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

MENASource

Sep 22, 2016

Neither Washington Nor Riyadh’s Peace Plans Will Work in Yemen

By Bilal Y. Saab

On May 1, 2003, then-President George W. Bush stood in front of a large crowd aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of San Diego and famously pronounced with a draped “Mission Accomplished” banner behind him the end of US combat operations in Iraq. The declaration, it turned out, was wildly premature, for Washington’s […]

Saudi Arabia Yemen

In the News

Sep 20, 2016

Seznec Joins NPR to Discuss the the Future of the Saudi Arabian Oil Industry

By Jean-François Seznec

Listen to the full interview here.

Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Sep 19, 2016

Competing Politics and Claims of Sunnism

By H.A. Hellyer

This Hajj season, the modern religious culture wars among Muslims were prominent again, and are set to continue. With the Syrian quagmire deepening, such conflicts have deep consequences; one could imagine a way to traverse through that set of profoundly sectarian questions – but the answers are acutely political. Without that political settlement – which […]

Iran Saudi Arabia

In the News

Sep 16, 2016

Vakhshouri Joins BBC to Discuss Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Oil

By Sara Vakhshouri

Listen to the full discussion here.

Russia Saudi Arabia

MENASource

Sep 9, 2016

Will Increased US Attention on Yemen Help End the War?

By Jillian Schwedler

US Secretary of State John Kerry met two weeks ago with Gulf Cooperation Council representatives, officials from the United Kingdom, and the UN special envoy in Jeddah to discuss the war in Yemen and the desperate need to advance the peace talks. He pledged $189 million in humanitarian aid and called for a new peace initiative.  […]

Yemen

In the News

Sep 9, 2016

LeBaron Quoted by Rudaw on Iran-Saudi Proxy Wars

By Richard LeBaron

Read the full article here.

Iran Saudi Arabia

In the News

Sep 3, 2016

The National Covers Atlantic Council Event on Youth in the Middle East

By Atlantic Council

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

In the News

Sep 2, 2016

The National Features Atlantic Council Event with the UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs

By Atlantic Council

Read the full article here.

The Gulf

Defense Industrialist

Sep 1, 2016

On earnings and cash

By James Hasik

Do the compensation schemes for top management teams in the defense industry incentivize the right goals? Federal contracts lawyer Jim McAleese recently covered the briefing by Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics, at the Jefferies Investors Conference on August 9. His first point: “General Dynamics’ senior team is paid based on ‘earnings and cash,’ which […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

MENASource

Aug 18, 2016

Yemen Talks at a Standstill

By Daniel DePetris

The month-long break in UN-facilitated Yemeni peace talks announced on August 6 wasn’t a surprise; indeed, it was preordained and widely expected. But this doesn’t make the relative breakdown in the negotiations any easier for the international community and the UN Security Council to stomach.  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called upon the parties to […]

Yemen

Experts