Analysis: Can BRICS+ Provide a Counterweight to the West?

August 31, 2023 / Essays

With the admission of six new countries, BRICS increases its economic power and global clout, possibly establishing its place as a challenger to the G7.

Fortune and Hazard for Algeria

Fall 2022/Winter 2023 / Essays

War in Ukraine has brought new cash flow to Algiers, but the state must walk an ever-narrowing path to maintain its non-alignment

Russia, Ukraine, and U.S. Policy in the Middle East

Fall 2022/Winter 2023 / Essays

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has influenced U.S. policy in the Middle East, the future of which depends on the outcome of the war, as well as Washington’s commitment to the region

Iran and the GCC: Prospects for a Grand Reconciliation

Spring 2021 / Essays

To realize shared priorities and fulfill the Persian Gulf’s potential as a global cornerstone for energy and trade, hardline Gulf states must acquiesce to waning U.S. hegemony and pursue reconciliation with Iran.

Political Narratives in the Middle East and North Africa: Conceptions of Order and Perceptions of Instability

Fall 2020 / Essays

The volume edited by Wolfgang Mühlberger and Toni Alaranta highlights the importance of political narratives in making sense of the complexities of the MENA countries.

The Disrupting Stabilizer

Summer 2020 / Essays

How Russia’s military, diplomatic, and economic roles in the Mediterranean have developed in recent years

Re-Engineering Regional Security

June 21, 2020 / Midan

In the last half-century, Egypt has had to negotiate its way through the Arab–Israeli peace process, regional nuclear proliferation, and domestic political transition. What has it taught us?

South Africa latest to apply for COVID-19 aid from New Development Bank

April 30, 2020 / Essays

This will mostly be used to fund medical equipment such as surgical masks, respirators, and testing supplies.

The Geo-economic Fallout of COVID-19 for the Middle East

April 23, 2020 / Essays

The COVID-19 coronavirus will cause long-term consequences for the Middle East; a combination of chaos in oil markets and contraction of gross domestic product will present challenges for years to come.

Anatomy of the Turkish Incursion

November 11, 2019 / Tahrir Forum

What lies ahead for the Arabs, Kurds, and Turks after Ankara’s assault on northern Syria?

Reinventing Peace in Syria

Summer 2019 / Essays

For Syria, and the rest of the world, the era of liberal peacebuilding has passed. But there are other ways to make peace, which call for a return to basics and a new kind of “software”

Syria and Regional Food Security

March 16, 2019 / Tahrir Forum

Syria and its neighbors all have a vested interest in resuming agricultural trade to increase food security across the region.

Russia’s Eye on Syrian Reconstruction

March 7, 2019 / Tahrir Forum

Russia is primed to benefit economically from an influx of foreign investment in Syria, but an emerging rivalry with China and Iran for contracts could erode its long-term leverage.

Preserving Kurdish Autonomy

February 15, 2019 / Tahrir Forum

Divisions among the states vested in Syria are opening possibilities for Syria’s Kurds to secure greater protection for their autonomy.

Russia’s Mediating Role in Southern Yemen

November 25, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

Seeking to expand its influence in the Red Sea, Russia is hoping that mediating internal disputes in Yemen will help make the region more secure.

Russia, Turkey, and the Fate of Idlib

September 24, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

In Idlib, Turkey could deter Russian airstrikes and ensure the region remains out of the Syrian regime’s control by going after extremist groups.

Battling for Southwestern Syria

June 14, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

While Assad and his supporters seem close to reconquering Southwestern Syria, stability is far from assured.

Trump’s Dangerous Gamble

May 13, 2018 / Tahrir Forum

The consequences of Trump’s short-sighted decision on the Iran Nuclear Pact and an analysis of the JCPOA’s pros and cons.

Russia’s New Energy Gamble

Winter 2018 / Essays

Russia aims to position itself as a leader among energy-producing equals in Eurasia. Since 2015, Russia has sought to play a more active role in the Middle East, setting its sights on the region’s energy resources to achieve this strategic goal.

Unraveling in the Kremlin

Fall 2016 / Essays

Vladimir Putin intervened in Ukraine and Syria to mobilize domestic support for Russia’s decaying political system. But how long can the Kremlin survive on false images, fake agendas, and manufactured complexes?

Leaving Syrians No Options

October 28, 2015 / Tahrir Forum

By destroying rebel groups’ attempts at local governance, Russian military assistance is helping Assad present his government as the only viable force to rule Syria.