Houthi Attacks and Saudi Arabia’s Security Dilemma
Bringing maritime traffic in the Red Sea under Houthi control was intended to exert pressure not only on Saudi Arabia but also on global actors.
Middle East
A Safe Zone in Northern Syria is a Must for Turkey
If the U.S. and Turkey can work together on establishing a safe zone in northern Syria with the goal of…
Between Rock and a Hard Place: The Armed Syrian Opposition In Idlib
Under current circumstances, the Syrian opposition remains weak in their disunity and seem incapable of getting rid of HTS. In…
Protecting the YPG Should not be a Goal of the US Withdrawal
Some argue that the U.S. should not abandon their allies on the ground and leave them to their fate, which…
Assad’s Comeback? A Lebanese Perspective
Lebanon fears the return of the Assad regime to the regional and international arena, and thus its old influence on…
Turkey Charts an Independent Foreign Policy
Developments in northern Syria seem to be heading in the right direction, i.e. towards the creation of a deep security…
What was Offered to Ankara in Moscow?
Maintaining a negotiation process with Russia or the U.S. will not provide Turkey with ultimate solutions to its security needs,…
Why Arab Countries are Changing their Strategies Towards Syria
Many countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia perceive the post-war reconstruction of Syria as an opportunity to break the…
Taking Stock of the Syria Withdrawal Decision
The Syria withdrawal decision is criticized on many fronts but most critics complain more about the style and timing than…
Turkey’s Options for a Safe Zone in Syria
In the long run, in case of a full U.S. withdrawal, it is not sustainable for the YPG to maintain…
How Cheap Drones Became Assets for Terrorist Organizations
The use of drones became popular among terrorist organizations as soon as the security vulnerability they contained was discovered. The…
America’s MESA Delusion
The idea of forming a strategic alliance in the Middle East (MESA) is not new. It came under many labels…
Turkey’s Fight Against Terrorism: PKK, not Kurds
There is a deliberate confusion by using the term “Kurds” in relation to both societal or even political groups and…
Pompeo’s Long Tour: How Incoherence Creates Challenges for the US in the Middle East
An interesting aspect of Pompeo’s recent visit to the Middle East is that he prefers to hold separate meetings with…
Four Scenarios for Idlib and the Future of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Developments on the ground in Idlib and a bigger HTS presence will have serious implications for the international context and…
Turkey Can Help the US Exit from Syria
Although the withdrawal remains unclear, the road-map for Turkey is clear. Firstly, as President Erdoğan proposed in his piece, Turkey…
Erdogan in the NYT: Turkey is the only Viable Partner for the US
Erdogan states that Turkey can defeat (and has already defeated) Daesh militarily and, further, it is capable of preventing grievances…
How Sisi’s Plans for a PR Campaign Turned into an International Scandal
Egyptian media outlet Mada Masr argued that due to the fear of domestic reactions, the Egyptian government ordered media channels…
The Muslim Brotherhood: Rise, Fall, and Future Prospects
From entering similar jolts in the past to losing its popularity in contemporary times, to facing the deepest crisis in…
