U.S. Policy

Policy Analysis on U.S. Policy

Is Chechnya Putin’s Blueprint for Syria?

If recent history is any indicator, ceding further ground to Russia virtually guarantees that the conflict will keep simmering for years to come.

Jan 18, 2019

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Anna Borshchevskaya

Articles & Testimony

Trump’s Democratic Critics Are in Danger of Following His Lead

They need to do more than reject his foreign policy rhetoric—they need to break with its substance.

Jan 16, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

Pompeo’s Cairo Speech More ‘Back to the Future’ Than Break With Past

The administration should focus more on amplifying the voices of regional citizens while convincingly standing against collective threats.

Jan 16, 2019

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Ben Fishman
Dana Stroul

Articles & Testimony

Beijing’s Curious Silence on the Syria Withdrawal

China likely hoped to find economic opportunities in Syria's reconstruction—yet another example of how it relies on the security umbrella provided by U.S. troops in international conflict zones.

Jan 8, 2019

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

What Trump Means by ‘America First’

In a world where major threats require help from partners, uncertainty about U.S. leadership does not make America safer.

Jan 8, 2019

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Sending the Right Message in Cairo: Advice for Secretary Pompeo

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.

Jan 7, 2019

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Soner Cagaptay
Simon Henderson
Martin Kramer
Matthew Levitt
David Pollock
Dennis Ross
Dana Stroul
Bilal Wahab

Articles & Testimony

Eight Days in Middle East Puts Pompeo’s Diplomacy to the Test

The whirlwind tour could yield some surprises, but substantial positive outcomes will be hard to come by without clear, unified messaging from the administration.

Jan 7, 2019

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Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Designing Win-Win Economic Policies in Washington and Baghdad

To pressure Iran without cornering Iraq, U.S. officials should set a program of activities with achievable timeframes, supported by public diplomacy.

Jan 3, 2019

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Katherine Bauer
Michael Knights
Bilal Wahab

Brief Analysis

How the United States Can Still Keep Faith With Its Best Allies in Syria

Despite the heavy risks created by recent policy reversals, a well-managed transition can help preserve the major gains against the Islamic State while protecting America’s local partners.

Jan 3, 2019

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David Pollock

Articles & Testimony

Mission Unaccomplished: The Tweet That Upended Trump’s Counterterrorism and Iran Policies

If the Syria withdrawal proves inevitable, officials should push to phase the departure, keep U.S. forces at Tanf, maintain the air campaign, forge a counterterror agreement with Turkey, and take other fallback measures.

Dec 25, 2018

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Matthew Levitt
Aaron Y. Zelin

Brief Analysis

Protests Underscore West Bank Instability

The international community can help avert future chaos through measures to stem political, economic, and security deterioration, and Washington can reinstate funding for Palestinian development projects.

Dec 21, 2018

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Ghaith al-Omari
Madison Rinder

Brief Analysis

As Washington Prepares to Withdraw from Syria, Turkey Is Set to Invade

The combination of premature steps would further damage U.S. credibility while giving Iranian proxies and Islamic State remnants free rein in east Syria.

Dec 19, 2018

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Dana Stroul
Soner Cagaptay

Brief Analysis

The Big, the Small, and the Needless: Rebalancing Three UN Peacekeeping Missions

A former Israeli general explains why rethinking the missions is crucial to containing Iran’s proxies and reducing waste in international security expenditures.

Dec 14, 2018

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Assaf Orion

Brief Analysis

Saudi Arabia’s ‘Black Swan’ Policymaking

Riyadh’s allies need to adjust more to the kingdom’s dynamic decisionmaking, once noted for being slow and cautious.

Dec 12, 2018

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Assaf Orion
Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

The United States, Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East in the Post-Khashoggi Era

In addition to imperiling U.S. public support for regional relationships, neglecting human rights issues can blind policymakers to the brittleness of certain partner states.

Dec 10, 2018

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Michael Singh

Articles & Testimony

Dennis Ross Reflects on George H. W. Bush

Looking back at the late president’s ability to navigate watershed moments in geopolitical history with remarkable diplomatic skill, empathy, and civility.

Dec 6, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

There’s No Reason Congress and Trump Can’t Achieve Their Goals for Saudi Arabia

The two branches have several means of imposing consequences and altering objectionable Saudi policies without demolishing the entire strategic relationship.

Nov 29, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

CIA’s Report Complicates U.S. Response to Khashoggi Murder

The resultant congressional furor could throw a wrench in arms sales and other important bilateral policy matters.

Nov 19, 2018

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Simon Henderson

Video

Former CIA Directors Michael Hayden and George Tenet Address The Washington Institute

Watch the full conversation between Institute counselor Dennis Ross and 2018 Scholar-Statesman Award honorees Michael Hayden and George Tenet, former directors of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Nov 15, 2018

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Dennis Ross
Michael Hayden
George Tenet

Video

Brief Analysis

Do U.S. Actions Affect Iranian Policy?

A veteran U.S. policymaker and two notable Iranian expatriates look back at forty years of fraught relations, discussing ways to advance American interests and reduce bilateral antagonism without letting human rights issues lapse.

Nov 15, 2018

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Stuart Eizenstat
Mehrangiz Kar
Mehdi Khalaji

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.

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

Featured experts

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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