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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.

Disrupted Oil Operations in the Persian Gulf

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(click to enlarge) Though oil prices have surged since the start of fighting in the Middle East, investors are still hopeful that the war will...

China’s Strategic Restraint in the Iran War

Despite the outbreak of war in the Middle East, high-level U.S. and Chinese trade negotiations are proceeding as planned. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,...

Russia’s Limited Gains From the Middle East War

The war in the Middle East and resulting restrictions on hydrocarbon supplies through the Strait of Hormuz appear to be working in Russia’s favor....

Iran After the War

U.S. President Donald Trump said March 3 that he thinks a "more moderate," popular figure who is already part of Iran's regime would be...

Economic Implications of the Iran Attacks

The economic fallout from U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran is starting to take shape. Iranian state media and senior officials from the Islamic...

An Early Military Analysis of the Iran Operation

The opening phase of Operation Epic Fury was a coordinated strike campaign aimed at disrupting Iran’s command continuity and degrading its retaliatory capability. Official...

First Thoughts on the Attack on Iran

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At about 9:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, the United States and Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. It did not seem to...

The Chokepoint at the Center of the US-Iran Standoff

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(click to enlarge) Brent crude prices have risen modestly in recent weeks, climbing into the low $70s after several months of relative stability. The move...

Israel in a New Strategic Era

With the weakening of Iran and its proxies beginning in late 2023, Israel largely neutralized the nonstate threats that had constrained it for decades,...

George Answers Your Questions: European Nuclear Umbrella, Risks of a United Europe

Munich Security Conference and Europe’s Future Feb. 16, 2026 Question: Although the Europeans have some nuclear capability of their own, it is utterly insufficient to dissuade...

Turkey’s Expanding Influence Around the Mediterranean and Red Sea

Partly propelled by its own strategic ambitions and partly facilitated by the shifting global posture of the United States, Turkey is methodically expanding its...

George Answers Your Questions: The US, Iran, Nukes and a 9/11 Scenario

The US, Iran, Nukes and a 9/11 Scenario Feb. 9, 2026 Question: I find it difficult to believe that Washington truly views the Iranian nuclear program...

Iran’s Future Hinges on IRGC-Artesh Power-Sharing

The future of Iran hinges on the evolving balance of power between its two parallel military institutions: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the...

US-Kurdish Relations: From ‘Betrayal’ to Disillusion

Last month, the U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said the role of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces as the primary fighting force against...

Iran’s Regime Is Headed for a Hard Landing

The 47th anniversary of Iran’s 1979 revolution is less than a week away, but instead of celebrating, the Islamic Republic is faced with an...

Daily Memo: Iran’s IRGC Set to Launch Drills

Iranian preparations. The naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will conduct live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 1-2, amid...

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.

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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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Latest Posts

Disrupted Oil Operations in the Persian Gulf

FREE
(click to enlarge) Though oil prices have surged since the start of fighting in the Middle East, investors are still hopeful that the war will...

Daily Memo: On US Weapons Supplies

Replenishing stocks. The Pentagon is reportedly planning to request funds from Congress to replenish munitions used against Iran. Missiles for the Patriot and THAAD...

China’s Strategic Restraint in the Iran War

Despite the outbreak of war in the Middle East, high-level U.S. and Chinese trade negotiations are proceeding as planned. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,...

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