Saudi Arabia’s Glass: Half Empty or Half Full?

by Thomas W. Lippman These are difficult times in Saudi Arabia. The long slump in the price of oil is eviscerating the economy. Neighboring countries are plagued by violence and extremism. Saudi Arabia’s air force has been raining death and… Continue Reading

Senate Passes a Dumb and Dangerous Bill

by James J. Zogby This week, without debate or an actual vote, the US Senate stealthily passed a disturbing and dangerous piece of legislation introduced by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bob Casey (D-PA). Called “The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act of… Continue Reading

“Mad Dog” Mattis: Trump’s Least Belligerent Foreign Policy Advisor?

by Derek Davison During a surreal, post-election “campaign rally” in Cincinnati on Thursday night, President-elect Donald Trump announced (or, to be completely accurate, announced that he would be announcing) that he’s selected retired Marine General James “Mad Dog” Mattis as… Continue Reading

Egypt and Saudi Arabia: Marriage on the Rocks?

by Cinzia Bianco and Giorgio Cafiero For several decades, the alliance between Egypt and Saudi Arabia has served as an anchor of a pro-Western geopolitical order in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Dating back to the 1970s, Cairo… Continue Reading

Pakistan and the Gulf: Feathered Diplomacy

by Alia P. Ahmed Every winter the ordeal resumes. Arab royals and their entourages arrive in the deserts of Pakistan, and set themselves upon a small and unassuming migratory bird. Releasing their falcons into the sky, the sheikhs tear through… Continue Reading