Using Economic Muscle, Beijing Sways Panama over Taiwan
July 10, 2017 4 min. read

President Tsai Ing-wen arriving in Panama City on her first overseas state trip in June 2016 (photo: The China Post) The days of countries paying tribute to China, in order to stay in China’s good graces, may long be gone, but nowadays the tribute appears to flow in the opposite direction.  Since opening up its […]

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The ‘Covfefe’ Coalition to Squeeze Qatar
June 11, 2017 7 min. read

While the diplomatic tension between Saudi Arabia and Qatar existed since the Arab Spring, the break up caught foreign policy experts by surprise.

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The ‘Shia Crescent’ and Middle East Geopolitics
January 31, 2017 4 min. read

Saudi Arabia and Iran project influence using their interpretations of Islam and the politicization of sectarian identities as instruments of foreign policy.

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As a Military Power, Britain Still Matters
July 21, 2016 5 min. read

Despite defense spending cuts and a greater reluctance to use military force, Britain remains a key player in international security.

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Sunni Areas Post-ISIS: Occupation by Sunni Powers?
June 24, 2016 8 min. read

Current governments of Syria, Iraq and Kurdistan should rule over their ethnic populations while Sunni areas should be occupied by foreign Sunni powers.

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Iran Détente Still a Poison Pill for Gulf Arabs, Nuclear Question or Not
June 16, 2015 5 min. read

There is little chance that Iran and the Arab monarchies, led by Saudi Arabia, can countenance each another’s respective aspirations. The U.S. is trying to make a deal with Iran while still tying itself to the demands of its other security partners in the region.

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Gulf Canvases and the Cultural Renaissance
March 24, 2015 9 min. read

Over the past fifty years, art in the Gulf has witnessed an artistic revolution, starting in Kuwait.

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Past, Present, Future: Gulf Women in the Economy
February 18, 2015 8 min. read

With the appearance of oil in the mid-20th century, the structure of the average Arabian family began to change. So, too, did women’s participation in the economy and their societal status.

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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 GCC a Toothless Organization?
May 12, 2014 10 min. read

The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is comprised of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. According to the GCC’s Charter, what unites these countries are their “special relations, common characteristics and similar systems founded on the creed of Islam.” “Their […]

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Bahrain: Three Years On
February 17, 2014 4 min. read

For many of us, February 14 is celebrated as St. Valentine’s Day, an occasion marked by lovers expressing their love for each other by presenting flowers, candy or greeting cards. For Bahrainis, the day is marked quite differently, as it represents the third anniversary of the uprising on their tiny Gulf archipelago of 1.7 million people.  […]

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