Erdogan’s Iraq play: A bigger game than oil
There is an easy way to read Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s decision to host Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi in Ankara on July 28, and to call the visit “historic”: as an energy...
Sunni Islam
Saudis gravitate toward Middle East basket cases when it should join US’ fight against Iran
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reportedly called President Trump on Saturday and implored him to hold off on striking the Islamic Republic of Iran. Trump acquiesced and punted...
Op-eds
Syria’s leader charms the world, crushes the Druze. Israel should be wary
Sharaa seems to be a pragmatic diplomat, but before pursuing warmer ties, Jerusalem needs guarantees that he will stop repressing his minority citizens
Op-eds
Suwayda’s Struggle
Syria’s Druze are trapped between Israeli protection and Damascus’s rule.
Op-eds
The Illusion of Representation in Syria’s New Parliament
Outside Syria’s parliament building in Damascus, lawmakers filed past the stone façade for the chamber’s first session since Bashar al-Assad’s fall. Inside, the freshly minted lawmakers stood to...
Op-eds
Lebanon Seeks Turkey’s Help To Avoid Acting Against Hezbollah
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted a strong interest in his neighbors’ affairs last month, declaring that, “Turkey’s security does not begin in Hatay [in southern Turkey], but rather...
Policy Briefs
Between Iraq and a Hard Place
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, only two months into his term, has a busy month of foreign engagements. In early July, he received the body of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei which was visiting Iraq’s...
Op-eds
Body of slain Iranian leader Khamenei arrives in Iraq for Najaf and Karbala rites
The body of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was taken to the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on July 8 as part of his funeral procession. Large crowds gathered to mourn the slain leader...
Op-eds
Iraq launches corruption crackdown, sets deadline for militia weapons handover
Iraq launched a series of raids targeting corrupt politicians and officials on June 28. “Elite Counter Terrorism Service units raided homes inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone...
Op-eds
Don’t Let Turkey Hijack the NATO Summit
NATO leaders must make it clear to Turkey that it cannot be a NATO member and pursue a foreign policy that undermines the alliance.
Op-eds
Don’t Invite Syria Back Into Lebanon
Washington is contemplating the one thing that could rally Lebanese around Hezbollah.
Op-eds
Europe is writing itself out of the Middle East
The case for suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement on grounds of human rights is a powerful argument – as long as one doesn't look at what else Europe is doing in the region
Op-eds
Reopening the Strait Is Now Job One in the Iran War
The regime has concluded that the ability to control the route is its ticket to survival and rejuvenation.
Op-eds
Lebanon Must Reform its Army or Lose American Aid
Washington is working on establishing a system “where vetted units within the Lebanese Armed Forces [LAF] have the training, the equipment, and the capability to go after elements of Hezbollah and dismantle...
Op-eds
All quiet on the Lebanese front?
Hezbollah is not just Israel’s enemy
Op-eds
What Victory Looks Like When Your Foe Won’t Surrender
The U.S. can win without Iran acknowledging it lost
Op-eds
Iraq focuses on political appointees, economic challenges amid Iran ceasefire
On April 14, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani met with French Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Durrel. “Mr. Al-Sudani emphasized the necessity for major powers to exert utmost efforts to curb escalation...
Op-eds
Plot to Kill Damascus Rabbi Highlights Hezbollah’s Goal To Destabilize Syria
During former dictator Bashar al-Assad’s rule, Hezbollah used Syria as a launchpad for weapons smuggling into Lebanon. Today, even after the fall of Assad’s regime, the group is still working to destabilize...
Policy Briefs
The “Lebanese Street” Warms up to Normalization with Israel
A surprising poll offers real hope for normalization between Lebanon and Israel. Conducted by an anti-Western, anti-Israel website with a sample of 500 respondents, the survey found that only 42 percent...