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Middle East and North Africa

Special Collection on the Middle East

This complete work consists of several dozen essays spread out over 8 parts tackling the region’s conflicts and historical evolution, relating them to contemporary issues. Divided into distinct regions and critical issues, the Special Collection of the Middle East is your source to better understand this volatile region and to be prepared for what comes next.

Ignoring Defeat in the Middle East

Since the state of Israel was established in 1948, Arab countries and post-1979 revolution Iran have not acknowledged their defeats, preferring a policy of...

A Battle Damage Assessment of the Iranian Regime

Fighting between Israel and Iran has stopped – at least for now – and all sides are conducting battle damage assessments. Determining the extent...

Iran Conflict Puts Trans-Atlantic Ties to the Test

Fresh off a G7 meeting that exposed deep disagreements between the U.S. and Europe over trade and multilateralism, leaders of NATO countries are gathering...

Iran Hits Back but Avoids Provocation

In response to U.S. airstrikes on June 22 targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, Iran launched a missile barrage on June 23 against U.S. bases in...

War and the Constitution

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The U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities has raised an important constitutional issue. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the authority to declare war. It...

A Negotiated Path Out of the Israel-Iran War

Amid fears that the Israel-Iran war could escalate and draw in the United States, a potential pathway toward a negotiated settlement is becoming apparent....

How Israel Caught Iran Off-Guard

Ever since its establishment in 1948, Israel has been conscious of its precarious security situation, which is a result of its small geographic size...

Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Iran: Searching for the Significant

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The Ukrainian drone attack on Russia at the beginning of this month and the Israeli attack on Iran have some striking similarities. 1. Both attacks...

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Future of US Middle East Strategy

The Trump administration’s foreign policy is based on the principle that allies and partners will take the lead in securing their regions. In the...

The Myth of Saudi Political Stability

Saudi rulers often present the kingdom as an oasis of stability in a turbulent region. The reality, however, is far more complex. Since the...

Postwar Security in Gaza

The situation in Gaza is so untenable that the fighting will soon have to come to an end. This means that whatever remains of...

Different Outlooks on Trump’s Gulf Visit

U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention in March to visit and conclude trade deals with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar....

The US Shifts Course in the Red Sea Standoff

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the end of U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement. The decision followed a ceasefire agreement...

Saudi Arabia and US Strategy for the Middle East

The United States has upgraded Saudi Arabia’s international standing as part of Washington’s broader strategy to rebalance power in the Middle East. The Trump...

Israel’s Druze Policy and Dismantling of Syria

Since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime last December, Israel has carried out more than 500 airstrikes to prevent the former regime's weapons from...

America’s New Threat Assessment

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(click to enlarge) The 2025 Annual Threat Assessment from the U.S. Intelligence Community presents a detailed overview of a rapidly evolving threat landscape defined by...

Latest Posts

The meltdown of autocratic regimes currently underway in the Arab world has led to the growth of ungoverned spaces. The resulting vacuum is being dominated by armed Islamist non-state actors – in particular Salafist-jihadist militias.

The three non-Arab powers – Turkey, Iran and Israel – are trying to manage the regional commotion according to their national interests.

It was during the Cold War era that a deep ideological chasm in the Middle East began to coagulate. The struggle between those who adopted European secularism and those who crafted an ideology based on religious tradition had its roots in late 19th century Ottoman Empire. Roughly 100 years later, this struggle had polarized the region.

Read Regional Assessment

Read Assessment of Saudi Arabia

Read Assessment of Turkey

From our Forecast...

The Vienna nuclear talks will result in a settlement. The Israeli Air Force will not attack Iran’s nuclear sites.

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In China, Xi’s Rule Slowly Unravels

Over the past week, Chinese President Xi Jinping intensified his sweeping crackdown on public officials, expelling Vice Adm. Li Hanjun, chief of staff of...

Daily Memo: US, Iran to Revive Talks

Diplomatic revival. U.S. and Iranian officials will hold their first talks since Israel's assault on Iran's nuclear facilities last month "in the next week...

The Nearing Crisis of Demographics

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There are moments when I am exhausted by crises that come and go, and remember the next real existential crisis of humanity. It puts...

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