Policy Analysis

The 2014 conflict showed how escalatory dynamics can quickly lead two adversaries into full-blown fighting even when neither side actually wants a war.

Israel’s downing of a Syrian plane this week has demonstrated that the Syria conflict, while stabilizing in some ways, is far from reaching a clear conclusion. Even as regime forces retake the Southern regions of Quneitra and Daraa, the issue of how to manage the Syrian-Israeli borders has prompted a

What would be the effect on the United States—politically, economically, socially—if the country accommodated 100 million refugees in the span of a few years? This is the situation that Lebanon now faces. At 4,000 square miles, tiny Lebanon has welcomed more Syrian refugees in absolute numbers than the entire European

Day after day, the Iranian and Russian occupation forces supporting the Syrian sectarian regime apply a brutal scorched earth policy, destroying areas of Syria not under regime control and displacing the civilians who have withstood the earlier attacks of the regime over the years. This most recent assault, which began

In step with the progression of the coalition war against the Islamic State over the course of 2016, the threat of IS-directed attacks in the West continued to trend upward, posing significant challenges for social media companies, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and local communities alike. Edited by Matthew Levitt, this

For the past seven years, Egypt, guided by domestic considerations and deterred by the presence of U.S., Iranian, Turkish, Russian, and other European forces, has largely kept clear of the conflict in Syria. Nonetheless, there are signs that Cairo, motivated by animosity towards Islamist groups and by fear that the

Foreign policy, defense policy, and the lion’s share of the national budget remain in the army’s hands, giving it major sway over politics.

As the regime’s strategy for countering the Trump administration continues to falter, will its traditional two-step of provocation and restraint give way to wider escalation?

The company’s crackdown on fake accounts caused a stir in some regional countries, but the expanding use of encrypted messaging platforms may say more about the people’s sentiment toward their leaders.

Three distinguished experts and former students of the late scholar share their memories of his life and research.

Of all the bilateral ties between Arab states, the Jordanian-Syrian relationship has been among the most intense. Various gradations of reciprocal unfriendliness and even open animosity have characterized the two countries’ ties since the 1970s, reflecting the rise of the Ba’ath party and Hafez al-Assad. However, recent economic instabilities pushed

Energy markets are sophisticated enough to absorb small amounts of bad news and presidential tweets, but they don't like protracted uncertainty.

Read or watch a conversation with former Treasury and State Department officials on how the Trump administration should go about renewing financial pressure on Iran's oil industry and other sectors.

The group's involvement in human trafficking and other criminal activities is far more extensive than Nasrallah cares to admit, going beyond anything his anti-corruption committee is likely to address.

The results of the May 2018 Iraqi elections caught many by surprise, especially in the polling field. A series of public opinion surveys conducted between March and May predicted that the Nasr Coalition, led by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, would win the highest number of seats in the Iraqi Parliament