The UAE’s Crusade against Regional Democracy

by Jonathan Fenton-Harvey Civil societies and political actors in the Middle East and North Africa have continuously fought for democratic change and positive reforms since the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings. Yet they have faced setbacks and even defeat since—partly owing… Continue Reading

Doha and Abu Dhabi’s Incompatible Visions for the Arab World

by Giorgio Cafiero When Gamal Abdel Nasser’s secular Arab nationalist regime began purging Egypt of Muslim Brotherhood members during the 1950s and 1960s, many of these Islamists relocated to the Arab Persian Gulf monarchies. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—a… Continue Reading

How Iran Views Saudi Arabia’s Regional Policies

by Adnan Tabatabai Antagonism between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a new peak this year. The wars in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen—as well as the nuclear agreement between world powers and Iran, and the recent catastrophic stampede in… Continue Reading