Region Related Event Feeds

2012 Global Forecast

ian — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

TWQ: The Real Problem in U.S.–Israeli Relations - Spring 2012

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Of all the foreign relationships of the United States, perhaps none is as closely watched and incessantly scrutinized as its relationship with Israel. Like a couple in counseling, U.S.–Israeli relations are the subject of endless analysis.

U.S. Global Health Policy in Palestinian Hands?

jdunton — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Palestinians, Israelis, Americans, and others are engaged in high-stakes brinkmanship over recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations. For the Palestinian leadership, pursuing UN statehood and membership in UN bodies holds out the prospect of greater international recognition and rare diplomatic leverage over both the United States and Israel.

Gaza's Health Sector under Hamas

jdunton — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

In less than three decades Hamas health care activities have transformed dramatically. This transformation in health care has mirrored Hamas’s own evolution, albeit incomplete, from a militant organization to a de facto government.

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.

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.

U.S. Policy after the UN Vote

sherry — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The coming vote on statehood for Palestine will be a tragedy. This will not be because the Palestinians do not deserve a state, but because yet another year will have passed in which all of the milestones on the road to peace will have been largely negative.

The Turkish-Israeli Crisis and U.S.-Turkish Relations

ian — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Simmering Turkish-Israeli tensions have escalated sharply since the release on September 2 of the UN secretary general’s panel of inquiry report on the Gaza flotilla crisis last year.

Crossroads

jdunton — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S.-Israel partnership is under unprecedented strain. The relationship is deep and cooperation remains robust, but the challenges to it now are more profound than ever. Growing differences could undermine the national security of both the United States and Israel, making strong cooperation uncertain in an increasingly volatile and unpredictable Middle East.

TWQ: Israel’s Pessimistic View of the Arab Spring - Summer 2011

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Americans took heart as they watched Egyptian demonstrators rally in Tahrir Square and topple the regime of Hosni Mubarak in a peaceful revolution. Next door in Israel, however, the mood was somber: “When some people in the West see what’s happening in Egypt, they see Europe 1989,” an Israeli official remarked.

Palestine's UN Gamble

sherry — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 -0400

In the coming weeks, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) will likely submit a formal request to the United Nations for full membership status. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council must approve the request before it goes to the General Assembly for a final vote.

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.

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.

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.

TWQ: Should Israel Become a “Normal” Nation? - Fall 2010

asnyder — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust amid violent rejection from its neighbors, Israel has long insisted on extraordinary freedom of action to defend its existence as a Jewish majority state. But external pressures are rising, creating a diplomatic crisis that may constrain Israel’s tendency to use massive military force against adversaries.

Strategic Competition With Iran: The Military Dimension

ian — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Iranian Strategic Competition with the US: The Military Dimension

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.

The Gaza Flotilla Raid and its Aftermath

ian — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

On May 31, Israeli commandos raided the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara in international waters resulting in the death of at least nine passengers and the temporary detention of several hundred others who were seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Hamas-controlled Gaza. The raid and its aftermath seriously threaten Israeli-Turkish relations, complicate U.S.

Israel as a Strategic Liability?

ian — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

America’s ties to Israel are not based primarily on U.S. strategic interests. At the best of times, an Israeli government that pursues the path to peace provides some intelligence, some minor advances in military technology, and a potential source of stabilizing military power that could help Arab states like Jordan.

Middle East Notes and Comment: Moment of Truth

Sat, 22 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Beneath the recent public embrace, a genuine crisis is emerging in U.S.-Israeli relations. Increasingly, the two countries have fundamentally different strategic priorities. In the past, high-level political understandings narrowed such differences; today, such understandings seem elusive.

TWQ: Global Zero: An Israeli Vision of Realistic Idealism - Spring 2010

asnyder — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Trying to portray the Israeli outlook on a nuclear-free world presents a formidable challenge. The issue is not merely the inability to access the inner thoughts of the government, considering that no official statements on the issue are available.

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.

Biden's Trip to Israel

sherry — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: The main headline that resulted from Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to Israel was Israel’s decision to announce the construction of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem. Was this an intentional Israeli action?

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.

TWQ: Israel's Military Option - Winter 2010

asnyder — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Washington finally made the offer Tehran has been waiting to hear since 2006: to negotiate a peaceful halt to Iran’s nuclear program without any preconditions. In 2006, Iran was willing to temporarily freeze uranium enrichment for direct negotiation with the United States, since negotiations would have awarded the regime a great deal of legitimacy.

