of oil is often directly related to global economic prospects, so Washington’s tariff tiff with Beijing could hit regional states doubly hard.

Jun 19, 2019

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

Trump Is a Belligerent Isolationist. But on Iran, He Needs Allies.

If the president wants to blunt Tehran’s sabotage campaign without a war, he needs to work closely with countries that share a stake in the free flow of oil.

Jun 19, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

China’s Middle East Policy: Speak Softly and Wave a Large Purse

An Israeli analyst shares observations from an intensive round of discussions with senior Chinese military, diplomatic, and academic officials.

Jun 17, 2019

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Ehud Yaari

Articles & Testimony

Hezbollah Isn’t Just in Beirut. It’s in New York, Too.

The trial of a senior operative reveals the extent of the terrorist organization’s reach in the United States and Canada.

Jun 14, 2019

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Matthew Levitt

Brief Analysis

What to Expect from the U.S.-Russia Meeting in Jerusalem

Ultimately, no deal is better than a bad deal, and Moscow’s track record in Syria suggests it is both unable and unwilling to keep Iran out.

Jun 12, 2019

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Supported by the

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

The Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East focuses on the region as a setting for heightened competition between the United States and other world powers, such as China and Russia.

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Featured experts

Robert Satloff

Robert Satloff is the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute, a post he assumed in January 1993.

Dennis Ross

Dennis Ross, a former special assistant to President Barack Obama, is the counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at The Washington Institute.

Dana Stroul

Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Shelly and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Michael Singh

Michael Singh is the Managing Director and Lane-Swig Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.

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U.S. Policy

Policy Analysis on U.S. Policy

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

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Regions & Countries

Issues

U.S. Policy

Policy Analysis on U.S. Policy

Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundation Program on Great Power Competition and the Middle East

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