Middle East/Southwest Asia

Program Publications

• March 27, 2013 / By Ellen Laipson
  Iraq’s New Normal
  

  Amidst all the 10-year anniversary analysis of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, the missing piece is a clear and coherent picture of Iraq today and its potential

  … Read More »
• March 25, 2013 / By Que’Nique Mykte’ Newbill
  Jordan’s Forgotten Youth Problem
  

  King Abdullah's post-election euphoria disguises the enduring challenge of youth political participation in Jordan. The country's western allies have adopted a similar relaxed posture

  … Read More »
• February 28, 2013 / By David Michel, Mona Yacoubian
  The Arab Spring and Climate Change
  

  “The Arab Spring and Climate Change” does not argue that climate change caused the revolutions that have shaken the Arab world over the past two years. But the essays collected in this

  … Read More »
• February 01, 2013 / By Mona Yacoubian
  It’s What Happens After Jordan’s Elections that Really Matters
  

  Jordan's recent parliamentary elections were notably free of widespread fraud and registered a respectable 56% voter turnout rate.¹ Yet, the technically clean vote belies deeper

  … Read More »
• December 10, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Presidential Inbox 2013: Reinvigorate American Soft Power to Shape Change in the Arab World
  

  Click here to view the complete Presidential Inbox series.

  The Challenge

  As turbulent change roils the Arab world, the Obama Administration must develop a coherent, long-term strategy

  … Read More »
• December 05, 2012 / By Que’Nique Mykte’ Newbill, Dina Shahrokhi
  Innovative Startups Present New Promise for Arab Transitions
  

  Innovative startups, driven by young entrepreneurs, continue to thrive in the Middle East even amidst the evolving challenges in the region's transitions. Many of these auspicious

  … Read More »
• November 26, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson, Geneive Abdo
  Presidential Inbox 2013: Take a Strategic Approach to Iran
  

  Click here to view the complete Presidential Inbox series.

  The Challenge

  It is time to develop a broader, more inclusive approach to US policy towards Iran. The past years' focus on

  … Read More »
• November 15, 2012 / By David Michel, Russell Sticklor, Amit Pandya, Syed Iqbal Hasnain
  Water Challenges and Cooperative Response in the Middle East and North Africa
  

  Societies across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have long balanced the competing water demands of households, industry, and agriculture. Careful management of water resources

  … Read More »
• November 02, 2012 / By Que’Nique Mykte’ Newbill
  Why Syria may be the catalyst for Jordan’s “Arab Spring”
  

  Syrian spillover increasingly poses a serious risk of broader instability in Jordan. Jordan's closed political environment coupled with significant economic challenges and increased

  … Read More »
• October 18, 2012 / By Marianne Nari Fisher
  A New Spring in the Middle East? The Emerging Nuclear Energy Renaissance
  

  The Middle East North Africa (MENA) Nuclear Construction Conference was hosted by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey in late September 2012 in Dubai. This recent political

  … Read More »
• August 06, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian, David Michel
  Arab Spring Must Also Weather Environmental Threats
  

  The Arab uprisings mark a watershed moment for the region as it embarks on an era of historic change. Yet the euphoria that first accompanied the popular revolts has yielded to more

  … Read More »
• August 02, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson
  The Changing Middle East: Updating the Security Agenda
  

  Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta's travels across the Middle East this week put the spotlight on a daunting and dynamic list of security challenges for the states of the region,

  … Read More »
• July 06, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Harnessing Innovation for Economic Growth in the Arab World
  

  With the Arab transitions now well into their second year, the region's stark economic challenges remain largely unaddressed. Job growth in particular stands out as an urgent and acute

  … Read More »
• June 18, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Crisis in Syria Nears Breaking Point
  

  As President Obama prepares to meet with his Russian counterpart today on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, sharply escalating violence in Syria could signal that the conflict is

  … Read More »
• June 11, 2012 / By Amit Pandya, David Michel, Syed Iqbal Hasnain, Russell Sticklor
  Water Challenges and Cooperative Response in the Middle East and North Africa
  

  The following working paper on current and future water management challenges and opportunities in North Africa and the Middle East was prepared for the US-Islamic World Forum, held in

  … Read More »
• May 21, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson
  And Why Baghdad Anyway?
  

