Middle East

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 […]

Syria: President Obama At West Point

By Frederic C. Hof

In his graduation ceremony remarks of May 28 at the United States Military Academy, President Obama implied an explicit new policy direction with respect to Syria. The president announced that he would call on Congress “to support a new Counter-Terrorism Partnership Fund of up to $5 billion, which will allow us to train, build capacity, […]

Egyptian Elections: First Conclusions

By Mohamed El Dahshan

A military brass band in a polling station, the right to draw little hearts on official ballots, one explosion, and an unplanned day off: as the voting in Egypt’s twenty-first day of national elections since 2011 ends, there were only a few surprises but some preliminary conclusions can already be made.

Three Immediate Economic Problems Sisi Must Tackle

By Mohsin Khan

The next Egyptian president, who by all accounts will be Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is going to inherit an economy in distress. All of Egypt’s main macroeconomic indicators have gone south since the uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak in January 2011.