Iranian Elites Are Not in Agreement About What to Do Next
The Other MoU: Launching a Europe-Gulf Resilience Initiative After the US-Iran Deal
The Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the United States and Iran may have ended one of the most consequential Middle Eastern crises in decades, but it has not resolved the strategic problem it exposed. Whether the 60-day talks it set in motion will produce a final agreement remains far from certain.Yet the central lessons are already clear: Iran has preserved significant leverage, Washington has had to scale back its ambitions, and Europe and the Gulf face the prospect of protracted regional tension. Europe and the Gulf should therefore use the aftermath of the US-Iran deal to articulate their own “other MoU”: a Europe-Gulf Resilience initiative.
The Houthis
The Houthis are a political-military faction and Zaydi religious movement founded in northwestern Yemen in the 1980s. A key member of Iran’s Axis of Resistance with links to other militant organizations in the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa, the group has continued to pose a threat to Western interests on a global scale.
The Abraham Accords
This backgrounder provides an overview of how the Abraham Accords came about, the US interests involved, their economic and strategic consequences, and the prospects for further enlargement going forward.
Turkish Foreign Policy
After a decade of post-Arab Spring isolation, Turkey’s leaders have recognized that their ambition to position the country as an agenda-setter on the world stage requires active engagement in all directions. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s consolidation of executive authority has centralized foreign policy decision-making and tied it to his domestic political priorities, transforming the country’s revisionist approach to one shaped primarily by personal and pragmatic interests.
Western Sahara: Why the conflict still matters
As the Western Sahara conflict reaches its fifth decade, the territorial dispute remains unresolved and largely unknown. MEI’s Intissar Fakir unpacks the Western Sahara’s complex history and the rival claims by Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. She examines recent developments, such as President Trump’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory and the collapse of a 30-year cease-fire, as well as the core questions that remain unanswered after half a century.
Podcasts
Middle East Focus
MEI’s flagship weekly podcast on US foreign policy and contemporary political and social issues in the Middle East.
Taking the Edge Off the Middle East
MEI Senior Fellow Brian Katulis engages friends, colleagues, and policy experts in casual conversations on the most important happenings in the Middle East.
Rethinking Democracy
MEI Senior Fellow Gonul Tol hosts leading scholars and thought leaders on global democracy trends and the state of the liberal international order.
Post-Coup Purge Adds to Turkey's Instability
Turkey is a country of ironies. A president who has called Twitter “the worst menace to society” and frequently expressed his “hatred” of the Internet, used both to prevent the coup against his rule when he called on his followers to take to the streets using Twitter and Facetime. The first TV network he called to reach out to his followers was CNN Turk, a channel he repeatedly accused of “terrorism propaganda” and “supporting coup against his government” and that has been the target of physical attacks by pro-Erdogan supporters.
Thinking Beyond “Crisis”: Population Displacement and State Building in the Middle East
War and displacement—for those who are caught up in them—are always a tragedy, one that they carry with and within them far beyond the limited attention spans of international media and scholars. However, not every tragedy becomes a crisis. This essay discusses the intellectual, policy, and human consequences of considering the current displacements in the Middle East a “crisis.”
Raising Women's Voices in Syria's War
Syria’s uprising-turned-war is the first to unfold on social media for the whole world to see in real time. While this gives unprecedented power for local, grassroots activists and citizen journalists, it also comes with challenges.
Behind the 28 Pages: Questions About an Alleged Saudi Spy and the CIA
Read the full article on ABC News.
Israel on the Outer in Syria’s Civil War
For successive Israeli governments and the defense establishment, the Syrian arena has traditionally been considered Israel’s “front yard” in terms of threat analysis, early warning and force readiness. The defense budget, comprising 7.7 percent of Israel’s G.N.P. in 2011 (latest available data), included considerable allocations designed to meet the Syrian army’s threat.
South East Asia Risk Collaboration Hub (SEARCH)
This essay examines the need to understand and quantify natural hazards and the associated risks and their inter-connectedness so that societies are better positioned to guard against and bounce back from these potentially catastrophic events. The essay describes the genesis, objectives and goals of the South East Asia Risk Collaboration Hub (SEARCH), a knowledge-driven enterprise that provides a platform for the private sector and academia to discuss these crucial issues.
Under Pressure, Syria's Rebels Face al-Nusra Quandary
This article was first published on the Huffington Post.
Monday Briefing: After Turkey's Failed Coup, How Far Will the Crackdown Go?
In this week’s Monday Briefing, MEI expert W. Robert Pearson provides analysis on the failed coup in Turkey and the impending crackdown on opposition. Marvin Weinbaum considers whether the unpopularity of Pakistan’s government could put it at risk of a military coup of its own. And Charles Lister looks at how ISIS is adapting in the face of territorial losses in Iraq and Syria.
What Caused the Turkish Coup Attempt
Read the full article on Politico Magazine.
A military coup succeeds or fails quickly. The July 15 attempt in Turkey now is over with thousands arrested, hundreds killed and Turkey in traumatic shock. The reasons behind a coup attempt, however, do not rise or disappear as quickly.
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Humanitarian Response
Emotional intelligence (E.I.) emerged from the premise that emotions have an impact on almost every aspect of human experience. E.I. refers to the ability to use emotions effectively and productively. Drawing mainly upon Daniel Goleman’s five-component model of E.I. at work, this essay considers how the qualities of emotional intelligence might be integrated into disaster response thinking, planning, and operations.
Defusing Tensions at Sea: U.S.-Iran Maritime Relations in the Persian Gulf
Summary
Disaster Law: The Rubric of Institutional Preparedness in Disaster Risk Reduction
In this essay, Amita Singh relates what disaster law (D.L.) is, why it is needed, and how it can help make communities safer from disasters. The essay examines the earthquake that struck Manipur, India in January 2016, highlighting the many institutional shortcomings of the response to this calamity. In order to address these problems, the author urges that considerably more research be conducted so as to accelerate the development of disaster law.
Are the Palestinians Ready for Independence?
The current Palestinian leadership does not appear ready for sudden independence. Despite the push for Palestinian statehood, there remains weaknesses in the Palestinian political establishment that undermine this quest. Political and social fragmentation, a lack of representative leadership and an inability to apply the rule of law seem to indicate that if Palestine were to become an independent state tomorrow, it would falter.
Monday Briefing: Chilcot Report, French FM in Lebanon, Iran Economy
In this week’s Monday Briefing, MEI experts Daniel Serwer, Alex Vatanka, and Paul Salem provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including the recent Chilcot Report, European trade delegations visit to Iran, and France’s push to end the Lebanon stalemate.
Will Chilcot Report Impact U.S. Policy on Syria?
Daniel Serwer, MEI Scholar
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The oldest peer-reviewed publication dedicated to the study of the modern Middle East, MEI’s flagship journal covers politics, society, and culture in the region.