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Losing the Long Game
The definitive account of how regime change in the Middle East has proven so tempting to American policymakers for decades—and why it always seems to go wrong. -
Pompeo’s European Tour, Democrats’ Virtual National Convention, and MoreU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wraps up his trip to Central Europe with a visit to Poland, the Democratic National Convention is set to take place virtually, and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon is due to give its verdict on the killing of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
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What Is U.S. Policy on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?The United States has long tried to negotiate a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but several factors, including deep divisions between and within the parties and declining U.S. interest in carrying out its traditional honest-broker role, hurt the chances of a peace deal.
Experts in this Region
Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies and Director of the International Affairs Fellowship for Tenured International Relations Scholars
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Iraq’s New Government: What to KnowIraq’s new prime minister has formed a government in the hope of uniting the country’s factions, but challenges in combating corruption, powerful militias, and foreign influence loom.
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U.S. Relations With Iran, 1953–2020Onetime allies, the United States and Iran have seen tensions escalate repeatedly in the four decades since the Islamic Revolution.
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What Is Hezbollah?Military experience gained from fighting in Syria’s civil war and decades of clashes with Israel have made the Iran-backed group stronger than ever, but the biggest threat it faces may be upheaval in its own backyard.
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Virtual Meeting: Israeli Annexation and Middle East PeacePanelists discuss Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed annexation of parts of the West Bank and the geopolitical consequences for the region and for the Middle East peace plan.
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Yemen in CrisisYemen’s internal divisions and a Saudi-led military intervention have spawned an escalating political, military, and humanitarian crisis.
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Saudi Arabia’s Downsized Hajj, Turkey’s Hagia Sophia Transformation, and MoreSaudi Arabia hosts a scaled-down hajj, Turkey’s historic Hagia Sophia begins its reconversion into a mosque, and tensions mount over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
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Did Iran Suffer a Nuclear Setback?An explosion has caused heavy damage to an Iranian nuclear facility just as the country approaches a bold new energy partnership with China, but Iran shows no signs of slowing down its nuclear program.
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Can Syria’s Assad Regime Survive a New Wave of Threats?New U.S. sanctions under the Caesar Act could compound the economic turmoil threatening to undo the Assad regime.
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U.S. Retrenchment Will Intensify Crisis in IdlibIn order to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Syria and avoid regional instability, the United States should make the outcome of the fight for Idlib a national security concern and exercise the leadership necessary for implementing diplomatic and political solutions to the civil war.
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Israel’s Possible Annexation of the Jordan Valley, With Martin S. IndykMartin S. Indyk, distinguished fellow at CFR, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s possible move to annex parts of the West Bank.
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Just How Important Is the Rift Between Qatar and the Saudi Arabia-led Quartet?Amir Asmar is a Department of Defense analyst and CFR’s national intelligence fellow. Throughout his intelligence career, his primary area of focus has been the Middle East. He held a wide range of a…
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Who’s Who in Libya’s War?The conflict in oil-rich Libya has become a proxy war, fueled by rival foreign powers such as Russia and Turkey.