Region Related Event Feeds

Critical Questions for 2012

ian — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

From international security and regional study to global challenges, CSIS experts will address many of the world's most difficult policy concerns and critical questions in 2012. To kick off the new year, we asked 25 of our scholars to identity what worries them most and what are the biggest opportunities in their respective areas of study.

US and Iranian Strategic Competition in the Gulf States and Yemen

sherry — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0500

US competition with Iran has become the equivalent of a game of three-dimensional chess, but a game where each side can modify at least some of the rules with each move.

Saudi Youth: Unveiling the Force for Change

dholodnik — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been spared the unrest that recently swept many of its neighbors in the Middle East.

Iran and the Gulf Military Balance

sherry — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Iraq and US Strategy in the Gulf: Shaping US Plans after Withdrawal

sherry — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

President Obama’s announcement of a withdrawal of all US combat forces from Iraq by the end of 2011 will result in a major power vacuum in the region – and the Middle East abhors a vacuum. Officials from Jordan, Israel, and Saudi Arabia have all previously expressed reservations about Iranian involvement in Iraq, and it is clear that this withdrawal will give Iran increased le

Middle East Notes and Comment: The Predicament

dholodnik — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0400

For nearly four decades, the United States' reputation in the Middle East has been strengthened by its ability to broker peace between Israelis and Arabs. That ability is fading as the Palestinians seek to bypass the United States in their statehood bid and Israeli policies further alienate many American supporters.

Iraq and US Strategy in the Gulf

ecurran — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

During the coming months, the US must reshape its strategy and force posture relative to Iraq and the Gulf States. It must take account of its withdrawal of most of its forces from Iraq, and whether or not it can give real meaning to the US-Iraqi Strategic Framework Agreement.

Middle East Notes and Comment: The Turkey Connection

dholodnik — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Saudi Arabia has a problem. Its decades-long alliances with Iraq and Egypt have been sundered, and its faith in U.S. leadership is at its lowest point in memory. Its regional threats have grown, not only from Iranians directly across the Gulf, but from the actions of Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East that endanger Saudi allies.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

jdunton — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) emerged in January 2009 from the union of two preexisting militant groups: al Qaeda in Yemen (AQY) and al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.1 Both organizations included several combatants that fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan with Osama bin Laden.

Gulf Roundtable: Iran’s Maritime Evolution

dholodnik — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Iran’s nuclear program gets the press, but Iran’s navy is an indispensible part of its regional strategy. A swift, versatile navy gives Iran political and economic leverage in and around the Gulf, and allows it to challenge U.S. presence without necessarily suffering retaliation. Dr. David B.

Gulf Analysis Paper: Iran's Maritime Evolution

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

As Iraq and Afghanistan fade from the headlines, Iran is likely to re-emerge as the preeminent security concern in the Middle East for the United States and its allies. Iran’s intransigence over its nuclear ambitions, its support for Shia opposition forces in the region, and material support for terrorist organizations are challenges that will likely persist for the foreseeable future.

Capacity and Resolve

jdunton — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The last decade has seen the United States involved in two wars, an ongoing worldwide struggle against terrorism, and more recently a severe economic recession. This period has exposed two great structural challenges facing the United States. First, in a globalized world, vectors of prosperity quickly become vectors of insecurity. And second, the center of gravity in world affairs is shifting to Asia.

Gulf Roundtable: A GCC Strategy for Counter-Piracy?

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Pirates’ bounties have never been more bountiful in the Arabian Sea. Despite a multi-national counter-piracy effort in the region, pirates are pursuing increasingly lucrative targets with unprecedented skill and sophistication. The GCC states, whose economies rely heavily on maritime trade through the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, feel the piracy threat acutely but have th

Counter-Piracy in the Arabian Sea

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Piracy not only threatens to disrupt maritime trade in the region that Gulf economies depend on, it also undermines confidence in the ability of regional governmnets to address security challenges in their own "backyard." The problem provides a unique opportunity for local actors, most importantly the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, to demonstrate initiative and exercise

Saudi Stability in a Time of Change

mentman — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The MENA region has begun a process of political change and turmoil that will take years to play out, and which could destabilize some MENA countries for a decade or more as a worst case. There is a tangible risk that Saudi Arabia will be affected in the short term, and it will take continued leadership and vision for Saudi Arab to deal with its longer-term internal challenges.

U.S. Strategy in the Gulf

ian — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

During the course of the next year, the US must fundamentally reshape its strategy and force posture for the Gulf. This involves challenges which would require it to decide on how to restructure its entire force posture in the Gulf as it leaves Iraq, and deal with steadily increasing strategic competition with Iran.

