What’s Happening in the Persian Gulf

by Derek Davison Early Monday morning, five Arab states—Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen—along with the Maldives, broke all diplomatic and physical ties with the Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar. All six countries say they are… Continue Reading

White House Proposes Slashing US Programs in Caucasus, Central Asia

by Joshua Kucera When Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili visited Washington in early May and met with United States President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, and other senior officials, it was billed as a reaffirmation of the US’s… Continue Reading

Trump’s Alignment with Sunni Autocrats Masks Shallow Understanding of Region

by Emile Nakhleh President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia has engendered endless press reporting and analysis. Two key points stand out in the media coverage. First, the trip was mostly show than action. Second, the Saudis played up to Trump’s… Continue Reading

Trump Wins, Middle East Loses

by Mitchell Plitnick Donald Trump’s first trip abroad seems to have been a successful one for him. Although controversies continue to rage at home, he seems to be accomplishing what he set out to do, at least in Saudi Arabia… Continue Reading

Sherman: “We Are Safer” Because of JCPOA

by Derek Davison In a May 16 event held by the Cato Institute, Ambassador Wendy Sherman spoke at length about the Iran nuclear deal and its status under the Trump administration. Sherman, who served as Barack Obama’s under secretary of… Continue Reading