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I am old enough to remember what life was like before the internet. Before a virtually infinite amount of information was available at our fingertips, finding material was often an arduous task. Throughout high school, college and even part of graduate school, conducting research meant me driving to the closest public or college library and physically looking through stacks of books or operating… → Read More
At a hearing on Monday at the International Court of Justice at the Hague, commonly known as the World Court, Iran argued that the US reimposition of economic sanctions, following its withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was tantamount to “naked economic aggression.” → Read More
According to the US State Department’s website, diplomats serve many functions. Although it puts a high premium on “advocating” for US interests, it makes clear that American diplomats also help strengthen relations with other nations, allow Washington to better understand the politics, economy and culture of other countries, and even help them meet their development goals or → Read More
Some casual observers of the war in Yemen have been referring to the conflict in that country as the “forgotten war.” However, even a cursory glance at the “International” or “World” sections of many major Western newspapers suggests that the latest developments in the conflict, especially the recently launched military operation to liberate the port city of Hodeidah from the → Read More
“The world trade system is a mess.” This was how Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council and one of US President Donald Trump’s chief economic advisers, described the current state of affairs during a press conference on Wednesday. → Read More
Bernard Lewis, arguably the pre-eminent Western historian of the Middle East and the Islamic world, passed away on Saturday at the age of 101. Lewis taught at some of the West’s most prestigious colleges and universities, including Princeton, where he was a professor almost until the end of his life. His students and admirers have long lavished him with praise, both for his breadth and depth of… → Read More
Professional wrestling is a controversial sport. For starters, the idea of two men — often more — trying to beat each other into submission does not exactly have a universal appeal. Unlike its “amateur” variant, known as Greco-Roman wrestling, which is recognized by the International Olympics Committee, professional wrestling is often more entertainment than real competition. → Read More
By almost all measures, the post-Second World War landscape is more peaceful, stable and prosperous than what came before. For starters, it has not witnessed anything resembling the two devastating world wars that in many ways defined the 20th century and which came a mere 20 years apart. Much of the current relative peace and prosperity is due to the set of institutions that was created by the… → Read More
The Vision 2030 plan that was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016 is an ambitious package of economic and social reforms that seeks to effect structural changes to the economy by reducing Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil. This has entailed the implementation of dozens of new programs and initiatives that aim to reduce the size of the public sector — which still employs about 70… → Read More
Last year proved to be pivotal in the international community’s efforts to eradicate terrorism. It was during 2017 that the most brutal terrorist group in recent years, Daesh, lost almost all of the vast swaths of land across the Iraqi-Syrian border that came under its control in 2014. In other words, Daesh took a huge step towards its rightful place: The dustbin of history. Based on recent… → Read More
It might be hard to believe, but the war in Syria is on the verge of entering its eighth year. The conflict no longer dominates international headlines the way it did in 2014, for example, and some observers have found it tempting to declare Bashar Assad and his backers victorious. But the reality is that peace, stability and prosperity in Syria are unlikely in 2018. → Read More
Last week, as much of the world reflected on 2017 and looked forward to 2018, hundreds of Iranians demonstrated in the city of Mashhad against the Iranian government. While some analysts are suggesting that the demonstrations might have been initially orchestrated by opponents of President Hassan Rouhani, they quickly morphed into something with potentially long-lasting and far-reaching… → Read More
On Dec. 22, the Saudi Transit Police towed some 443 vehicles across the Kingdom that were parked illegally in spaces reserved for people with special needs. The campaign was meant to send several important messages. The first is that the law must be obeyed and that those who violate it will be cited and fined. The campaign also stressed the importance of being a socially responsible member of… → Read More
On Dec. 22, the Saudi Transit Police towed some 443 vehicles across the Kingdom that were parked illegally in spaces reserved for people with special needs. The campaign was meant to send several important messages. The first is that the law must be obeyed and that those who violate it will be cited and fined. The campaign also stressed the importance of being a socially responsible member of… → Read More
WASHINGTON: Some American pundits argue that US President Donald Trump’s most notable achievement in his first year in office came in the waning days of December, when Trump and the Republican majority in the US Congress succeeded in overhauling the US tax code. The centerpiece of the most significant tax reform in decades is a reduction in the rate of corporate taxes. It represents a… → Read More
The killing of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh at the hands of the Houthis last week should serve as a reminder of two incontrovertible truths. The first is that, at its core, the conflict in Yemen is a civil war. It began when the Houthis took up arms against the internationally recognized government of Yemen and it will end when they lay those weapons down. → Read More
Much like the conflicts in Bosnia and Rwanda before it, the war in Syria seems destined to leave a black mark on the history of humanity. Although it began in 2011 as a peaceful protest movement against an authoritarian regime, the conflict has claimed the lives of close to 400,000 people and has displaced an estimated nine million, both inside and outside Syria. It has also attracted thousands… → Read More
The greater Middle East has experienced unprecedented political turmoil and violence in the wake of the so-called Arab Spring. The political order as we knew it was upended in 2011 and the region has not yet fully recovered from that disruption. → Read More
There is little doubt that Vision 2030 could not only fundamentally change Saudi Arabia’s economy, but also how Saudis define their roles as citizens. It is the most ambitious package of reforms to be implemented in Saudi Arabia. → Read More
Autumn is usually a busy time for Washington think tanks, and this year is no exception. Several conferences last week focused on US foreign policy in the Middle East. Perhaps the most prominent was the 26th annual Arab-US policymakers’ conference organized by the National Council on US Arab Relations. The two-day event featured current and former officials from the US and just about every… → Read More