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MENASource

Apr 15, 2016

In Year of Summits, Weighing the Benefits and Challenges of NATO-GCC Cooperation

By Owen Daniels

The passports of high-ranking NATO and GCC officials seem to tell a tale of impending dialogue in the coming days. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s recent flights to Kuwait, the UAE, and Washington, and Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al-Zayani’s visit to Brussels presage talk of the GCC working with NATO […]

International Organizations NATO

MENASource

Apr 14, 2016

President Obama and GCC Leaders: Let’s Talk about Jobs

By Richard LeBaron

When President Barack Obama meets his Gulf Cooperation counterparts in Riyadh on April 21, he will yet again reassure them about the US commitment to Gulf security and once again they will work through a litany of regional issues, focusing on Syria, Yemen, and Iran.  There is little expectation of startling results, and given the […]

International Organizations North Africa

MENASource

Apr 13, 2016

The United States Has No Gulf Allies

By Bilal Y. Saab

The word “ally” is used far too casually in Washington’s Middle East lexicon. It’s time to break this bad habit, because the truth is that with the exception of Turkey—a NATO member—the United States does not share a single alliance with any Middle Eastern country. As the US-GCC summit in Riyadh approaches, understanding what really constitutes an alliance […]

International Organizations Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Apr 13, 2016

Rebalancing International Forces to Safely Carry out Their Mission in Egypt’s Sinai

By Zack Gold

Amid deteriorating security in North Sinai, a Pentagon spokesperson acknowledged on April 12 that the Obama administration is reviewing options to minimize exposure of international peacekeeping forces to a growing threat in the peninsula. Despite unprecedented security relations between Israel and Egypt, both insist on the importance of the Multinational Forces and Observers (MFO); and […]

Israel North Africa

MENASource

Apr 13, 2016

Working in Tandem on Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

From the beginning of the Syrian crisis Washington and key GCC players have approached the problem with fundamentally differing priorities inspired by one key player: Iran. For Riyadh in particular, the salient feature of Syria’s agony and destruction has been Tehran’s aggressive, aggrandizing reach into the Arab world. For Washington, reaching a nuclear agreement with […]

International Organizations Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Apr 12, 2016

He Offered Us Bread In Exchange For Freedom: A Documentary on Nasser

By MENASource

Nasser’s Republic: The Making of Modern Egypt begins with footage of Gamal Abdel Nasser visiting the Aswan High Dam for the first time. The cheering crowds seen in the footage are a common sight in the documentary about Abdel Nasser, a polarizing figure in Egypt’s history. As Galal Amin puts it, “Many people would attribute […]

North Africa

MENASource

Apr 12, 2016

Q&A: The Egypt-Saudi Island Deal

By Margaret Suter

During King Salman’s recent visit to Cairo, Saudi Arabia and Egypt signed several investment agreements and cooperative deals, including a 60 billion Saudi Riyal investment fund. Among the more notable elements of the bilateral agreements are a proposed bridge that would link Saudi Arabia and Egypt through the Red Sea, and Egypt’s decision to cede […]

North Africa Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Apr 8, 2016

The GNA Goes to Tripoli

By Mohamed Eljarh

The Presidential Council of Libya’s UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) arrived to the capital Tripoli on March 30 aboard a navy vessel after failing to fly into Tripoli twice. Since its arrival in the capital Tripoli, the Council has managed to consolidate its position as the internationally backed executive branch of government, but the […]

Libya

MENASource

Apr 8, 2016

Egyptian Social Democratic Party Elections Highlight a Deep Rift

By Khaled Dawoud

Amid serious political divisions, the Egyptian Social Democratic Party (ESDP) elected a new president in early April. The party still faces many challenges, with personal rivalries running deep among ESDP leaders.

North Africa

MENASource

Apr 5, 2016

The Regeni Case: What to Expect at the Rome Meeting

By MENASource

Egyptian investigators are heading to Rome on Wednesday to hand over evidence in the investigation into the murder of Italian researcher Giulio Regeni. The postponement of the meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has led to further criticisms of Egypt’s handling of the case by Italian officials.

Italy North Africa