  Most arms control negotiations take place in Geneva, Vienna, or other charming European capitals.  The agreement by all the parties to reconvene in Baghdad, the troubled capital

  … Read More »
• May 14, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson
  Tunisia’s Transition: Still the Arab Revolts’ Best Hope
  

  A year and a half since a small-town Tunisian set himself and the Arab world ablaze, Tunisia is still the most promising case of an Arab society and state in transition to a democratic

  … Read More »
• May 07, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Syria’s Last Chance for Peace
  

  The Syrian crisis is at a crucial crossroads, with one path preserving the option for a "soft landing," while the other portends a descent into a protracted sectarian conflict.

  … Read More »
• April 20, 2012 / By Rupert Herbert-Burns
  Stimson Center Maritime Security Briefing #2 | Indian Ocean Naval Activity | Spring 2012
  

  This brief offers a review of key naval developments in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) during the first quarter of 2012. Events have been dominated by extensive Iranian naval manoeuvres

  … Read More »
• April 03, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson
  Engaging Iran on Afghanistan
  

  As conditions deteriorate for western forces in Afghanistan, and as prospects for talks between Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany appear

  … Read More »
• March 30, 2012 / By Rupert Herbert-Burns
  Stimson Center Maritime Security Briefing #1 | Indian Ocean Piracy Developments | Spring 2012
  

  The first quarter of 2012 paints a somewhat confusing picture with regard to the state of piracy threat in the high risk areas (HRA) of the Indian Ocean. Initially, given the low level

  … Read More »
• March 29, 2012 / By Craig Cangemi
  Refugees Fleeing Syria May Become a Regional Problem
  

  One year after the beginning of the Syrian revolution, Bashar al-Assad's crackdown on his people shows no signs of slowing. As the violence has intensified and started to spread,

  … Read More »
• March 15, 2012 / By Ellen Laipson
  Engaging Iran on Afghanistan
  

  This report examines the importance of engaging Iran as one of the key neighbors of Afghanistan during the period of withdrawal of international forces through 2014. It looks at the

  … Read More »
• February 23, 2012 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Is Egypt Heading Off the Rails?
  

  Egypt's revolution is clearly at a turning point, and the next four months could be its most critical period. The tanking economy, the deepening crisis with the United States, and

  … Read More »
• January 30, 2012
  Robert Hormats: An Economic Perspective on the Arab Spring
  

  On January 23, 2012, the Stimson Center hosted a panel discussion as part of a new project “Pathways to Progress: Peace, Prosperity and Change in the Middle East,” a joint initiative

  … Read More »
• December 27, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  Iraq in 2012: Gateway to Uncertainty
  

  An important chapter in US-Iraq relations has now ended, with the final departure of US combat troops from the country, as envisioned by former President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki

  … Read More »
• November 22, 2011 / By Haifa Jedea
  The Arab League’s Evolving Role in a Restless Middle East
  

  Emerging new political realities across the Middle East and North Africa are now impacting regional organizations, particularly the Arab League, officially called the League of

  … Read More »
• November 17, 2011 / By Andrew Houk
  Iran-Afghan Security Cooperation
  

  At the regional meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors in Istanbul in November 2011, Iranian Foreign Minister Salehi reiterated his opposition to a strategic agreement between the US and

  … Read More »
• October 21, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  Pakistan and Afghanistan: Turbulence and Transitions
  

  The anticipated drawdown of international forces in Afghanistan is adding to the turmoil in the domestic and foreign policies of Afghanistan and its key neighbor, Pakistan.  Few expect

  … Read More »
• October 05, 2011 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Saving Syria from civil war
  

  This article first appeared on ForeignPolicy.com

  As Syria’s uprising lurches toward its seventh month, fears that the country will descend into a sectarian civil war are mounting.

  … Read More »
• September 08, 2011 / By Shwan Azeez
  Bahrain’s Political Crisis: A New Chapter for Iraqi Foreign Policy
  

  Bahrain's political crisis - the crackdown by the Sunni royal family and government on Shia protesters - has elicited contradictory reactions among Iraq's sectarian and ethnic

  … Read More »
• August 22, 2011 / By William Durch, Ellen Laipson
  Stimson Experts Respond to Events in Libya
  

  Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is sending his special envoy for Libya, Abdel-Elah Al-Khatib, and his special adviser on post-conflict planning for Libya, Ian Martin, to Doha, Qatar, to

  … Read More »
• July 29, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  The Security Agenda for a Changing Middle East
  

  The Arab revolt that began in late 2010 throws many assumptions about the Middle East and regional security into question.  States that were once considered strong have shown themselves