Water and National Strength in Saudi Arabia

mDziuban — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Of all the manifestations of Saudi Arabia's spectacular development over the past half century, none presents a starker set of contrasts than water. Oil has helped finance rapid urban development and generous philanthropic and humanitarian projects around the world.

The Iranian Navy’s Historic Mediterranean Deployment: Timing Is Everything

mentman — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Iranian Warships in the Med. In an unprecedented maneuver, two ships of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) entered the Mediterranean Sea on February 22, 2011. The Iranian flagship Arvand, a corvette, and its supply ship, Kharg, transited the Suez Canal en route to Syria, ostensibly for a port visit as part of a midshipmen training deployment.

Understanding Saudi Stability and Instability: A Very Different Nation

mentman — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Saudi Arabia is scarcely immune to protest and dissent, and has long struggled with the challenges of reform. What is most striking about the Kingdom over the past weeks of crisis, however, has been the lack of any major challenge to government and the way it functions

Gulf Roundtable: Scarcity and Strategy in the GCC

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Resource scarcity in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will challenge the same political and economic structures that resource abundance has helped shore up. Dr. Toby Jones and Dr. Eckart Woertz discussed these challenges at a Gulf Roundtable hosted by the CSIS Middle East Program on February 25, 2011.

Middle East Civil Unrest and Oil Prices

ian — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: How have increased political tensions and antigovernment demonstrations in the Middle East and North Africa affected global oil supplies?

A Threat Transformed

jdunton — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

GCC Security, Risk Assessment, and U.S. Extended Deterrence

sherry — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

The Burke chair has just published a new report entitled “GCC Security, Risk Assessment, and US Extended Deterrence” which is available on the CSIS web site at http://csis.org/files/publication/110202_GCC_Secur_US_Extended_Deter.pdf.

US, Gulf and Israeli Perspectives of the Threat from Iran

sherry — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

Iran has emerged as a major national security challenge to the US, its neighbors, and Israel. This is not simply a matter of proliferation. It involves a wide range of potential threats, including asymmetric warfare.

Iraq’s Coming National Challenges

amausner — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:00 -0500

While it is tempting to focus on Iraq’s very real political divisions -- and its ongoing, low-level insurgency – it is equally important for both Iraqis and the US to realize that they must take immediate steps to focus on the full range of issues that will define Iraq’s future.

Clear Gold

jdunton — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The real wild card for political and social unrest in the Middle East over the next 20 years is not war, terrorism, or revolution—it is water. Conventional security threats dominate public debate and government thinking, but water is the true game-changer in Middle Eastern politics.

الذهب الزُلال

mentman — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

لن تنبع القلاقل السياسية والاجتماعية خلال العشرين عاما القادمة في الشرق الأوسط من الحروب، أو الإرهاب، أو الثورات، بل من منبع مفاجئ مستتر- إنه المياه.

U.S. and Iranian Strategic Competition

amausner — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The current strategic landscape in the Gulf is shaped by a competition between Iran, Iraq, the US, and the individual Southern Gulf states for influence in the military, political, and economic realms. Iran is making broad efforts to expand its influence over the entire Gulf, as well as to deter US military action, reduce US influence, and establish itself as the dominant power in the reg

The U.S.-UAE Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: A Gold Standard or Fool’s Gold?

ian — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It is hard to know what is more disturbing—Iran’s continued defiance of UN Security Council Resolutions ordering Tehran to cease its uranium enrichment activities and to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), or the tour that North Korea recently gave to U.S. scientists of its new uranium enrichment plant.

AQAP in Yemen

mentman — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: Last Friday, two suspicious packages were discovered aboard cargo and passenger flights originating in Yemen and bound for the United States. Reports suggest this may have been a failed bombing attempt by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a terrorist group based in Yemen. What do we know about AQAP and its role in this plot?

The Saudi Arms Sale

amausner — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Department of Defense has proposed a new series of arms transfers to Saudi Arabia whose cost could eventually total up to $60 billion. A new analysis by the Burke Chair indicates that these transfers serve the vital national security interest of both nations. This analysis is entitled The Saudi Arms Sale: Reinforcing a Strategic Partnership in the Gulf.

Iran, Iraq, and the Changing Face of Defense Cooperation in the Gulf

amausner — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Southern Gulf states, the region, and the US all face a rapidly changing threat environment in the Gulf, and a sharply rising need for defense cooperation. These needs, and the changes in threat and military balance that shape them, are described in detail in a new analysis developed by the Arleigh A.

