Middle East & North Africa

The Dueling Moralities of Middle Eastern Democracy
The Dueling Moralities of Middle Eastern Democracy

Should we support Middle Eastern majorities as they organize their states even when the results defy our notions of democracy? Or should we support Middle Eastern minorities—Christians, Jews, Yazidis, liberal Muslims—who stand in fear of tyrannous ochlocracy?

Iran’s Economic Troubles Gives US Diplomatic Tool - Iran Economy
Iran’s Economic Troubles Gives US Diplomatic Tool

Sanctions and corruption have stunted Iran’s economic growth, and reforms will be difficult because of entrenched interests. This gives American policymakers a crucial diplomatic tool.

Strange Bedfellows: Is the US Supporting al-Qaeda in Yemen?

The Arab coalition and the US find themselves in the awkward position of directly and indirectly supporting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula while they fight the Houthis in Yemen.

Abbas Salehi - Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (MCIG) - Censorship and Sanctions: Should the US Sanction Iran’s Minister of Culture?
Censorship and Sanctions: Should the US Sanction Iran’s Minister of Culture?

Since the 1980s, the MCIG has played a leading role in suppressing political and cultural speech that contradicts Tehran’s revolutionary creed. But while the Obama administration sanctioned the ministry in 2012 for engaging in censorship, its current leadership has escaped Washington’s attention. By sanctioning the ministry’s current head, Abbas Salehi, Washington can send the mullahs a message that their ideologically driven repression will carry a price.

Living Together: Jews, Christians, and the Nation-State Law

There is a need to scrutinize and criticize the new nation-state law, but it is unfortunate that several aspects of the Latin Patriarchate’s statement are simply unproductive and even inflammatory.

Pakistan’s New Prime Minister Could Change the Relationship with the US

Imran Khan is the new prime minister of Pakistan and his plans for change could affect the US, China, and the region.

Israel’s New Law: A Tale of Two Nation-States

The Palestine Basic Law (2003) defines Palestine as part of the Arab world and cites Arab unity as a singular…

America May Need to Support an Independent Kurdistan Soon
America May Need to Support an Independent Kurdistan Soon

We shouldn’t redraw existing borders carelessly. But when trying to hold a state together becomes more disruptive to international order than allowing it to break apart, when one group mistreats another within a state, when a government loses the ability and authority to govern, the sensible course is to let that state dissolve.

Iraq Protests: A Hot, Thirsty, and Angry Iraq is One Glimpse into the Region’s Future
A Hot, Thirsty, and Angry Iraq is One Glimpse into the Region’s Future

Earlier this month, large parts of southern Iraq rose in tumult and turmoil as hot, thirsty, and angry citizens complained about unemployment, lack of services, corruption, lack of water, and lack of electricity in a country with the world’s fifth largest proven oil reserves.

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