Politics

Erdogan Visits the White House

2019-11-18

Although a NATO partner, Turkey has purchased the Russian air defense system. And, Turkey and the US stand on different sides when it comes to Syria.

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The US no longer matters in Syria

2019-11-03

Fundamentally, the ceasefire, assumes the U.S. still matters in Syria. It does not.

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American Military’s Shifting Doctrine

2019-10-27

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, US military thought has focused on small scale conflicts, not the major wars. As a result, the US military evolved away from a major land army

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Brexit and the Failure of Journalism

2019-10-24

Poor coverage of Britains withdrawal from the European Union risks creating a democratic deficit and storing up resentment for the future.

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The Geopolitical Stakes in Iraq

2019-10-22

Russia has steadily inserted itself into Iraqs military, energy, and educational sectors, and these relationships could turn Baghdad further away from the United States now that the Trump administration has ceded Syria to Moscow.

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Abdul Mahdi pressured into staying in office

2019-10-20

Political parties behind Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi pressure him to not resign.

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India’s Democratic Dictatorship

2019-09-24

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indias character is being transformed by a government with no regard for institutions

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Turkey on a Tightrope

2019-09-22

Ankara is dealing with the United States and Russia, but what is defining this treacherous triangle?

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Operating in the ‘Gray Zone’ to Counter Iran

2019-09-22

The best way to counter Irans asymmetric strategy in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere is a U.S. gray zone strategy

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Back to Little England?

2019-09-19

The United Kingdoms bid to withdraw from the European Union is typically characterized as a dramatic manifestation of British nationalism.

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Much More Than a Border

2019-09-16

Albukamal and Qaim lie on a Syrian-Iraqi boundary that has had regional implications for decades.

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Is the 21st Century the Chinese Century – or not?

2019-09-16

It has become common for people to refer to the 21st Century as the Chinese Century, much as many called the 20th Century as the American Century.

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Bolton Out at National Security Council

2019-09-16

On Tuesday, National Security Advisor John Bolton was fired by President Trump or he resigned, depending on who one believes.

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Is Iran Negotiating Its Way to Negotiations?

2019-09-05

While Tehrans internal debate about engagement with Washington intensifies, its words and actions already seem to be shaping even unintentionally the terms of any future talks.

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Is Salafism making comeback in Egypt?

2019-09-01

Egypts Ministry of Religious Endowments granted controversial Sheikh Yasser Borhami, vice president of the Salafist Call, a preaching permit for Friday sermons in Alexandria in August

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Division threatens Islamic Dawa after Maliki’s reelection

2019-08-26

The Islamic Dawa Party could on the verge of division after the reelection of Nouri al Maliki as its secretary-general

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America’s Superpower Panic

2019-08-15

History suggests that a global superpower in relative decline should aim for a soft landing, so that it still has a comfortable place in the world once its dominance fades. By contrast, US President Donald Trumps incoherent, confrontational approach towar

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Bahrain’s Perception Problem

2019-08-05

New demonstrations, executions, and diplomatic quarrels threaten to undermine the island’s efforts to improve its pro-Western profile amid the Iran crisis.

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Quieting the Home Front

2019-08-03

Saudi Arabia has used a variety of means to neutralize domestic opposition to the war in Yemen.

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Iran’s threats are an attempt to negotiate

2019-08-01

Iranian officials now appear to be negotiating and rather than using back-channels, they are doing it in plain sight.

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U.S. Senate Targets Saudi Nuclear Technology

2019-08-01

The bipartisan bill follows the revelation that a longtime Trump advisor was pushing for lucrative nuclear deals with Riyadh.

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Russia in the Gray Zone

2019-07-31

In its ongoing efforts to influence world affairs, Russia is waging campaigns both bloodless and bloody. A significant number of its tactics fall in the space between routine statecraft and direct and open warfare, a space sometimes referred to as the gra

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Why this political movement is turning its back on the Iraqi PM

2019-07-28

Ammar al-Hakims National Wisdom Movement, which once supported Adel Abdul Mahdi for the premiership, has turned against the prime minister, organizing protests against his government.

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Sanctions on Iraqi Political Figures: Shaping the Impact and Message

2019-07-22

The United States is now designating politicians who place personal or Iranian interests above the needs of the Iraqi people, but these efforts could go awry if locals don’t understand the justification or consequences.

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