Policy Analysis

Prime Minister Tansu Ciller begins the first ever Turkish head of government visit to Israel today, underscoring her personal commitment to developing Turkish-Israeli ties that were virtually dormant as recently as two years ago. In so doing, she is taking Turkey for the first time into an energetic role in

President Clinton's visit to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia tomorrow provides an opportunity to reflect upon the impact of Saddam Hussein's decision to deploy some 70,000 troops to the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border. Two results among several stand out: Strong, forceful U.S. action will deter the Iraqi dictator. The stronger, more forceful and

The crisis along the Iraq-Kuwait border underscores Saddam Hussein's ability to reconstruct a formidable military force despite Iraq's crushing military defeat in Desert Storm and four years of sanctions. Nevertheless, Iraq's military is much smaller and less powerful than the force the U.S. faced in 1991. Iraqi capabilities Today, Iraq

Through inflammatory rhetoric and troop movements in southern Iraq near the Kuwaiti border, Saddam Hussein is once again provoking crisis and possible confrontation in the Persian Gulf. Using some of the strongest language since the Gulf War, Baghdad has warned that "every party will bear the consequences" if the United

On October 6, 1994, Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Habib Ben Yahia, addressed The Washington Institute's Policy Forum on Tunisia's role in the Arab-Israeli peace process and the regional implications of developments in Algeria. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his off the record remarks. Tunisia's Role in the

Keynote addresses by James Woolsey, Uri Savir, and Crown Prince Hassan bin Talal. With Martin Kramer, Hilal Khashan, Stephen Grummon, George Nader, Daniel Pipes, Shai Feldman, Abdullah Toukan, and John Moore.

During the struggle to establish the State of Israel, David Ben Gurion once told his colleagues, "Five years are nothing next to eternity, but not all years in history are alike, and in the next five years the fate of our generation may be decided, if not the fate of

On September 14, 1994, Amb. Mary Ann Casey, who just finished a tour as U.S. ambassador to Algeria, and Dr. Gideon Gera, the Meyerhoff Fellow at The Washington Institute, addressed The Institute's Policy Forum on the prospects and implications of a potential Islamic takeover in Algeria. The following is a

Preface Since the founding of The Washington Institute a decade ago, our work has been dedicated to assisting U.S. policymakers in their efforts to promote American interests in the Middle East, especially the pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace. When we began, comprehensive peace was a distant fixture on the horizon. Our

Recent incidents in Germany involving the attempted smuggling of fissile material from the former Soviet Union have heightened concerns that the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East could occur much sooner than previously expected. The emergence of potential new sources for fissile material and weapons -- in the

The ruling family of Saudi Arabia, one of the United States' most important allies in the Middle East, is heading for a crisis of leadership. Despite its modern infrastructure, paid for by huge revenues from oil exports, the kingdom's political system remains rooted in tribal structures that have scarcely evolved

The kingdom of Saudi Arabia faces a grim economic future. Contrary to predictions in the late 1970s and early 1980s of rising prices for Middle Eastern oil, world oil demands and prices have followed a downward trend since 1981, resulting in a reduction in Saudi oil revenues. Since 1983 Saudi

The capture last week of the port city of Aden by forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen marked the end of the short-lived rebellion by secessionist supporters of Vice President Ali Salem al-Beidh. The outcome is a shock to the balance of power in the Arabian peninsula

For Jordan, July 1994 may be recorded as the month of breaking down historic barriers. Last week, King Hussein announced to a televised session of parliament his willingness to meet publicly with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Next week -- on the very anniversary of the murder of Hussein's grandfather

On July 6, 1994, General Joseph P. Hoar, CENTCOM commander-in-chief, addressed a session of The Washington Institute's Policy Forum. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks. Introduction When General Hoar became chief-of-staff in 1988, Central Command's focus was on the Soviet Union. Operations and contingencies were planned to

With the opening of new negotiations between the United States and North Korea, it is important to underscore one of the major concerns driving the current crisis: fear that a nuclear North Korea would export nuclear arms and technology to rogue states in the Middle East in order to earn

Since the 1955 Bandung conference of non-aligned countries, North Korea has based its foreign policy on the concept of chu'che (self-reliance) and has sought to establish an independent position in the developing world so as to acquire international legitimacy. Its motivations for involvement in the Middle East have gradually shifted

For nearly a year, Sheikh Rashid Ghanoushi has been seeking an American visa. Ghanoushi, the most prominent Islamist in the West, is the leader of Al-Nahda (The Revival), Tunisia's major Islamist grouping. Al-Nahda is now banned in Tunisia, and Ghanoushi resides in Britain. He would like to visit the United

On June 24, 1994, Dr. Abdul Salam Al-Majali, prime minister of Jordan and head of Jordan's delegation to the Madrid peace conference and the bilateral talks, addressed an off-the-record session of The Washington Institute's Policy Forum. The following is a rapporteur's summary of his remarks. Jordan's Peace Policy Comprehensive peace