Bahrain: Another Year of Deep State Repression

by Emile Nakhleh This past year in Bahrain, much like those preceding it since the popular uprisings of 2011, was one of unending repression and persecution of human rights activists. Yet, the Trump administration and the British government, arguably two… Continue Reading

Selling Trumpism to Skeptical Arabs

by Emile Nakhleh Vice President Mike Pence’s recent visit to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel was a stark reminder of the diplomatic and public-relations dilemma facing President Trump’s policy and America’s standing in the region. Pence’s efforts to sell the president’s… Continue Reading

Trump’s National Security Strategy and the Middle East: A Bridge to Nowhere

by Emile Nakhleh President Trump’s new National Security Strategy and the negative reaction his announcement on Jerusalem has generated in the UN Security Council and General Assembly do not bode well for America’s relations with friendly Arab countries and the… Continue Reading

Arab Wars and Enduring Disarray

by Emile Nakhleh Arab intra-and inter-state wars in the past century have damaged the Arab world, led to entrenched dictatorships and deeper repression. These conflicts have stifled freedoms of thought, innovation, and creativity. They have alienated youth and created a… Continue Reading

Washington and Riyadh: Fading Memory of 9/11?

by Emile Nakhleh The terror attacks of 9/11 have become a distant memory in US-Saudi relations. Washington’s recent multi-billion American arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, its continued coddling of the Saudi regime, and the absence of American moral… Continue Reading