Addressing Iranian Influence in Iraq

by Giorgio Cafiero As Iraqis celebrate Mosul’s liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS or IS), their country’s future is anything but certain. Although it is premature to conclude that the fight against IS in Iraq is over, the Trump administration’s… Continue Reading

Was Emir Tamim’s Speech a Turning Point in the Qatar Crisis?

by Giorgio Cafiero On July 21, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani delivered his first speech since the “quartet” – Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – severed ties with Doha last month. In… Continue Reading

Saudi Arabia: Good News and Troubling News On Terrorism

by Thomas W. Lippman     The latest shuffling of the royal lineup in Saudi Arabia certainly advances the relentless campaign by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king’s young son, to consolidate power in his own hands. But it… Continue Reading

Environmental Change: An Overlooked Threat Multiplier in Mali

by Anna Cizek In the first decade of the 21st century, al-Qaeda faced a deteriorating support base because of its role in the deaths of many innocent Muslims. As a result, Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri (now al-Qaeda’s leader) directed the… Continue Reading