by James M. Dorsey A two-month old crisis pitting Qatar against an alliance led by the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is proving to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it has revived momentum for unprecedented, albeit… Continue Reading
by Paul R. Pillar Regimes that crave U.S. support in their regional rivalries are apt to strike two different postures that may seem contradictory but really aren’t. They publicly play up the supposed threatening nature and incorrigibility of the rival,… Continue Reading
by James M. Dorsey Feuding Gulf states that have pumped millions of dollars into public diplomacy appear to have done better in damaging the reputations of their detractors than in polishing their own tarnished images. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates… Continue Reading
by Jesse Schatz Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani’s death on January 8 was a major blow for the Islamic Republic of Iran’s traditionally marginalized reformists and moderates. The former Iranian president’s passing raised many questions about how the Iranian regime, without… Continue Reading
by Mark N. Katz Much attention was generated by Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir’s interview with politico.eu. The minister appeared to offer Russia an economic lifeline from Western sanctions through economic access to the Gulf Cooperation Council—the grouping of the… Continue Reading