Middle East

A New Sinai Battle? Bedouin Tribes and Egypt’s ISIS Affiliate

By Mokhtar Awad and Mostafa Abdou

Recent developments in Sinai have once again raised the specter of a “tribal awakening” to rid the region of jihadists. Talk in recent years of armed tribal action against jihadists is not new and has generally gone nowhere, but a number of dynamics may make this moment different. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, (ABM), an Islamic State […]

Turkey’s Role in a Shifting Syria

By Aaron Stein

In recent weeks, a Turkish backed umbrella group dubbed Jaysh al-Fateh has taken control of Idlib, prompting speculation that the group’s recent advance could mark a turning point in the war.

Assessing Iran’s Strategy Toward the Arab World

By Richard LeBaron

Richard LeBaron delivered the following remarks at a discussion hosted by the Middle East Institute in Washington DC on March 27, 2015.

A New Saudi Foreign Policy for a New Era

By Bilal Y. Saab

Bilal Y. Saab spoke to a military audience at the National Defense University’s Near East and South Asia Center on May 5, 2015. Please read his remarks below. 

GCC No-Shows ‘Another Unfortunate Milestone’ in US-Gulf Ties

Leaders wanted more than ‘just a statement and more weapons sales’ out of Camp David summit, says Atlantic Council’s Pavel The decision by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and three other Arab leaders to skip a May 14 summit with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders at Camp David reflects deep unhappiness among Washington’s Gulf partners over […]

The Gulf Gulf

By Thomas O. Melia

When President Barack Obama welcomes leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to Camp David later this week for the rare honor of a two-day gathering at the presidential retreat, he will be hosting representatives of an unusual collection of hereditary monarchies.

Iran’s Influence is Tied to Assad’s Future

By Nicholas Blanford

A string of defeats for the regime of President Bashar al-Assad since late March in north and south Syria has broken the stalemate that existed for more than a year and potentially opens up space for the West and its regional partners in the Arab world to pursue a negotiated solution to a war now […]