With curated multimedia series focused on hard hitting issues such climate change as well as current events, MENASource seeks to explore all facets of life in the region as affected by political, security, economic, and cultural issues.

Of particular focus and interest are the minorities, women, and the youth populations across the region and how they are affected by the changing environments.

The views expressed in MENASource are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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The Potential for Decentralization in Libya

MENASource
Aug 25, 2025

Dispatch from Syria’s Christian strongholds: A new government, a full political spectrum

The conditions of Christian communities across the country remain varied, with the opinions of religious and community leaders deeply mixed.

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The Potential for Decentralization in Libya

MENASource
Aug 5, 2025

Did the Israel-Iran war expose China’s Middle East policy?

By
Andrea Ghiselli

The region’s importance in Beijing’s foreign policy is limited and, thus, not much energy and resources are invested in long-term planning.

China
Iran

The Potential for Decentralization in Libya

MENASource
Jul 31, 2025

Beyond tariffs: Building a win-win relationship between the US and Iraq

By
Ahmed Tabaqchali

Iraq is among the countries to face a 30 percent tariff starting August 1 on its exports to the United States.

Energy Markets & Governance
Iraq

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Content

MENASource

Jun 26, 2017

The Potential for Decentralization in Libya

By Karim Mezran, Elissa Miller, and Emelie Chace-Donahue

Libya today is close to being considered a failed state. The political system is stalled and authority is divided between an internationally recognized government, the Presidential Council and Government of National Accord (PC/GNA) in Tripoli and the House of Representatives (HoR) in Tobruk. Power is fragmented among myriad militias and armed groups, each one controlling […]

Libya

MENASource

Jun 22, 2017

Defeating ISIS in Libya

By MENASource

While the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) has been routed out of its Libyan stronghold in the city of Sirte, the 2017 Manchester bombing, which was perpetrated by a duel British and Libyan citizen, demonstrated that Libya remains a fertile ground for ISIS and other extremist groups. On June 20, 2017, the Rafik Hariri Center […]

Libya

MENASource

Jun 21, 2017

Expert Commentary on the Appointment of Mohammed bin Salman as Saudi’s New Crown Prince

By MENASource

On June 21, 2017 Saudi Arabia’s king appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, as crown prince, replacing the king’s nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef, as first in line to the throne. Bin Salman, who is just 31 years old, is known as an ambitious member of the royal family who wields an unprecedented amount of power […]

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Jun 21, 2017

Libya: A Political and Economic Trainwreck

By Mohsin Khan and Karim Mezran

Libya is in a Catch-22 situation—political agreement cannot be reached without economic improvement and political stability is necessary to revive the economy. Turning the economy around is contingent on oil production and exports coming back on line, at least in its initial phase. In order to produce and export at full capacity, the country requires […]

Libya

MENASource

Jun 19, 2017

Report Summary “Wilting in the Kurdish Sun: The Hopes and Fears of Religious Minorities in Northern Iraq”

By Emelie Chace-Donahue

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recently published its 2017 report on Iraqi Kurdistan, for which the commission conducted in-field interviews with minority community leaders and spokesmen over several months. The report highlights the successes of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) in upholding the freedoms of its religious and ethnic minorities yet also […]

Iraq

MENASource

Jun 19, 2017

Why Inflation is So High in Egypt

By Mohsin Khan and Elissa Miller

Over the past decade or so, Egypt has consistently experienced relatively high rates of inflation. But since the advent of the Arab Spring in 2011, the increase in consumer prices steadily accelerated. During 2011-2015, the average rate of inflation was close to ten percent a year, which was well above the corresponding rate of six […]

North Africa

MENASource

Jun 16, 2017

Reform is the Best Option for USAID

By Rao Komar

The Trump Administration intends to shrink the United States’ foreign aid budget in 2018, cutting the amount of money available for foreign development and humanitarian aid. President Trump’s proposed cuts come amid a shift to national security focused foreign policy, known by the administration as the “America First” policy. Under this framework, money currently allocated […]

MENASource

Jun 13, 2017

The Rift with Qatar as Seen in Riyadh

By Mohammed Alyahya

What US security agencies now consider a hack of Qatar’s news agency ostensibly sent the GCC into a diplomatic whirlwind. The fallout was swift, and reconciliation remains elusive. As Kuwait, the UN General Secretary, and others try to mediate between the two sides, it is worth asking what Saudi Arabia, as the central power behind […]

Saudi Arabia The Gulf

MENASource

Jun 8, 2017

Factbox: Migrant Workers and the Qatar Rift

By Emelie Chace-Donahue

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar amid accusations of supporting terrorism. The Gulf countries closed off borders and airspace to Qatar, and deported Qatari nationals living in their countries, while Qatar’s stock markets plunged in the wake of the rift. The immediate effects on Qatari […]

North Africa The Gulf

MENASource

Jun 7, 2017

Despite Successive Blows, Muslim Sisters Keep the Brotherhood Alive

By Abdelrahman Youssef

In a continuation of their confrontation with the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian authorities arrested two Muslim Sisters, Dr. Hana Badr al-Din and Sara Abdul Moneim, during their visit to al-Qanater prison with the family of one of its prisoners. Recently, the Brotherhood’s Fund Inventory Committee has included the names of several women with relatives among […]

North Africa
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