The Arrogance and Limits of American Power in the Latest Gulf War

By Alaa Elhadidi / Summer 2026

With waning confidence in American influence and power to maintain peace in the region, Arab middle powers are moving toward a security equation characterized by multi-lateralism and regional defence pacts.

The New Gulf Realignments: Saudi-UAE Competition and the Evolution of Regional Order

By Abdelrahim Shalaby / Summer 2026

The GCC is transforming, and the relationship between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi is guiding the change.

The Iran War and the Limits of Great Power

By Caroline Dibble and Gedaliah Afterman / Summer 2026

As American military power and Chinese geoeconomics fall short, regional players are searching for greater agency.

The Case for Soft Power and the Enterprise Fund Model—with James Harmon & Cornelius Queen: CR Amplified ep. 10

By Abigail Flynn / Summer 2026

What’s a better geopolitical strategy—force, or finance? James Harmon and Cornelius Queen join CR Amplified to discuss how business can be an alternative to hard power for Washington.

Libya’s Managed Chaos: Why the ‘Failed State’ Narrative is a Lie

By Youssef Mohammad Sawani / Summer 2026

For over a decade, international commentary on Libya has been trapped in a patronizing loop. It’s time to emerge from that narrative.

Europe’s Credibility Crisis in the Middle East

By Klara Vlahčević Lisinski / Summer 2026

Europe talks about rules but follows power. When power shifts, Europe shifts with it, belatedly and uncertainly.

Will Washington and Beijing Nationalize AI Labs?

By Paul Triolo / Summer 2026

Both countries are increasing government oversight on artificial intelligence, but whether (or when) they enact total state control depends on their own perceptions of risk and potential leaps in AI development.

Local Mediation in Southwestern Yemen Alleviates Life Under Siege

By Maeen Al-Obaidi / Spring 2026

For the residents of Taiz under one of the longest military blockades in history, life became a daily struggle of days-long journeys searching for food, water, and vital medical supplies. This is the story of one Yemeni woman whose name became synonymous with bringing the warring parties together.

Reconciling a Fractured Sudan

By Nureldin Satti / Spring 2026

To address Sudan’s problems, the efforts of the Sudanese people and international mediators must be synchronized.

The Complexity of Mediating the Libyan Quagmire

By Abdussalam Elbelazi / Spring 2026

Mediators in Libya hoping to create a mechanism to establish an egalitarian and inclusive state often find themselves challenged by factional politics, foreign interventions, and a heritage of repressive authoritarianism.

Empowering Peacemakers: The Pathways to Hope Project

Spring 2026

How can we build peace in a region embroiled in conflict? The project’s team shares more about their mission to strengthen mediation efforts.

Sudan’s Water Crisis Worsened by War, But There is Hope

By Lama Elhatow / Spring 2026

As Sudan continues to face numerous obstacles, including a lack of multilateral governance for hydrological stability, water remains a potential entry point for cooperation domestically, regionally, and internationally.

It All Started with “Standing with the People of Iran”

By Kourosh Ziabari /

The international community must move beyond the tantalizing rhetoric of solidarity and vows of support to something actionable—an extension of pathways to global integration for Iranians

Iran and Egypt Now Have An Opportunity to Rebalance the Middle East

By Nanis Fahmy and Seyed Hossein Mousavian /

As the war continues, cooperation between Tehran and Cairo could build a foundation for a more stable regional arrangement

The Iran War Isn’t About China, But Beijing May Still Benefit

By Gedaliah Afterman /

As the United States finds itself embroiled in another war in the Middle East, its ability to pressure China in the region and in Asia may be waning

Black Sea Shockwaves: Ukraine War Still Impacts Global South

By Klara Vlahčević Lisinski /

From grain blockades to arms markets, Russia’s invasion has reshaped food security, diplomacy, and power across the Global South

Minnesota’s Perfect ICE Storm

By Zoe Carver / Winter 2026

As Minneapolis once again becomes the center of national protests, a dive into the state’s recent history of racial tensions and police violence reveals just why the North Star City has come head-to-head with the executive branch

The Dynamics of War, Politics, and Peace in the Middle East

By Paul Salem / Spring 2026

The justifications, enactments, and conclusions of the various conflicts that arose in the aftermath of October 7 remain murky, but historical and modern theories of war light a path toward future stability.