  … Read More »
• July 21, 2011 / By Andrew Noble
  Anchors Away: The future of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain
  

  The home base of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet has become a subject of discussion for American policymakers since large-scale protests broke out in Bahrain this past February. Located in

  … Read More »
• July 07, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  Seismic Shift Addresses Understanding Change in the Middle East
  

  The momentous events sweeping the Arab world since the end of 2010 raise important questions about the art and science of analyzing political and societal events.  Stimson invited a

  … Read More »
• June 07, 2011 / By John Doble
  An Unsustainable Endeavor: Water Scarcity and Human Security in the Middle East
  

  Water scarcity in the Middle East continues to pose threats to human security despite the efforts of governments to reduce consumption and develop new technologies for desalination.

  … Read More »
• May 25, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson, Richard Cincotta, James C. Clad, F. Gregory Gause, III, Robert Grenier, Andrew Marshall, David Michel, Courtney C. Radsch, Corey Sobel, Mona Yacoubian
  Seismic Shift: Understanding Change in the Middle East
  

  The momentous events sweeping the Arab world since late 2010 raise important questions about the art and science of analyzing political and societal events. In an age of information

  … Read More »
• May 16, 2011 / By Michael Krepon
  Pakistan - US Relations
  

  The US - Pakistan relationship could not have survived this long without the presence of vital common interests.  But we are now close to another divorce.

  It would be a serious error of

  … Read More »
• May 06, 2011
  One of the Most Dangerous Places on Earth: Transnational Crime in the FATA
  

  The death of Osama bin Laden has refocused the world's attention to the importance of building Pakistan's capacity to prevent and combat violent extremism in that country. Yet while

  … Read More »
• May 03, 2011 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Even if Bashar Wins, He Has Already Lost
  

  This article was first published on ForeignPolicy.com.

  Six weeks into Syria’s unprecedented unrest, it seems increasingly apparent that the key cornerstones buttressing President Bashar

  … Read More »
• March 22, 2011 / By Andrew Houk
  Transboundary Water Sharing: Iran and Afghanistan
  

  The ability to harness Afghanistan's rivers for hydropower and agriculture is a critical element of its economic development, but it also risks reducing flows for its downstream

  … Read More »
• March 08, 2011 / By Jean-Francois Seznec
  Center or Bust?
  

  Will the various forces in Bahrain finally compromise on a centrist approach to power?

  The events in Bahrain are most tantalizing.  Should the opposition gain some ground and succeed in

  … Read More »
• March 01, 2011 / By David Michel
  Sustaining the Fertile Crescent: Mind the GAP
  

  Growing populations, soaring demand, mounting environmental pressures, and potentially unsustainable development programs risk imposing untenable burdens on the freshwater resources of

  … Read More »
• February 22, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  C-SPAN Interviews Ellen Laipson on Middle East and North African Unrest
  

  Ellen Laipson appears on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the geopolitical impact from the continuing anti-government protests in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and offers

  … Read More »
• February 22, 2011 / By Jean-Francois Seznec
  Crackdown in Bahrain
  

  Sectarian and hardline politics have brought protesters out into streets of this once quiet Gulf nation. And as the bodycount rises, the United States should be gravely

  … Read More »
• February 16, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson, Steven Heydemann
  Beyond Cairo: Prospects for change in the Middle East
  

  This article was first published in The Hill on February 16, 2011.

  After weeks of excitement and surprise, it is time to try to make meaning out of the momentous events in Tunisia and

  … Read More »
• February 08, 2011
  Political Islamist Movements: The Case of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt
  

  Don't leave your brothers alone in the square (photo)

   

  Diaa Rashwan, an expert at the al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies examines the sociopolitical movement of the

  … Read More »
• February 07, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  Iraq’s Transition in the Shadow of Egypt
  

  As the world is riveted to the upheaval in Egypt, Iraq's decade-long transition to more representative government seems like old news.  Iraq's change was caused by US military action,

  … Read More »
• February 02, 2011
  Why Egypt Shut Down the Internet
  

  We have seen this story before: an authoritarian regime is challenged by its youthful population. TV stations are shut down, border security is strengthened, and the government tightly

  … Read More »
• January 28, 2011 / By Andrew Houk
  Iran’s Response to Drugs from Afghanistan
  

  Lying between Afghanistan and its major drug markets to the West, Iran has become a key player in global counternarcotics efforts. In the second in a series of spotlights

  … Read More »
• January 14, 2011 / By Ellen Laipson
  The Arab World’s First Soft Revolution?
  

