Ideas

What the US Gives Its Mideast Partners Isn’t Always What They Need

Instead of 'prestige weapons' worth billions, look at UAE’s special operators or Palestine’s security forces.

Ideas

In Increasingly Turbulent Middle East, US-Saudi Partnership Is Indispensable

A former EUCOM deputy commander looks makes the case for even tighter bonds with Riyadh.

Threats

How Syria’s Uprising Spawned a Jihad

Five years ago, the opposition to Bashar al-Assad was mostly peaceful and secular. What happened?

Policy

If Trump Wins, Expect Thousands of Defense Jobs to Move to Europe

The GOP frontrunner's anti-Muslim comments could prompt U.S. allies to shop elsewhere for arms.

Ideas

Here's How Easily a Wanted War Criminal Can Travel the Globe

Sudan's pledges of support against enemies of the West and Saudi Arabia have greased the skids for alleged war criminal and President Omar al-Bashir's 21-country world tour.

Ideas

Start Preparing for the Collapse of the Saudi Kingdom

Saudi Arabia is no state at all. It's an unstable business so corrupt to resemble a criminal organization and the U.S. should get ready for the day after.

Ideas

Bring the Troops Home — From Sinai

Your first question is likely: 'We have American soldiers deployed in Egypt?'

Ideas

The Arab Spring's Aftermath, in 7 Minutes

A look at where Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, and Tunisia stand now.

Science & Tech

The Middle East's Quietly Rising Cyber Super Power

Israel now has more than 300 cybersecurity companies, exports totaling $6 billion, and 20 percent of the world’s private cyber investment dollars.

Threats

ISIS Has Reportedly Cut Its Fighters' Salaries in Half

An ostensible ISIS treasury memo shows an organization under increasing financial pressure as coalition warplanes ramp up attacks on their oil infrastructure.

Ideas

Obama's Legacy: Limited Force, Limited Influence, Lingering Questions of What America Should Be

Obama’s long-view for the Middle East stands little chance of playing out as Americans — and events — cry for the U.S. to do more.

Policy

After Guantanamo, Two Detainees Try To Put Their Lives Back Together in Ghana

Here’s how the Yemeni men are being treated and what they say about their long incarceration.

Science & Tech

Researchers: ISIS Has Built A Secure Messaging App

Facebook and other big tech companies aren’t the only ones who can create apps for encrypted communication.

Ideas

Building Afghan Security Requires a Long-Term U.S. Commitment

Can Americans — and their next president — see past short-term campaign promises to save Afghanistan?

Threats

Why ISIS Cannot Be Negotiated With

Jonathan Powell argues that talking to terrorists has brought peace in the past. But the Islamic State really is different.

Threats

Terror Arrests Pose New Threat to Syrian Refugee Program

Republicans pounced on the news that two men indicted on terrorism charges had been resettled in the U.S. after fleeing Iraq.

Ideas

There's Far More to the Saudi-Iran Feud Than Sunnis-Vs.-Shia

The ancient religious split can only take us so far in understanding what's going on between Riyadh and Tehran.

Ideas

'Kill-Em-All With Airstrikes' Is Not Working

Here’s a summary of the anti-ISIS bombing campaign: 30,000 fighters - 20,000 killed = 30,000 fighters

Threats

Saudi Arabia-Iran Break Threatens Syrian Peace Process

Mere weeks after the two countries backed a unanimous U.N. Security Council resolution, their sectarian-fueled escalation has likely sunk fragile hopes for Syria.

Policy

Swooning for Saudi Arabia

What the Middle East needs is not intensified conflict, as some 2016 contenders advocate, but a series of political compromises to help end the civil wars traumatizing the region.