Middle East Programs Commentary & Analysis

Our blogs feature thoughtful reflections and opinions on current events in the Middle East & North Africa.

Through our Middle East Programs, the Atlantic Council works with allies and partners in Europe and the wider Middle East to protect US interests, build peace and security, and unlock the human potential of the region.

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Meet our blogs

MENASource

MENASource follows movements across the region and provides news and analysis on current events, including a platform for Middle Eastern perspectives, among others, on major issues—economic, political, security, cultural—that are at stake in the post-Arab Spring era.  

IranSource

IranSource provides a holistic look at Iran’s internal dynamics, global and regional policies, and posture through unique analysis of current events and long-term, strategic issues related to Iran.

All commentary & analysis

MENASource

Oct 29, 2019

NATO countries should help Egypt mitigate security challenge near Libyan border

By Amal Kandeel

Egypt is facing multiple security challenges for which a military solution is deficient. A complex interplay between internal and external challenges, as well as human and security challenges, is evident in western Egypt and within the area bordering Libya. The mix of harsh climatic conditions, inhospitable terrain, and lagging economic development, on one hand, and […]

Libya Middle East

Press and members call

Oct 28, 2019

Atlantic Council press call: The death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

By Atlantic Council

Atlantic Council experts respond to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and unpack its implications on the future of ISIS and US counterterrorism efforts going forward.

Middle East Security & Defense

MENASource

Oct 28, 2019

A highway linking Iraq and Syria becomes an opportunity for Tehran

By Caroline Rose

In the past month, the sands have shifted within the Levant’s political landscape. The United States has recalibrated its official policy in the region, choosing to draw down its special operations forces in northern Syria and thereby introducing a power vacuum in the region. After an offensive and brief ceasefire in northern Syria, Moscow and Ankara […]

Iran Iraq

New Atlanticist

Oct 28, 2019

Five takeaways from the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi

By William F. Wechsler

This is a serious but not fatal blow to the Islamic State, and the generational conflict against Salafi jihadist organizations is far from over. The Islamic State's center of gravity will increasingly be its narrative pull rather than its claim to represent a governing caliphate.

Conflict Extremism

MENASource

Oct 25, 2019

What do the new protests in Iraq mean?

By MENASource

Protests intensified in Iraq on Friday, as Iraqi security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd to disperse thousands of demonstrators.

Corruption Iraq

IranSource

Oct 24, 2019

What sanctions? An Iranian conference in Beirut just happened

By Lizzie Porter

IRGC or no IRGC, the New Horizon conference highlights the power of events billed as intellectual fora in spreading “axis of resistance” ideas on the Middle East.

Iran Middle East

MENASource

Oct 23, 2019

Israel needs a stable government, and fast

By Carmiel Arbit

Now that Prime Minister Netanyahu has failed to form a government, opposition leader Benny Gantz gets his turn.

Elections Israel

SyriaSource

Oct 23, 2019

What the Turkish-Russian deal in Syria means for Vladimir Putin

By Frederic C. Hof

The Kremlin stands to reap significant rewards from its agreement with Turkey on Syria.

Politics & Diplomacy Syria

New Atlanticist

Oct 21, 2019

Bipartisanship on Syria: Episode or enduring?

By Frederic C. Hof

Donald Trump has, quite unintentionally, made bipartisanship on Syria possible. He alone will determine whether this is a brief, passing episode or an enduring reality. He alone will determine whether bipartisanship will facilitate a sensible policy in Syria.

Syria

MENASource

Oct 21, 2019

Egypt’s latest protests are an alarm bell for Sisi

By Alessia Melcangi and Giuseppe Dentice

Other waves of protests could create serious consequences for the economic sector and for political stability. This is the main challenge for the president, but it is also an important testing ground for the resilience of this peculiar stratocratic system.

Corruption Macroeconomics
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