Of Bombs and Regime Change: Experts Weigh the Israel-U.S. Strategy on Iran

Both the Americans and Israelis have for decades sought to topple the Islamic Republic. With Khamenei assassinated by Israeli bombing, is the end game near?

Iran at a Strategic Breaking Point

By Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy /

The war in June and recent nationwide protests could shape not only Iran’s future but also broader debates on sovereignty, intervention, nuclear proliferation, and the prospects for fundamental political change

Lebanon: Political Imagination, Accountability, and a New Roadmap for Regional Stability

By Ayman Mhanna / Fall 2025

Independent media, some syndicates, civil society organizations, student movements, reform-minded entrepreneurs, and the diaspora continue to carve out spaces of accountability, even as national institutions flounder

Caught in the Crossfire: Jordan’s Balancing Act in the Iran-Israel Conflict

By Francesca Maria Lorenzini and Kourosh Ziabari / Fall 2025

Jordan’s defensive action to intercept Iran’s retaliatory drones and missiles, slashing through its skies in mid-June, has drawn both approval and criticism, underscoring the kingdom’s struggles to balance strategic alliances with public opinion

Governing AI Under Fire in Ukraine

By Anna Mysyshyn / Spring/Summer 2025

Ukraine offers an opportunity to examine how democracies may balance innovation, accountability, and human rights in the age of autonomous warfare

Tehran’s Red Lines, Trump’s Maximum Pressure, and Regime Survival

By Ali Fathollah-Nejad / Spring/Summer 2025

Progress toward a potential nuclear deal between the United States and Iran stalls, amid a high-stakes process for Tehran and others

The Elusive Saudi-Israeli Normalization Deal: Why an Agreement is Likely to Fall Short of Expectations

By Robert Mogielnicki / Winter 2025

A deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel will likely happen eventually but is unlikely to transform the Middle East

Human Rights and Constitutionalism in Africa: Progress has been Achieved, but More is Needed

By Ottilia Anna Maunganidze / Fall 2024

The institutional human rights and constitutionalist framework in Africa has been constantly evolving through the Organization of African Unity’s history and transformation into the African Union. In the face of contemporary challenges in the form of coups, unconstitutional changes in government, and more, African policymakers must focus on grounding their policy within the normative framework of the Union

Is China Becoming a Political Player in the Middle East?

By Dominika Urhová and Gedaliah Afterman /

China saw Israel’s war in Gaza as an opportunity to gain traction in the Middle East at the expense of the United States, but is it ready to become a serious political actor in the region?

A Reading on the Future of Hamas

By Omar Shaban / Summer 2024

The aftermath of October 7, and assassination of senior commanders, has forced an existential rethink within Hamas

Don’t Forget About the Red Sea

By Burak Şakir Şeker / Summer 2024

A widening of Israel’s War on Gaza could threaten the vital Red Sea waterway and lead to a global economic crisis

Expelling Palestinians From Gaza Is Playing With Fire

By Karim Haggag and Omar Auf /

A mass population transfer of Palestinian refugees in Gaza to Egypt would not only entail significant security risks for Egypt, but also make Egypt complicit in Israel’s policy of bringing about a second Nakba

October 6, 1973: The War for Peace

By Firas Al-Atraqchi and Karim Haggag / Fall 2023

Over the years, we have dedicated the pages of the Cairo Review to commemorate historic milestones that have altered the course of events globally and regionally. Few such milestones can compare to the momentous and transformative impact of the 1973 October War on Middle East regional politics, as a major turning point in the Cold War, and as a defining case study in the diplomacy of war and peace.
This month marks fifty years since Egyptian troops broke through the Bar-Lev defensive line on the east banks of the Suez Canal. » Read more about: October 6, 1973: The War for Peace »

Fortune and Hazard for Algeria

By Zine Labidine Ghebouli / Fall 2022/Winter 2023

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

The West’s Stigma, and Why it Loses Global Support By its Own Actions

By Ayman Zaineldine / Fall 2022/Winter 2023

The Ukraine war has exposed, yet again, the deep skepticism of Western intentions across the Global South, undermining efforts to strengthen the rules-based liberal global order. But this is not inevitable as it is a result of policies the West has been pursuing for a long time, which it now must change if it wants to fix its credibility

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