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 […]

Foreign Ministers to Address Growing Turmoil Along NATO’s Borders

By Jens Stoltenberg, NATO

We will keep NATO strong and we will help keep our neighborhood stable. Because if our neighborhood is stable we will be more secure.