Middle East

Congress Avoids Clash on Iran Sanctions But Road Ahead Uncertain

By Barbara Slavin

Congress appears poised to give the Barack Obama administration some early Christmas gifts as it finishes its work for the year. A bipartisan group of lawmakers from the House and Senate on Tuesday reached a budget compromise that, if passed by both bodies, would avert the threat of another government shutdown in early 2014. Meanwhile, a […]

Saving Syria’s Children

By Frederic C. Hof

Last night on December 11, 2013 Ambassador Frederic C. Hof delivered opening remarks at the US premier of BBC’s Panorama film Saving Syria’s Children hosted by the Embassy of the United Kingdom.

Let’s Fix This: Building a Better US-Gulf Partnership

At a time when Gulf concerns about the recent US nuclear deal with Iran are high, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted a luncheon with a select group of leading Gulf analysts, US government officials, and foreign government representatives on the state […]

Getting to Zero in the Middle East

By Bilal Y. Saab

As Syria dismantles its chemical weapons infrastructure and Iran places verifiable limitations on its nuclear program for the next six months and potentially longer, an opportunity for further progress on the elusive goal of ridding the Middle East of all weapons of mass destruction (WMD) presents itself. While old challenges remain and new ones have […]

Egypt’s New Constitution: Fulfilling the Revolution’s Goals?

On December 11, 2013, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted a discussion of Egypt’s draft constitution with Nathan Brown of George Washington University and Sahar Aziz of Texas A&M University School of Law. The Hariri Center’s Deputy Director for Regional Programs Mirette F. Mabrouk moderated the discussion.

Syria: Geneva and the Alternative to the Assad Regime

By Frederic C. Hof

If the Geneva peace conference scheduled for January 22, 2014 features a credible proposal by the Syrian opposition for a transitional governmental alternative to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the conference itself can contribute to the end of corruptly brutal clan rule in Syria.

Syria: Kerry’s Chance for a Pivot to Humanitarian Access at Geneva

By Matthew Hall

January 22, the latest in a long string of dates penciled-in for Geneva II, is six weeks from today. Hotel rooms are being booked in Montreux, Russian and Iranian ministers are meeting to plot their game plan, and the opposition Syrian National Council has agreed—under great duress and with several preconditions—to attend the peace talks.

Yemen’s Economy Needs Action Now

By Danya Greenfield & Stefanie A. Hausheer

On the heels of a major attack against Yemen’s defense ministry last Thursday, it is easy to focus on the dire security situation and the connection between the current political stalemate in the National Dialogue with the uptick in violence and attacks on government officials and institutions.

Key Questions on Egypt’s Upcoming Constitutional Referendum

As Egypt prepares to go to a constitutional referendum in January, details have begun to emerge on party positions on the constitution, security measures for the referendum, and who will be monitoring in Egypt’s polling stations. With the final draft of the constitution submitted to interim president Adly Mansour, he has 30 days to call […]