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US-Taliban negotiations
  • Podcast
  • US-Taliban negotiations

    MEI’s Ahmad Majidyar and Marvin Weinbaum join host Alistair Taylor to discuss the US-Taliban negotiations in Doha and what a potential agreement could mean for Afghanistan and the wider region.

    February 1, 2019

    Monday Briefing: US-Taliban talks progress, but major obstacles remain
  • Analysis
  • Monday Briefing: US-Taliban talks progress, but major obstacles remain

    In this week’s Monday Briefing, MEI experts Ahmad Majidyar, Marvin G. Weinbaum, Randa Slim, Paul Salem, and Guney Yildiz provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including U.S. negotiations with the Taliban in Afghanistan, a warning sent to Israel by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Sudanese president’s appeal for external support, Turkish-Syrian diplomacy, and Pakistan’s acceptance of Gulf aid.

    Iraq’s new government and Kurdish politics
    Middle East Institute
  • Podcast
  • Iraq’s new government and Kurdish politics

    Zmkin Ali and Mac Skelton of the Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) at the American University of Iraq Sulaimani, join host Alistair Taylor for a discussion on Iraq’s political climate, Baghdad’s relations with Erbil in the aftermath of the 2017 referendum, and other regional dynamics.

    January 24, 2019

    Weekly Briefing: Failed Arab Economic Summit in Beirut underscores divisions
  • Analysis
  • Weekly Briefing: Failed Arab Economic Summit in Beirut underscores divisions

    In this week’s Weekly Briefing, contributors Paul Salem, Marvin G. Weinbaum, William Lawrence, Ruba Husari, and Jean-François Seznec provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including the Arab Economic Summit held in Beirut this weekend, Afghanistan’s upcoming presidential elections, strikes in Tunisia, the Trump administration’s next steps on Iranian oil policy, and Saudi Aramco’s $10B bond issue.

    Weekly Briefing: Pompeo’s visit raises more questions than it answers
  • Analysis
  • Weekly Briefing: Pompeo’s visit raises more questions than it answers

    In this week’s Monday Briefing, MEI experts Gerald Feierstein, Paul Salem, Alex Vatanka, W. Robert Pearson, and Mirette F. Mabrouk provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s recent visit to the Middle East, recent protests in Sudan, Iranian outreach to Baghdad, President Trump’s discussion with President Erdogan on treatment of the Kurds, and the first meeting of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum.

    January 15, 2019

    The year ahead: The Middle East in 2019
    Middle East Institute
  • Podcast
  • The year ahead: The Middle East in 2019

    In our first episode of 2019, MEI experts Paul Salem, Charles Lister, Ahmad Majidyar, Randa Slim, Gonul Tol, Robert Pearson, and Gerald Feierstein discuss the significant policy developments and announcements of the past few weeks and outline the major issues to watch in the year ahead.

    January 10, 2019

    A year after the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, what has changed?
  • Analysis
  • A year after the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, what has changed?

    On Dec. 9, 2017, Iraq’s then prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, declared victory over ISIS. However, in the year since then Iraq has continued to face critical challenges, including an internally displaced person crisis and the legitimization of militia groups.

    January 9, 2019

    In Iraqi Kurdistan, there’s more than just tea brewing in the teahouse
    Chaikhana
  • Analysis
  • In Iraqi Kurdistan, there’s more than just tea brewing in the teahouse

    Teahouses are at the heart of Kurdistan’s culture and are linked to the Kurdish collective memory of struggle and oppression, making them a central part of contesting narratives about progress, change, and tradition.

    December 21, 2018

    October going on December: Voters are still waiting for results in Afghan elections
    IEC scans voter with biometric device
  • Analysis
  • October going on December: Voters are still waiting for results in Afghan elections

    While four million Afghans bravely defied Taliban threats to cast their ballots in parliamentary elections in October, issues with the voting process and the two-month delay in announcing the results are causes for concern, especially with four important elections scheduled for next April.

    December 18, 2018

    Year in review: The Middle East in 2018
    Middle East Institute
  • Podcast
  • Year in review: The Middle East in 2018

    In our final episode of the year, host Alistair Taylor interviews several MEI scholars on the key events that transpired across the Middle East in 2018 including in the Gulf, Iran, Turkey, and Afghanistan. Guests include Paul Salem, Gerald Feierstein, Alex Vatanka, Gonul Tol, and Ahmad Majidyar.

    December 14, 2018

    New OPEC+ deal shows Saudis’ oil-market grip continues to slip
    5th OPEC meeting
  • Analysis
  • New OPEC+ deal shows Saudis’ oil-market grip continues to slip

    While OPEC and Russia-led non-OPEC members agreed to cut oil production last week by 1.2 million bpd, Riyadh’s ability to control the cartel and global oil prices is waning.

    December 11, 2018

    Monday Briefing: Trump shuffles team for 2019
  • Analysis
  • Monday Briefing: Trump shuffles team for 2019

    In this week’s Monday Briefing, MEI experts discuss recent and upcoming events including the coming changes in Trump’s administration, Iran’s hesitation in the US-China battle over Huawei , the ongoing Sweden talks on Yemen, results of the latest GCC summit, and questions over the legitimacy of the Afghan elections.