Featured commentary & analysis


Counterterrorism Study Group

The Counterterrorism Study Group is a forum for former counterterrorism officials to review the latest threats, to understand emerging trends and future predictions, and to explore creative new proposals for improving the effectiveness of current policies and operations.


Podcast series

Listen to the latest episode of the China-MENA podcast, featuring conversations with academics, government leaders, and the policy community on China’s role in the Middle East.


Gulf Security Task Force

The Gulf Security Task Force is revisiting the question of how to best protect US interests in this sensitive, always relevant region. Our goal is to provide US decision-makers with an updated, fact-based strategy for protecting US interests in the air and maritime domain from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, and ensuring Gulf partners’ ability to assume this responsibility, with the assistance and leadership of the United States.

Content

New Atlanticist

Aug 1, 2017

Will the Trump Administration Address the GCC-North Korea Nexus?

By Giorgio Cafiero and Theodore Karasik

Several recent articles on North Korea’s relationship with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have drawn this Northeast Asian country into an ongoing crisis within the bloc. From Washington’s perspective, GCC-North Korea relations threaten to undermine US efforts to isolate Pyongyang and squeeze it economically in response to its belligerent behavior marked by the recent […]

International Organizations Korea

In the News

Jul 31, 2017

El Sirgany in CNN: Quartet Says Qatar Talks Possible But No Concessions

By Sarah El Sirgany

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

MENASource

Jul 28, 2017

Religious Tensions Underlying the GCC Rift

By H. A. Hellyer

The speed at which poor relations between Qatar and several Gulf Co-operation Council states escalated was astonishing. It was only a few weeks ago that the Qatari Emir had been invited to Riyadh as part of the grand “Arab-Islamic-American Summit.” But in the space of a few days, the GCC has faced the largest set […]

Saudi Arabia The Gulf

In the News

Jul 27, 2017

LeBaron in The Cipher Brief: Kuwait Sees No Benefit from Gulf Sqaubbling

By Richard LeBaron

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

In the News

Jul 27, 2017

LeBaron Quoted by the Cipher Brief on Kuwait’s Role in Gulf Diplomatic Row

By Richard LeBaron

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

MENASource

Jul 24, 2017

America’s Disconnect on the Qatar Crisis

By Sam Fouad

One of the more overlooked effects of the souring of relations between Qatar and many of its neighbors is the potential for the diminishing of America’s military prowess in the region, and the hindrance of its fight against the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh). This is magnified due to the presence of the al-Udeid airbase […]

The Gulf

In the News

Jul 20, 2017

Alyahya Quoted in The Wall Street Journal on Saudi Arabia’s New Security Apparatus

By Mohammed Alyahya

Read the full article here.

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Jul 20, 2017

Is Saleh Diplomatically Outmaneuvering the Houthis?

By Anthony Biswell

As the Yemen conflict shows no signs of abating, will former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s recent attempts to reach out to Saudi Arabia be taken seriously? A number of key events suggest that Saleh’s attempts to reach out to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members reveal a change in tactics for the long-standing politician.

Yemen

New Atlanticist

Jul 19, 2017

A Widening Gulf

By Owen Daniels

Qatar crisis creates a headache for the United States Nearly two months in, the diplomatic crisis between the Arab Gulf states is growing ever more complicated. The July 16 Washington Post report that cites unnamed US intelligence officials as claiming that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) precipitated the diplomatic row with Qatar by hacking Qatari […]

International Organizations Iran

In the News

Jul 19, 2017

Alyahya Quoted in The National on Arab Countries’ Six Principles for Qatar

By Mohammed Alyahya

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

Experts