Middle East

Syria: What Does the President Really Want?

By Frederic C. Hof

President Barack Obama’s West Point commencement address seemed to signal, albeit ambiguously, a new direction in US policy toward Syria: one in which “the president will seek the support of Congress in arming, training, and equipping Syrian rebels.” But not so fast. In a subsequent background briefing an unnamed senior administration official said that what […]

Algeria Needs Reform Strategy to Avoid Upheaval

Just weeks after Algeria’s sitting President Abdulaziz Bouteflika was confirmed to serve a fourth term in an election highly criticized by the opposition, the question is raised: what are the prospects for economic and political reform in the North African country in light of mounting economic pressures?

Egypt Will Greet New President with Economic Crises

By Mohsin Khan

As Egypt concludes its latest presidential election, its new leader will have no choice but to address the country’s looming and deep-seated economic woes. With macroeconomic indicators tanking since the uprising in 2011, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi–all but officially announced as the winner of the top post–will have to grapple with rising inflation, widespread unemployment, […]

Defense Cooperation in the Arabian Gulf

In his commencement address to West Point graduates today, President Obama described his vision of a foreign policy that is founded not only upon a strong military but also by a web of alliances and partnerships that better position the United States as a global leader. Allies and partners, like those of the GCC countries, […]

The Challenge of Federalism in Yemen

As Yemen’s Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) begins to work out the details of the country’s proposed federal system, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East launched “The Challenge of Federalism in Yemen,” an issue brief by nonresident fellow Rafat Al-Akhali. Al-Akhali traveled from Sana’a, Yemen to Washington for a discussion on May […]