  A spontaneous, massive uprising of discontent in the normally serene Mediterranean country of Tunisia could signal a turning point in the Arab world - the slow motion reform process in

  … Read More »
• December 30, 2010 / By Carrielyn O’Connell
  Covert Operations in Iran
  

  Iran's nuclear program has led the international community to fear that Iran is seeking, and may acquire in a few years, a nuclear weapon capability. The US and its allies have sought

  … Read More »
• December 27, 2010 / By Allie Kirchner
  Losing the Meaning of Jihad: Terrorism and the US Media
  

  During his trip to India, President Barack Obama visited St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, where he answered a student's question about jihad: "I think all of us recognize that this

  … Read More »
• December 09, 2010 / By Adam Giansiracusa
  Coping with Scarcity: Saudi Arabia and Water
  

  Access to water is one of the most daunting infrastructure and development challenges facing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Low levels of rainfall and declining water tables, coupled with

  … Read More »
• November 30, 2010 / By Ellen Laipson
  Ellen Laipson offers thoughts on Iran for USIP’s Iran Primer
  

  On December 1, USIP will release The Iran Primer, which brings together 50 top experts-both Western and Iranian-to offer comprehensive but concise overviews of Iran's politics, economy,

  … Read More »
• November 24, 2010 / By Richard Cincotta
  Whither the Demographic Arc of Instability?
  

  The "demographic arc of instability" is created by highlighting countries with exceptionally young populations.  Projections for 2030 indicate that demographic factors for instability

  … Read More »
• November 16, 2010 / By Barry Blechman, Daniel Brumberg, Steven Heydemann
  Engagement, Coercion, and Iran’s Nuclear Challenge
  

  US Iran policy has been long on the tactics and techniques of sanctions, and short on a clear, coherent, strategic vision of the kind of US-Iranian relationship Washington ultimately

  … Read More »
• October 26, 2010 / By Peter Alsis
  Moving Forward in Iraq: the US Civilian Mission and Security
  

   

  As the US mission in Iraq begins the transition to civilian leadership, security will continue to play a central role in its success.  With combat operations ended and all US forces

  … Read More »
• October 06, 2010 / By Mona Yacoubian
  Can Lebanon Avoid its Impending Autumn of Discontent?
  

  This article first appeared on ForeignPolicy.com.

  Beirut has witnessed a distinct spike in tensions in recent days as elements across Lebanon’s diverse political spectrum brace for

  … Read More »
• August 30, 2010
  A Terminal Case? Iraqi Natural Gas Development
  

  By Miles Watkins

  Much attention has been paid to the Iraqi government's auctioning of petroleum extraction rights over the last year. Worth $9 trillion, Iraq's oil reserves are the

  … Read More »
• July 31, 2010 / By Ellen Laipson, Barry Blechman, Brian Finlay, Andrew Houk
  Report on the Workshop: Nuclear Dangers, Nuclear Realities
  

  In the future, 2009 and 2010 may emerge as a decisive time in the evolution of international nuclear policies.  The global demand for energy security has led to renewed interest in safe

  … Read More »
• June 21, 2010 / By Alix Boucher
  Monitoring Sanctions on Iran: The Role of the New Panel of Experts
  

  On June 9, the United Nations Security Council voted to impose a fourth round of sanctions against Iran. Citing its continuing nuclear program, the Council imposed a partial arms

  … Read More »
• May 14, 2010 / By Ellen Laipson, Elena McGovern
  The Future of US-Iraq Relations
  

  An important transition is underway in the official relationship between the United States and Iraq. Since late 2008, relations have been governed by two agreements: one related to the

  … Read More »
• May 05, 2010 / By Ellen Laipson, Amit Pandya
  On the Move: Migration Challenges in the Indian Ocean Littoral
  

  On the Move: Migration Challenges in the Indian Ocean Littoral is the product of Stimson’s work on migration over the past year, and it points to how the migration agenda is evolving and

  … Read More »
• February 25, 2010 / By Ellen Laipson
  Policy Crossroads: US Policies towards Iraq and Iran in Obama’s Second Year
  

  When President Obama came into office, he pledged important shifts in US approaches to the challenges of Iraq and Iran. In the first year of the new administration, senior officials

  … Read More »
• November 19, 2009 / By Ronan McGee
  Oil Legislation in Iraq: A Step Towards Stability
  

  Oil is pivotal to the long-term stability and prosperity of Iraq. Its estimated 115 billion barrels are the world's third largest proven oil reserves, and Iraq hopes to raise its

  … Read More »
• November 01, 2009 / By Elena McGovern
  Iraq’s New Reality: The Politics of Governance and Federalism
  

  Iraq is a society in transition, grappling with the universal challenges of establishing forms of governance and allocating power within the institution of the state.  It is nearly

  … Read More »
• October 25, 2009 / By Ellen Laipson, Mokhtar Lamani
  Iraq’s New Realities
  

  This article was first published in Middle East Online on October 25, 2009.

