Foreign Policy Blogs

Middle East & North Africa

IDF shooting in Hebron challenges Israeli democracy

IDF shooting in Hebron challenges Israeli democracy

On March 24, a video of an Israeli soldier shooting an incapacitated Palestinian point blank in the head was released. The incident has split the country.

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Putin Likes Israel but Supports Palestine

Putin Likes Israel but Supports Palestine

Vladimir Putin, arguably, is the most pro-Israeli president that Russia, Russian Empire, or the Soviet Union have ever had: he has officially visited Israel, opened the Jewish Museum of Tolerance in Moscow, and offered Russian refuge to Jews facing anti-Semitism in Europe.

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Lesvos Online: Social Media, Refugees, and Foreign Policy at the Individual Level

Lesvos Online: Social Media, Refugees, and Foreign Policy at the Individual Level

The refugee crisis in Europe stems from competing state and non-state actors in Syria and uneven responses by state and supra-state actors in Europe. But one of the most interesting—and useful—responses to the crisis have been at the individual level.

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Why We Should Not Abandon Saudi Arabia

Why We Should Not Abandon Saudi Arabia

Beset by challenges ranging from the collapse in oil prices, to the spreading instability in the region, to criticism from its longtime allies in the United States, Saudi Arabia is facing its most difficult test in decades. But the kingdom has the means to overcome these difficulties, and also has the will to seize a unique opportunity to carry out important reforms.

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Trump and Clinton: The View From Afar

Trump and Clinton: The View From Afar

Many in the Middle East are curious how the next American president will deal with the major unresolved issues in their tumultuous, unsettled region.

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Can Turkey Steer Away From Catastrophe?

Can Turkey Steer Away From Catastrophe?

In dealing with this immediate threat, it behooves the Turkish government to put politicking on the back-burner, separate the non-violent opposition from the violent, and mend fences with the former. Swallowing that bitter pill is necessary for terrorism to be brought “to its knees.”

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International Humanitarian Law and Counterterrorism: Turkey and the PKK

International Humanitarian Law and Counterterrorism: Turkey and the PKK

The indiscriminate killing of civilians in order to fight terrorism is unlawful. Moreover, the state’s brutal response has actually led to an increase in the number of terrorist attacks.

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The Islamic State in Libya

The Islamic State in Libya

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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Saudi Arabia’s Dangerous Gambit in Lebanon

Saudi Arabia’s Dangerous Gambit in Lebanon

Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend $4 billion in military aid to Lebanon is the latest example of a meddlesome foreign power attempting to undermine Lebanese sovereignty to advance its own political agenda.

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Who Are The Kurds? 

Who Are The Kurds? 

The multiplicity of Kurdish national movements throughout the Middle East adds an additional layer of complexity in the fight against ISIS.

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Iran-U.S. Confrontation in the Persian Gulf: An International Law Perspective

Iran-U.S. Confrontation in the Persian Gulf: An International Law Perspective

On January 12, 2016, 10 U.S. sailors were detained by Iran’s Navy and later released. Can Iran’s behavior in its territorial waters be considered justifiable or in accordance with international law?

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Could Turkey Implode?

Could Turkey Implode?

Turkey, long hailed as a bastion of secular democracy in the Muslim world, could be spiraling toward an all-out civil war as conflicts between Turkish security forces and Kurds as well as other ethnic minorities continue to escalate.

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Uprooting Islamic State?

Uprooting Islamic State?

Lacking outside alliances and with the geopolitical situation slowly starting to tilt against it, Islamic State’s pretensions to act as a legitimate government seem to have its days numbered.

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Saudi-Iranian ‘Cold War’ Uses Sectarianism As Tool

Saudi-Iranian ‘Cold War’ Uses Sectarianism As Tool

Following Saudi Arabia’s execution of the Shiite Cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, observers of the Middle East are pondering a multitude of eventualities, many of which point to a hot conflict between the two regional powers.

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Saudi Arabia-Iran: Tensions and Intertwined Futures

Saudi Arabia-Iran: Tensions and Intertwined Futures

2016 kicked off with tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran reaching new highs. Their rivalry will define the future of the region, from oil prices to the risk of armed conflict.

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