Latest Articles about Middle East
The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt: Current Crisis and Future Directions
In July 2018, the Congressional Subcommittee on National Security held a hearing to examine the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood to the United States and its interests. This hearing—expected to pave the way for Congress to follow through on efforts to designate the Brotherhood as... MORE
What the Battle for Hodeidah Means for Yemen and the Region
On June 13, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in conjunction with their Yemeni allies, launched “Operation Golden Victory.” The grandiosely named offensive is aimed at seizing the Yemeni Red Sea port of Hodeidah, which has been occupied by Yemen’s... MORE
A Reappraisal of China-Iran Ties After US JCPOA Withdrawal
On May 8, after weeks of negotiations with European leaders, US President Donald Trump withdrew the US from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear deal signed between Iran and several other world powers, citing concerns that the JCPOA had failed to constrain... MORE
Russia’s Favorite Syrian General: Tiger Forces Commander Suheil al-Hassan
The man who has the strongest Russian support in Syria might not be President Bashar al-Assad but rather one his most trusted commanders. During his visit to the Khmeimim Air Base in Syria last December, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with senior Russian... MORE
Abu Jihad: A Brief Profile of Islamic State’s Russian Propaganda Master
On August 10, 2015, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department implemented an executive order sanctioning three Russian citizens involved in terrorist activities. Among the individuals mentioned on the sanctions list was North Caucasian militant Abu-Jihad, one of the key Russian-speaking... MORE
Stabilizing Hudaydah: A Look at the Pragmatic Leadership of Tihama Resistance Brigade Commander Shaykh Abd al-Rahman Shuae Hajari
On July 1, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia–led multinational coalition announced a pause in its campaign to capture the strategic Yemeni port city of al-Hudaydah (Twitter, July 1). Coalition officials, including senior members of the UAE government, argued that the cessation in... MORE
US-Russian Discord Over Syria Deepens After Discussions in Helsinki
The fruits of President Vladimir Putin’s “victory” at the meeting with President Donald Trump in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, are turning increasingly bitter for Russia as initial dismay and angry responses in the United States have continued to coalesce into strong pushback (see EDM,... MORE
Morocco Flexes Its Muscles Over Western Sahara: An Analysis of Rabat’s Standoff With Tehran
On May 1, the Kingdom of Morocco made the dramatic step of severing all political ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran and withdrawing its ambassador from Tehran. The Moroccan government claimed to have evidence of Iranian support for the Polisario Front, the separatist group... MORE
Is Islamic State Making Plans for a Comeback in Iraq?
Dozens of people have been killed in a series of attacks launched by Islamic State (IS) in locations north of Baghdad over the past few months, prompting fears that the terrorist group is reconstituting itself in parts of Iraq (al-Hadath, March 28; al-Sumaria, July 1).... MORE