Upheaval in Iran's neighbor and ally Syria as well as power struggles at home create Iranian vulnerabilities the United States can exploit in a region pushing for democracy, says CFR's Ray Takeyh.
In the Financial Times, David Blair writes about the proceedings of OPEC's latest meeting - where Saudi attempts to ease Western oil supply woes were defeated unexpectedly by an Iranian-led coalition.
In this report published by the Center for New American Security, Dr. Mark Lynch, Director of the Institute for Middle East Studies at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, writes that the recent wave of protests in the Arab world will affect America's policy toward Iran. Dr. Lynch outlines five major recommendations for how the Obama administration should amend its strategy toward Iran.
In this Huffington Post piece, Sharmine Narwari, a Senior Associate at St. Anthony's College, Oxford University, argues that given the current geopolitical standpoint, the "political spat" between Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is, for now at least, much ado about nothing.
Human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi discusses the impact of the Arab Spring on the democratic movement in Iran with Isobel Coleman, Director of the Council on Foreign Relations' Civil Society, Markets, and Democracy Initiative.
Concern about Arab world pro-democracy movements has caused Iran's government to get tougher with opponents and is affecting political jockeying for parliamentary elections in 2012 and the presidential election in 2013, says Iran expert Farideh Farhi.
Reza Aslan, author of 'No God but God,' discusses how the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa influences the balance of power in the region, and whether it is benefiting Iran.
In contrast to other Mideast states, economic pressures are less likely to topple Iran's regime, says expert Suzanne Maloney. Stronger repressive forces and the impact of international sanctions may strengthen the government, she argues.
CFR Senior Fellow Michael Levi reviews possible states of the Iranian nuclear program, evaluating the range of policy outcomes in order to better guide decisions on strategy.
Speakers: Richard N. Haass, David E. Jeremiah, Richard J. Kerr, Brent Scowcroft, and Paul D. Wolfowitz Presider: Rick Atkinson
For historical context, speakers above are listed with their titles at the time of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Twenty years after Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, a panel of former administration officials discuss both their roles in and lessons learned from the Gulf War.
Speakers: Richard N. Haass, David E. Jeremiah, Richard Kerr, Brent Scowcroft, and Paul D. Wolfowitz Presider: Rick Atkinson
For historical context, speakers above are listed with their titles at the time of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Twenty years after Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, a panel of former administration officials discuss both their roles in and lessons learned from the Gulf War.
Continued unrest in Egypt is stirring tensions between Iran's hardliners and opposition movement and stoking concerns that an Iran-friendly Egyptian regime could upset the regional balance of power.
Steven Simon discusses whether changes like those occuring to the bilateral relationship between the United States and Egypt will take place in the rest of the Middle East.
The Council on Foreign Relations' David Rockefeller Studies Program—CFR's "think tank"—is home to more than seventy full-time, adjunct, and visiting scholars and practitioners (called "fellows"). Their expertise covers the world's major regions as well as the critical issues shaping today's global agenda. Download the printable CFR Experts Guide.
Special operations play a critical role in how the United States confronts irregular threats, but to have long-term strategic impact, the author argues, numerous shortfalls must be addressed.
The author analyzes the potentially serious consequences, both at home and abroad, of a lightly overseen drone program and makes recommendations for improving its governance.
Two experts argue that despite myriad development strategies, only one can succeed in alleviating poverty in India: the overall growth of the country's economy. More