  Iraq is no longer on the front pages, as the war in Afghanistan becomes the preoccupying concern of

  … Read More »
• September 28, 2009 / By Ellen Laipson
  Engaging Iran: How Broad an Agenda?
  

  Over the past week, the revelations of a second, secret nuclear enrichment facility in Iran have altered the tone and content of upcoming talks between the Perm-5 (US, China, Russia,

  … Read More »
• September 01, 2009 / By Elena McGovern
  Iraq’s New Reality:  Ensuring Security and Setting the National Security Agenda
  

  The second report in the Stimson-CIGI series Iraq’s New Reality examines security conditions in and regional perceptions of Iraq today, enduring security issues, national reconciliation

  … Read More »
• July 02, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  As Iran simmers, the nuclear clock ticks on
  

  As the power struggle in Iran morphs from public unrest and street protests into a more diffuse, opaque and protracted dispute, what are the regional security implications of these

  … Read More »
• July 01, 2009 / By Elena McGovern
  Iraq’s New Reality: The Impact of Conflict on Minorities, Refugees, and the Internally Displaced
  

  Several years of war, internal violence, and unrest have taken a severe toll on the Iraqi population.  As US troops withdraw and Iraq begins the next chapter in its history, it is

  … Read More »
• June 01, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem, Elena McGovern
  Gulf-US Relations in 2008: A Year of Transition
  

  This book chapter appeared in the Gulf Yearbook 2008-2009, published by the Gulf Research Center. 

  The year 2008 turned out to be one of relative stability in the Gulf. During its last

  … Read More »
• May 21, 2009 / By Ellen Laipson
  Engaging Iran: Strategic Goal or Means to an End?
  

  Chapter appears in Engaging Iran: Lessons from the Past edited by Patrick Clawson and published by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy

   When President Khatami was elected in

  … Read More »
• May 11, 2009 / By Ellen Laipson
  How its Arab neighbours can help to build the new Iraq
  

  The Obama administration has made Iraq’s reintegration into the region one of the cornerstones of its Iraq policy. It is naturally linked to US hopes for stability in Iraq - a country

  … Read More »
• April 15, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  In a tough neighbourhood, the UAE makes sure its voice is heard
  

  As tough neighbourhoods go, few would dispute that the Gulf region ranks high on the list. Three major interstate wars in as many decades (the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88, the first Gulf

  … Read More »
• April 09, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  King Abdullah has given reform and Saudi their best chance yet
  

  The removal of the much-feared head of the religious police known for its excesses. The dismissal of the most senior cleric on the Supreme Justice Council, a man who approved of the

  … Read More »
• April 09, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Iran, and the diplomatic tango that may keep us safe
  

  There is a political ritual that has a boring and repetitive quality to it, but the outcome of which could prove essential for regional peace. It is called diplomacy.
  
  Every few months the

  … Read More »
• April 01, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  America is talking, but is anyone in Iran listening?
  

  It did not take long after President Barack Obama made an overture to Iran in his Nowrooz message for some commentators to criticise both the timidity of the gesture and continuing US

  … Read More »
• March 31, 2009 / By Ellen Laipson
  The Iraqi Refugee Crisis in Regional Context
  

  The Iraqi Refugee Crisis in Regional Context: Testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia

  The plight of the more than a million

  … Read More »
• March 18, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Iran and the bomb: the truth is, nobody knows
  

  The debate over Iran’s nuclear activities is certain to heat up in coming months, so it is useful to shed some light on the technological aspect of its programme and separate

  … Read More »
• March 01, 2009 / By Elena McGovern
  Iraq’s New Reality:  Finding its Role in the Middle East
  

  At this critical juncture in Iraq’s history, the Stimson Center and the Centre for International Governance Innovation are partnering to explore the linkages between Iraqi

  … Read More »
• February 25, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Memo to Mr Obama: Gulf Security and Why it Matters
  

