Middle East

The Final Mubarak Trial [+INFOGRAPHIC]

By Khaled Dawoud

The drama of the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak, which first began in August 2011 appears to finally have an end in sight. On June 4, Egypt’s highest Court of Cassation rejected a decision by the Appeals Court to drop the charges against Mubarak on technicality. Instead, it said Mubarak should be retried alone […]

An Opportunity Emerges in Syria

By Faysal Itani

June 9 brought some rare good news from Syria, for both the Syrian insurgency and the country’s future writ large. On June 9, an insurgent offensive led by the rebel Southern Front’s 1st Army, a coalition of nationalist units, overran a major regime position in the southern province of Deraa.

ISIL, Iraq, and Syria: The Strategy Challenge

By Frederic C. Hof

Once again, President Barack Obama is taking grief for having committed truth on the subject of strategy: this time acknowledging the incompleteness thereof in the context of training the Iraqi national army.

Why Iran’s Plan B in Syria Will Not Work

By Hanin Ghaddar

Earlier this month, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (ICRG) Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani made a surprise visit to Syria near the frontlines outside Latakia, where he vowed that upcoming developments in Syria will soon “surprise” the world.

How the United States Can Help Save Palmyra

By Matthew Hall

If the United States and its partners are serious about defeating the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) they must deny the terror group a major source of its funding: proceeds from the illegal antiquities trade.

One Year On: Security Under Sisi

By EgyptSource

The security situation in Egypt has shown little signs of improvement since the election of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. While the army continues to conduct vigorous counter terror operations in Sinai, targeting Egypt’s most active militant group, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, the attacks have shown no signs of abating.  

Egypt’s Africa Pivot

In a move which would establish the continent’s largest free trade area, Egypt has signed an agreement with twenty-five other African countries to form a “Cape to Cairo” Free Trade Zone. Integrating the three economic zones of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the Southern African Development Community, and the East African Community, […]

Progress and Pitfalls in Tunisia’s Democratic Transition

By Rafik Hariri Center

On June 3, 2015, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a roundtable to asses Tunisia’s current political and security situation and the challenges ahead. Nonresident Fellow Dr. Haykel Ben Mahfoudh and Dr. Sarah Feuer of the Washington Institute of Near East Policy shared their insights. Hariri Center’s North Africa expert […]