MENASource

As the MENA region continues to be the epicenter of news headlines, the Atlantic Council’s MENASource is a hub for thought-provoking and hard-hitting analyses about the latest trends, ideas, and debates. This online publication provides fast reactions and in-depth commentary on breaking news and key regional topics by a diverse team of experts and contributors.

Content

MENASource

Apr 8, 2015

Top News: US Expedites Arms Shipments to Saudi Arabia

By MENASource

The United States is speeding up arms supplies and bolstering intelligence sharing with a Saudi-led alliance bombing a militia aligned with Iran in neighboring Yemen, US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

MENASource

Apr 8, 2015

Top News: Dialogue Meeting to Discuss Egypt Parliament Law Reforms Hampered by Disagreement

By EgyptSource

A meeting aimed at eliminating constitutional gridlock standing in the way of Egypt’s long-delayed parliamentary elections ended abruptly on Tuesday. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ibrahim al-Heneidy said that Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab was forced to end the meeting with political parties and other national figures after verbal clashes erupted among the attendees.

MENASource

Apr 8, 2015

EconSource: Libya’s Rival Forces Warn Tobruk Government Against Independent Oil Sales

By EconSource

Libyan forces opposed to the country’s internationally recognized government in Tobruk have warned it that any attempts to export oil independently would force them to take military action to seize oil ports and facilities.

MENASource

Apr 8, 2015

US-Iran: Deal or No Deal, This Is Not the Question

By Hanin Ghaddar

The June 30 deadline will make or break the US-Iran nuclear deal. Until then, the preliminary accord, its interpretation, and implementation will be the center of attention for all stakeholders. However, less attention will be given to the developments in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon.

Iran Iraq

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

The US-Iran Nuclear Agreement: It’s not the Details, It’s the Context

By Faysal Itani

The public debate over the US-Iran nuclear deal’s merits has largely focused on its technical details, protocols, and simplistic generalizations about Iranian goodwill (or lack thereof). But equally important are the geopolitical and strategic environments in which a deal is reached and US conduct in negotiations.

Iran Syria

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

Iran: All About Nukes?

By Frederic C. Hof

Imagine a fistfight between a National Football League lineman and say, a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council. Imagine the lineman, after effortlessly decking the Senior Fellow, offering a second round, but with one key difference: each fighter would be armed with a .38 Special.

Iran Syria

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

Top News: Houthis Claim to Have Seized Weapons Meant for Pro-Hadi Forces

By MENASource

Weapons dropped from the air by the Saudi-led coalition for popular committees fighting the Houthis in Aden have fallen into Houthi hands, according to the Houthis.

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

Top News: Prime Minister says Elections to be Held before Ramadan

By EgyptSource

Prime Minister Mahlab said in a phone call to Al Nahar TV on Monday that parliamentary elections could be held before the beginning of Ramadan.

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

EconSource: Kuwait Fund to Lend Egypt $1.5 billion Over the Next Five Years

By EconSource

The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development plans to lend Egypt $1.5 billion over the next five years, extending $300 million each year, the fund’s Director-General has said. He did not provide details of the loans. The fund is the Kuwaiti government’s agency for aiding developing countries in areas including agriculture, transport, and energy. Kuwait, […]

MENASource

Apr 7, 2015

War in Yemen Could Mean Peace in Libya

By Karim Mezran

With the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) wreaking havoc in the Levant, Syria reeling from a devastating civil war, and a political crisis in Libya devolving into an entrenched armed conflict, ultimately it was the Houthi takeover in Yemen that galvanized a pan-Arab coalition and military intervention.

Libya North Africa