Can OPEC Agree on Oil Production Policy?

by Alex Stout The fall in the price of oil from $115/barrel in mid-2014 to $27/barrel this year has had a devastating impact on petro-states all over the world. Whereas the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil producer… Continue Reading

Turmoil in Eastern Saudi Arabia

by Giorgio Cafiero and Alex Stout The January 2 execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a popular Shi’ite cleric from Awamiya in eastern Saudi Arabia, set off angry protests worldwide. From Michigan to London, and from Bahrain to Kashmir, Shi’ite… Continue Reading

Qatar and the Islamic State

by Giorgio Cafiero and Alex Stout  In the fall of 2014, the Obama administration prioritized securing support from Washington’s allies in the Sunni Arab world before launching a multinational air campaign against targets in Iraq and Syria belonging to Islamic… Continue Reading

Kuwait and the Islamic State

by Alex Stout and Giorgio Cafiero Throughout the twenty-first century, the oil-rich Persian Gulf nation of Kuwait has enjoyed relative stability and security. This tranquility is largely attributable to the harmonious coexistence of Kuwait’s Sunnis and Shi’ites and the ruling… Continue Reading