Grand Strategy in the Afghan, Pakistan, and Iraq Wars

amausner — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Grand strategy is not an American strength, and it is far too easy to become obsessed with day-to-day issues. In the case of Iraq, this means a focus on US withdrawal and the formation of a new Iraqi government.

U.S.-Saudi Security Cooperation and the Impact of U.S. Arms Sales

mentman — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

U.S.-Saudi security cooperation is becoming steadily more important as Iran expands its capabilities for asymmetric warfare in the Gulf, increases its long-range missile forces, and moves toward a capability to build and deploy nuclear weapons.

The Arab-Israeli Military Balance in 2010

amausner — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Major changes are taking place in the Arab-Israeli military balance.

Middle East Notes and Comment: The Real Threat

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

GCC countries can almost certainly survive physical threats, but unless they can create dynamic, hard working and creative populations over the long term, they will fail. The true threat that GCC societies face is not so much a conquering from without, but a crumbling from within.

Saudi Arabia and Gulf Security

ian — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The US has not yet defined how it will change its position in the Gulf, or the role of USCENTCOM, once it withdraws from Iraq. It is clear, however, that the Gulf will remain both a critical and a highly unstable region.

Iraq after the Death of al Qaeda in Iraq’s Leadership

mentman — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Q1: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced on Monday that Iraqi forces had killed the leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq and the Islamic State of Iraq. What impact will these deaths have on violence in Iraq?

Middle East Notes and Comment: Clear Gold

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The most likely source of political and social unrest in the Middle East over the next twenty years is not warfare or military coups—it’s water. Military threats get all the press, but it’s water that is the real game-changer.

Options in Dealing with Iran's Nuclear Program

amausner — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

During the early days of his administration, President Obama had said he would give Iran until the end of 2009 to change their policy on nuclear weapons development. As reported by Reuters on Jan 29, 2009, the U.S.

Geopolitics of the Iranian Nuclear Energy Program

jdunton — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Relations between the United States and Iran in recent months have been defined by Iranian intransigence and U.S. stubbornness, all because Iran has continued to insist its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes whereas the United States and allied countries remain convinced the real purpose is to produce a nuclear weapon.

Middle East Notes and Comment: Victory over al-Qaeda

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

In an important way, al-Qaeda has been defeated. At one time, many Muslims admired the organization for its courageous opposition to Western domination, and many Westerners feared that al-Qaeda might draw Muslim communities into a battle with the West. Immediately after the events of September 11, 2001, it was not always clear how the battle for Muslim hearts and minds would end up.

How the US Must Expand and Redefine International Cooperation in Fighting Terrorism

amausner — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As Americans we naturally focus on the most direct threats to the United States, and what all too many in the West have seen as a clash between civilizations. It is important, however, to keep what is happening in perspective.

Middle East Notes and Comment: A U.S. Role in Yemen

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

For the last month, Washington has been abuzz with talk about what the United States government should do about Yemen. Should the United States give Yemen more military aid? Should it begin a large-scale economic assistance program? Should it help Yemen establish a governmental reform program, help implement a deradicalization program, or boost special forces training?

Transnational Threats Update November-December 2009 - Vol. 7, No. 9

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Transnational Threats Update is produced by the Transnational Threats Project and provides monthly reports and analysis on terrorism, drug trafficking, organized crime, money laundering, and arms trafficking. The newsletter draws on several U.S.

The New "War on Terrorism"

amausner — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Few talk today about the “Global War on Terrorism,” and few should. The phrase was always too broad and too ambiguous, and it implied some kind of unity in the threat that never existed. It is important, however, to look beyond today’s headlines about Yemen and consider the broader range of threats the US now faces on a regional basis.

Dubai’s Financial Trouble: Warning Sign for the Global Economy?

ian — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: What is Dubai’s role in the global economy?

Keynote Address

mDziuban — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Keynote address delivered by Jon B. Alterman at the NATO Defense College Conference on "NATO and Gulf Security," Rome, December 2, 2009.

Saudi Arabia

jdunton — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Saudi Arabia: National Security in a Troubled Region provides a comprehensive, up-to-date analysis of Saudi Arabia's strategic security efforts, both within the country and as a stabilizing regional presence.

GCC - Iran: Operational Analysis of Air, SAM and TBM Forces

amausner — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently stated that the U.S. will not allow the Gulf Region to be dominated by a hegemonic Iran, and that an Iran in possession of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. If Iran continues to pursue a nuclear weapon program then the U.S. will likely arm its allies in the region, extending a defense umbrella over the Gulf.