Middle East politics
The region, one of the cradles of civilization, is going through a turbulent period of historic realignment. Its powers are vying for political, military, economic and religious dominance with local players and outside actors. Armed conflicts, mainly civil wars, are challenging the permanence of states whose borders were drawn arbitrarily in the early 20th century, after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.
Reports on Middle East politics See all →
Biden and the Abraham Accords: Attempt to disengage
The united front against Iran, led by the Gulf states and Israel with a strong push from former President Donald Trump, is crumbling. His successor Joe Biden prefers to restore the nuclear deal with Iran over advancing the promising realignment process spurred in the region by the Abraham Accords. The new U.S. policy is off to a rocky start.
Redressing policies in the Middle East
The Biden White House may be repeating old mistakes by turning its back on Saudi Arabia, an ally, and offering leverage to Tehran, a foe. Undermining the powers that be in Riyadh – just as progress on reforms is being made – could have disastrous consequences
Al-Kadhimi’s slow strategy for salvaging Iraq
Tehran retains both economic and security dominance over Iraq. The new prime minister in Baghdad, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, came to power on a wave of anti-Iranian sentiment and is working to slowly chip away at the institutions that secure Iran’s stranglehold. To achieve that goal, however, he will need his supporters ...
An uneasy truce in the Gulf
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt officially ended their diplomatic and economic boycott of Qatar. Riyadh’s attempt to get in the Biden administration’s good graces has led to a truce between strategic U.S. allies in the Gulf, but Qatar has made only vague promises to change policies that its ...
Iran’s choices in the Caucasus
The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, recently halted by a Russia-backed cease-fire, exposed a new balance of foreign interests in the region. Iran has faced a difficult choice: whether to back a Shia Muslim Azerbaijan that is also receiving support from Israel and Turkey. The prospect of Israeli access to Iran’s northern ...
Videos on Middle East politicsSee all →
Infographics on Middle East politicsSee all →
More Disruptions
Expanding state
A trend toward increased government influence in economies and personal life is curbing growth, and freedom, in many Western countries. The outsized role of government results in misplaced incentives, overregulation – which restrains markets and competition – and irresponsible budgetary ...
Russia resurgent
Russia’s incursion in Ukraine raised alarm about a new Cold War, deepened with the intervention in Syria and allegations of meddling in U.S. elections. But the Kremlin’s new assertiveness is largely defensive, while Ukraine’s emergence as a nation-state undermines Moscow’s ...
