As the Trump administration prepares to revise its controversial entry restrictions, a sampling of quotes from officials around the region indicates that certain provisions will be a hard sell abroad. President Trump’s January 27 executive order on “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” drew much ire at home and around… Keep reading →
Two leading experts on clerical succession in Iran and Iraq discuss how the passing of Ayatollah Sistani and Supreme Leader Khamenei would affect American interests across the Middle East. On February 6, Ali Mamouri and Suzanne Maloney addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Mamouri is the editor of Al-Monitor’s Iraq Pulse Desk and… Keep reading →
The following is based on remarks delivered by Ziegler Distinguished Fellow David Makovsky at a Washington Institute Policy Forum on February 8. His views on these issues are spelled out in greater length in the Transition 2017 paper “Toward a New Paradigm for Addressing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” coauthored with Dennis Ross. Read Robert Satloff’s remarks… Keep reading →
Regardless of how the details surrounding Sunday’s launch shake out, it was an unhelpful move at a time when the Trump administration is determining its policy toward Iran’s missile program and broader regional behavior. According to recent media reports, Iran conducted a weapons test on January 29 that involved either a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, a… Keep reading →
Because the proposed Israeli embassy move is a potential headache for the palace, it will no doubt be high on the king’s agenda, but U.S. officials should be prepared to offer assurances on other pressing security and economic concerns as well. On January 30, Jordan’s King Abdullah arrives in Washington for meetings with the new… Keep reading →
The circumstances of the Russian-sponsored peace conference raise several concerns, but failure to participate could signal acquiescence to Moscow’s plans in Syria and further U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East. On January 23, Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, will host a conference on Syria sponsored by Russia, Iran, and Turkey. The meeting’s timing, locale, invite… Keep reading →
Helping Erdogan take the city could greatly decrease the civilian death toll and preserve U.S.-Turkish cooperation in Syria, but Washington will still need to decide what to do with the Kurds, its other key ally against the Islamic State. Note: Click on images for high-resolution versions. On January 5, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened… Keep reading →
The secretary’s latest remarks beg the question: at a time when Israelis and Palestinians are clearly unable to strike a grand deal, why not put ideology aside, jettison the administration’s all-or-nothing approach, and lay out more modest parameters on settlements, incitement, and other concrete issues? In the waning days of the Obama administration, Secretary of… Keep reading →
Recent statements out of Washington and Riyadh have inadvertently widened the differences between the two allies, hindering the incoming U.S. administration’s options for resolving the Yemen conflict. On December 13, U.S. officials announced that the sale of about 16,000 guided munition kits to Saudi Arabia would be blocked due to concerns that the kingdom’s poorly… Keep reading →
Despite pressure from OPEC to cap its oil production, the Iraqi government can neither afford a production cut nor enforce it upon the Kurdistan Regional Government. Under tremendous fiscal pressure, OPEC members may cut a deal in Vienna this week that would cap oil production in order to raise global prices. The deal is being… Keep reading →
