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 their own contradictions, others have endured despite apparent adverse odds. And none of these alliances is as baffling as the one between Iran and Syria. On […]
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 crisis for the ruling family of Saudi Arabia. The theological and political challenge that Uteybi posed to the House of Saud was […]
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 the big policy shifts he intends to announce. And somewhere at the top of his priorities is Iran, this large and […]
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 political capital and resources in cultivating good relations. This is unsurprising given the vital role the Gulf plays in the global economy thanks to […]
Presidential Inbox 2009: Ellen Laipson on the Future of US Engagement
In this piece, Ellen Laipson, President of the Stimson Center and Director of the Southwest Asia/Gulf program, envisions the future of US engagement in Iraq.
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 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) releases a report assessing Iran’s nuclear status and progress. Within hours a dispute erupts between Iran and […]
The Stability of the Gulf is now a Global Responsibility
By Emile El-Hokayem – 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 dominant regional power of the day. Even its changing nicknames reveal much about the ever-altering geopolitics: “Arab pool”, “Persian pond”, and more […]
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 created by US diplomatic weakness; and boldness by a visionary statesman in time of regional uncertainty. Given Sarkozy’s polarising persona, it is no wonder […]