Middle East

The United States and the Gulf States: Uncertain Partners in a Changing Region

Given the continued congruence of interests between the Gulf states and the United States and the potential for some Gulf states to play an even greater regional and global role, now is the time to reexamine the partnership and de-conflict interests. On February 7, Hariri Center senior fellow and retired US career diplomat Richard LeBaron […]

The US and the Gulf States: uncertain partners in a changing region

By Richard LeBaron

The Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East and the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security are pleased to release a new issue brief, “The United States and the Gulf States: Uncertain Partners in a Changing Region.” Senior Fellow Richard LeBaron evaluates the relationship between the United States and the Gulf states as they face […]

How Chokri Belaid’s Assassination Impacts the Tunisian Transition

By Eric Knecht

Once word spread of the assassination of Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid, an outspoken critic of the Ennahda Islamist party, thousands of Tunisians took to the streets calling for the fall of the Ennahda-led government. Although the death of Belaid is the immediate cause of unrest, pressure has been mounting on the Islamist ruling party […]

Women and Yemen’s Transition: Overcoming Obstacles

As Yemen prepares for the start of its National Dialogue conference, the Rafik Hariri Center and the US Institute of Peace hosted a discussion with former Yemeni Minister of Human Rights Amat Al Alim Alsoswa on January 30 to discuss the role of Yemeni women as the country continues its transition process.

Syria: Transitional Government and US Choices

By Frederic C. Hof

The prospect of the Syrian opposition forming a provisional or transitional government brings to the fore fundamental decisions for the United States: decisions that would have to be taken or openly reaffirmed before Syrian Opposition Coalition President Moaz al-Khatib visits Washington sometime in February. Washington’s enthusiasm for the emergence of a government offering an alternative […]

Yet Another Reason National Reconciliation in Libya Cannot Wait

By Karim Mezran

The famous Egyptian analyst and writer Mohamed Hassanein Heikal recently revived an old theory in an interview on Egyptian television: Egypt can claim a right to the fertile and oil-rich lands of the eastern Libyan provinces since millions of Egyptians are descendant from Libyan tribes that once lived on the Egyptian-Libyan border. Heikal also implied […]

Syria: Strategy for What?

By Frederic C. Hof

There has been no shortage of editorializing commentary laying out recommended strategies for the Obama administration to deal with the Syrian crisis since it began nearly two years ago. Although often well-written and soundly reasoned, many of these essays skirt the most pertinent definition of the word “strategy” offered by Webster’s: “the art of devising […]