IRGC Designation: More from the War-with-Iran Playbook

by Daniel R. DePetris and Richard Sokolsky The decision by the Trump administration to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization marks another dangerous step in the relentless campaign Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and… Continue Reading

It’s Time to Let Go of America’s 18-year Afghan War

by Aaron David Miller, Steven Simon, and Richard Sokolsky Reports that US and Taliban negotiators have reached a tentative framework for withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan have set the foreign policy establishment’s hair on fire. A former US ambassador described… Continue Reading

Arab NATO: An Idea Whose Time Has Not (and May Never) Come

by Andrew Miller and Richard Sokolsky The Trump administration, in its preoccupation with containing and rolling back Iranian influence in the Middle East, is pursuing a hare-brained and potentially risky scheme: “a regional security alliance comprised of Egypt, Jordan, and six… Continue Reading

Careful of What You Wish For

by Perry Cammack and Richard Sokolsky Amidst the turmoil in the Arabian Peninsula caused in part by Saudi behavior toward Yemen and Qatar, it is easy to forget that, until quite recently, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy was cautious and conservative. It… Continue Reading

Time to Reset US Policy in the South Caucasus

by Richard Sokolsky and Paul Stronski Geopolitical conditions in the South Caucasus have experienced a substantial shift in recent years. Accordingly, the Trump Administration needs to adjust assumptions in advancing American interests in the region to make the most of its capabilities.… Continue Reading