Russia, Turkey, Iran Meet in Sochi

by Alexey Khlebnikov There has been extensive diplomacy across the Middle East in recent months. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Turkey and Iran. Saudi Arabian King Salman made a historic visit to Moscow. Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan visited Russia… Continue Reading →

War in the Middle East—Again?

by Robert E. Hunter About this time 15 years ago, the United States was gearing up for a war against Iraq. Saddam Hussein was purported to have weapons of mass destruction. There was no doubt about his aggressive intentions toward… Continue Reading →

Can Qatar Hedge Its Bets on Security Guarantors?

by Matthew Hedges and Giorgio Cafiero Saddam Hussein’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait in 1990/1991 taught Qatar that its alliance with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)’s powerhouse—Saudi Arabia—was an insufficient guarantee of security. One of Doha’s key takeaways from the… Continue Reading →

The Institutionalization of the GCC Conflict

by Giorgio Cafiero Five months into the Qatar crisis, the future outlook for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as an institution of six Arabian countries is gloomy. In light of expectations that the Council will postpone its annual summit— scheduled… Continue Reading →