  Dear President Obama,

  As you review the foreign policy legacy of your predecessor you will find much to discard, amend or reform. But one set of policies deserves preservation as you

  … Read More »
• February 11, 2009 / By Lincoln Bloomfield, Jr., Ellen Laipson
  Iraq, its Neighbors, and the Obama Administration:  Syrian and Saudi Perspectives
  

  A Report by the US Institute of Peace and the Stimson Center 

  A group of experts sponsored by USIP and the Stimson Center traveled to Syria and Saudi Arabia to interview government

  … Read More »
• February 04, 2009 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Fear, fascination, delusion: the legacies of Iran’s revolution
  

  Thirty years ago this week, a frail 77-year old cleric landed in Tehran, where he was welcomed by millions of enthusiastic Iranians. His revolutionary ideas about Islam’s place in

  … Read More »
• February 01, 2009 / By Elena McGovern
  Export Controls in the United Arab Emirates: A Practical Manifestation of a Strategic Dilemma
  

  On January 15, 2009, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the “U.S.-UAE 123 Agreement.” The accord is intended

  … Read More »
• December 17, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  The Gulf states must press the nuclear issue before it’s too late
  

  Yesterday the foreign ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany were joined by those of Egypt, Jordan and the GCC states to discuss next steps on

  … Read More »
• December 08, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  US Policy in the Gulf: Resisting the Temptation of One-Dimensional Policies
  

  By Emile El-Hokayem

  The Challenge

  The new US Administration needs to restore US influence in the Persian Gulf. Success will depend largely on how the United States approaches and

  … Read More »
• December 03, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Iran and Syria: why this unlikely alliance endures
  

  Anyone interested in Middle East affairs understands the power of ideologies and alliances in shaping the politics and direction of the region. Some have collapsed under the weight of

  … Read More »
• November 29, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  The Saudi Arabia that the Middle East needs is finally emerging
  

  In 1979, a group of religious zealots led by Juhayman al Uteybi stormed the Grand Mosque in Mecca to herald the dawn of a new, more intransigent Islamic age, leading to an existential

  … Read More »
• November 19, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Three Options for Obama to Engage Iran: All with Dangers
  

  Barack Obama is not yet sitting in the Oval Office, and is still putting together his national security team. But it is safe to assume that he and his advisers are already thinking of

  … Read More »
• October 06, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Gulf security and the role that Nato is looking to play here
  

  In their quest to ensure their own security and the stability of the Gulf, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council are finding a growing number of partners willing to invest

  … Read More »
• October 06, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Gulf security and the role that Nato is looking to play here
  

  In their quest to ensure their own security and the stability of the Gulf, the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council are finding a growing number of partners willing to invest

  … Read More »
• September 19, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Iran, and the diplomatic tango that may keep us safe
  

  There is a political ritual that has a boring and repetitive quality to it, but the outcome of which could prove essential for regional peace. It is called diplomacy.
  
  Every few months the

  … Read More »
• September 15, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  The Stability of the Gulf is now a Global Responsibility
  

  The body of water that separates the UAE from Iran forms what is unquestionably the world's most strategically important sea. It has had several names throughout history, reflecting the

  … Read More »
• September 04, 2008 / By Emile El-Hokayem
  Sarkozy courts Syria but who will benefit other than Assad?
  

  The foray of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy into Middle East diplomacy has been called many things: a pure act of vanity by an intensely egotistic person; opportunism in a void

  … Read More »
• July 14, 2008 / By Ellen Laipson
  America and the Emerging Iraqi Reality: New Goals, No Illusions
  

  It is time for a new policy in Iraq, to recalibrate America’s equities and engagement there. The current administration is tied to its policy, knowing that the president’s historic

  … Read More »
• June 18, 2008 / By Ellen Laipson
  Negotiating Security Arrangements with Iraq: Easier Said than Done
  

  The leadership in both Iraq and the United States agree on many things regarding Iraq’s security and America’s role in it. Both Prime Minister Maliki and his key ministers and the Bush

  … Read More »
• April 01, 2008
  Security threats in Iraq and the impact of U.S army withdrawal
  

  The United States forces in Iraq play a major and vital role in stabilizing the security environment in the country, hence to provide the appropriate environment to start the process of

  … Read More »
• February 15, 2008 / By Ellen Laipson
  Don’t Declare Victory
  

  This article was initially published in The American Interest for its March-April 2008 issue.

  The 2008 definition of “winning” in Iraq is more about security narrowly construed than

  … Read More »