2018 Iranian Protests: A Second Revolution on the Way in Iran?
April 13, 2018 5 min. read

What started off as protests spurred on by the deteriorating economic conditions in Iran and the inflation in prices of basic necessities, escalated into a rebellion against the Islamic Republic itself. But to what extent are these protests threatening the theocratic regime, and could such an upheaval foreshadow a second Iranian revolution? The latest protests, […]

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Partition Remains An Option Even After Aleppo
February 25, 2017 10 min. read

Neither a Putin-Assad hegemony nor an inclusive transitional government of a united Syria are solutions after Aleppo. Partition is the solution.

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Humility as a Foundation for Country ‘Visions’
July 22, 2016 4 min. read

Decision makers in the Middle East love coming up with visions. They spend large sums of money on long-term strategic plans, with little regard for results.

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The Rojava Model
July 1, 2016 4 min. read

Inflicting a series of defeats on ISIS, Kurds have emerged from obscurity to become a major force in the Syrian conflict.

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Why is the Internet not Fostering China’s Democratization?
March 15, 2016 7 min. read

In the past, scholars tended to believe that the internet was an effective tool to challenge authoritarian regimes and facilitate the development of civil society. However, as an expert that has been investigating the issue for a number of years, I disagree with this widely held belief.

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The Islamic State in Libya
March 11, 2016 4 min. read

ISIS’ growing activity has caught the attention of U.S. officials who see no other option than to address the Islamic State threat in Libya with military action.

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Does the Egyptian Military Regime Work for U.S. and Allies?
February 25, 2015 5 min. read

Since the Egyptian military ousted former President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood government in a coup in July 2013, a stricter and an increasingly oppressive rule governs Africa’s third most populous country, but one that may not be that unwelcome with the U.S. or its allies.

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Saudi Arabia and Iran’s Backyard Politics
February 18, 2015 6 min. read

The Iran-Saudi “cold war” carries, for both countries, a dimension that raises particular security concerns: the presence of minority communities in their respective backyards that show sympathy to the other side due to domestic repression.

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Is the Hashemite Monarchy a good partner in the war against Islamic State?
December 8, 2014 4 min. read

The Hashemites claim to be part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, but evidence has emerged showing that the regime is tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, who supports Islamic State.

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The Plight of Homosexuals in Egypt
November 10, 2014 5 min. read

Eight Egyptian men were sentenced to three years in prison plus three years on probation for allegedly attending Egypt’s first same-sex wedding. The harsh sentence was condoned by Egyptian TV host Tamer Amin and the Egyptian Minister for Religious Endowment. Despite the high hopes that existed in the wake of the Arab Spring, the plight of homosexuals in Egypt and the Arab world has deteriorated.

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The Saudi and Emirati response to Qatar is all about domestic unrest
October 2, 2014 8 min. read

Qatar’s financial habits have been the subject of a lot of media coverage lately due to the successes of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and the setbacks the Syrian opposition actors the Gulf states were pinning their hopes on have suffered at the hands of ISIS. Kuwait, through its relative openness, plays a […]

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ANALYSIS: America Should Change Its Iraq Policy
June 26, 2014 4 min. read

The U.S. should not help Shia Islamists to the detriment of Sunni Islamists. The U.S. should support toleration and moderation in Iraq. Their current policies don’t do this. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated that it would be a serious mistake to ease pressure on Iran in the nuclear talks in exchange for help […]

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