U.S. Policy

Policy Analysis on U.S. Policy

Articles & Testimony

The Iran Deal Pullout: How Will Tehran Respond?

What can the Trump administration do to shape Iran’s choices?

Nov 1, 2018

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Michael Eisenstadt

Brief Analysis

U.S. Officials Push for Yemen Talks

Washington’s abrupt change in tone could bolster the UN envoy’s efforts to end the fighting and convene negotiations sooner rather than later.

Oct 31, 2018

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Elana DeLozier
August Pfluger

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Procurement Channel (Part 2): The Clandestine Factor

Trying to stop Iran’s nuclear proliferation is a task better suited to allied intelligence services than customs authorities and procurement channels.

Oct 31, 2018

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Elana DeLozier
Simon Henderson

Brief Analysis

Iran’s Procurement Channel (Part 1): Salvaging Nonproliferation Gains While Reimposing Sanctions

Washington can use sanctions as leverage to demand more vigilance from JCPOA signatories even as it allows certain useful procurements.

Oct 30, 2018

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Katherine Bauer
Elana DeLozier

Articles & Testimony

U.S. Must Impose a Price on Saudis, But One With a Clear Purpose

Rather than limiting itself to half-measures, Washington should suspend the delivery of offensive weapons and take other steps that convince Riyadh to change the way it operates.

Oct 30, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Iran’s ‘Resistance’ Bloc Rises amid New U.S. Sanctions

Hardliners see the latest pressure as proof that defiance works better than compromise—an attitude they are likely to change only if the pressure intensifies.

Oct 29, 2018

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Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

A Window of Opportunity Has Just Opened in Iraq. Will the U.S. Act?

The triumvirate of leaders to emerge from this year’s elections are strongly associated with nonsectarian, pragmatic government.

Oct 27, 2018

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Bilal Wahab

Brief Analysis

Delicate Diplomacy in Western Sahara

As the UN mulls the future of the peacekeeping mission, Washington should proceed cautiously in encouraging negotiations to avoid undermining essential alliances.

Oct 18, 2018

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Sarah Feuer

Articles & Testimony

Why the Release of Pastor Andrew Brunson Is a Good Sign for U.S.-Turkey Ties

Differences remain between Trump and Erdogan, but the two leaders are now talking again about vital issues such as Russian missile purchases, Syrian jihadists, and the Gulen movement.

Oct 18, 2018

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Soner Cagaptay

President Donald Trump meeting with King Salman in Saudi Arabia in 2017 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

Of Course Saudi Arabia’s Leader Doesn’t Fear U.S. Fury. We Give Him Everything He Wants.

With friends like these in Washington, no wonder the crown prince believes he can get away with outrageous actions.

Oct 17, 2018

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Saudi Arabia’s Ruler Should Understand That the Ends Don’t Justify the Means

Invoking the Magnitsky Act would send a clear signal that some actions are irreconcilable with global norms and Riyadh’s own transformative vision.

Oct 11, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

How Trump Can Get a Better Deal on Iran

The United States needs to keep Europe on board, go beyond sanctions, and ensure lasting bipartisan support for its new policy.

Oct 10, 2018

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Michael Singh

Brief Analysis

Washington Should Reverse Its Retreat in Basra

The shuttering of a vital U.S. diplomatic outpost in Iraq sends all the wrong signals about America’s resolve to push back against Iran’s malign activities.

Oct 10, 2018

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Michael Knights

Video

Brief Analysis

Russia's Deepening Military Involvement in Syria

Three experts discuss what Moscow's arms deliveries and growing military footprint in Syria mean for American operations in the Levant, U.S.-Russian relations, and Washington's allies in the region.

Oct 5, 2018

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Robert Hamilton
Steven Zaloga

Articles & Testimony

If Trump Wants the Ultimate Deal, He Must Not Repeat These Mistakes

Israeli-Palestinian peace is elusive because all of the parties, including the United States, have made a series of damaging but preventable errors.

Oct 2, 2018

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Dennis Ross
David Makovsky

Brief Analysis

For a Second Time, Iran Fires Missiles at IS Targets in Syria

Tehran likely used the attack to demonstrate its unhindered regional reach, while flashing its enhanced deterrent posture through the testing of new military hardware.

Oct 1, 2018

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Farzin Nadimi

Articles & Testimony

Nuclear Deal Was Not a Magic Wand for Rouhani—Iran in New Crisis

The Iranian president focused on the nuclear file to the exclusion of all other issues, and his country is feeling the consequences today.

Sep 28, 2018

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Mehdi Khalaji

Articles & Testimony

Israel, Iran, Syria and Trump Strategy: The Best Way Forward

Enhanced Russian support for the Syrian regime could dramatically boost risks for Israeli operations, and U.S. intervention alone can shift the calculus.

Sep 27, 2018

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Dennis Ross

Articles & Testimony

Iran and Hezbollah in Syria: U.S. Policy Options

A veteran Lebanese journalist discusses achievements by Iran and its chief proxy over seven years of war, and how U.S. countermeasures could still help restore stability and deter jihadism in Syria.

Sep 27, 2018

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Hanin Ghaddar

Articles & Testimony

Containing Iranian Proxies in Iraq

A former U.S. ambassador offers recommendations on how Washington can most effectively employ sanctions against Shia militias, reengage with Baghdad, and welcome a role from its Arab allies.

Sep 26, 2018

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Barbara A. Leaf

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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