Iran as a Nuclear Weapons Power

amausner — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The latest discoveries regarding Iran’s nuclear program are simply the next development in a process that has been going on since the Iran-Iraq War, and Khomeini’s decision to resume nuclear research once Iran came under chemical weapons attack from Iraq.

TWQ: The 2009 Israeli Election: A Bump in the Road to Peace? - Summer 2009

asnyder — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Israeli voters went to the polls in February 2009 for the fifth time in a decade. The campaign was overshadowed by the December 2008 Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip: air operations beginning just two days after Christmas and Israeli ground operations following during the early days of the New Year.

Iran, Israel, and the Effects of Nuclear Conflict in the Middle East

amausner — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Much of the debate over proliferation focuses on the possession of nuclear weapons rather than their use in warfighting and their effects. History is a grim warning, however, that deterrence does not always work and rational bargaining often fails. Abdullah Toukan and Anthony H.

Obama, Netanyahu, and the Future of U.S.-Israeli Relations

sherry — Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

President Barack Obama’s meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raises some of the most serious issues in U.S.-Israeli relations. It is premature to judge how the Netanyahu government will deal with either the Arab-Israeli issue or Iran, but both could be major sources of tension if the two countries do not go deeper than their usual dialogue.

ABC News/Washington Post Poll on U.S. Views of Islam

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

ABC News and the Washington Post recently conducted a poll of U.S. attitudes toward Islam and the Muslim world. The results are of significant interest to anyone addressing U.S.

Turkey's Evolving Dynamics

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Relations between the United States and Turkey stand at a critical juncture. Turkey is a key ally in the advancement of U.S. interests vis-à-vis the Middle East, Eurasia, and global energy diversification. Turkey still sees the United States as its closest ally and wants to be a partner in advancing mutual interests, particularly in its immediate environs.

Deciphering the Israeli Elections

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: What effects have the actions in Gaza had on Israeli public opinion?

The "Gaza War"

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -0500

One can argue whether the fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is a "war" or should be seen as just one more tragic surge in violence in the decades-long struggle between Israel and

Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Iran’s nuclear ambitions and missile programs, and their interactions with its growing capabilities for asymmetric warfare, are becoming steadily more critical security issues for the United States, Iran’s neighbors, and the international community.

The War in Gaza

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The Israeli-Hamas War, and there is little else that it can be called, has now lasted two weeks. Israeli jets have flown some 800 strike sorties, and the IDF has pushed deep into Gaza.

Conflict in Gaza

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Q1: What provoked the current war?

Middle East Notes and Comment: Another Palestinian Casualty

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

While all of Israel’s military actions are focused on Gaza, the principal casualty will likely be on the West Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stands to benefit dramatically from a weakened Hamas in Gaza, and if he plays his cards deftly, he could emerge in a much stronger position. Yet, to do so, he would have to show a resolve and creativity in this crisis that he h

The Fighting in Gaza

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The fighting in Gaza is already a major human tragedy for the Palestinians.

Israeli-Syrian Air and SAM Strength Analysis

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The relative balance of Israeli and Syria air combat capabilities has long been a key factor shaping both the level of deterrence in the Arab-Israel conflict and the outcome of any conflict.

The Israeli and Syrian Conventional Military Balance

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The armed forces of Israel and Syria have evolved in response to continued tension and the prospects for conflict between the two countries. This report summarizes the development of each country’s conventional military strengths and weaknesses in force strength, force quality, capabilities, and leadership.

The United States, Israel, the Arab States, and a Nuclear Iran

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0400

TWQ: Statecraft in the Middle East - Summer 2008

asnyder — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Americans are hungry for an explanation of foreign policy that makes sense. They certainly want to know what happened in Iraq and what went wrong. Even more importantly, they want to know whether the United States can fix its foreign policy more generally and what it will take to do it.

The Israeli and Syrian Conventional Military Balance

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The armed forces of Israel and Syria have evolved in response to continued tension and the prospects for conflict between the two countries.

Israeli and Syrian Weapons of Mass Destruction

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Both Israel and Syria have long been involved in creating weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them.

Middle East Notes and Comment: What Went Wrong?

Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

It has become impossible to credibly argue that the Bush Administration’s Middle East policies have advanced the national interests of the United States. After shifting enormous resources toward addressing the problems of the region following the events of September 11, 2001, and after cautioning patience through the “birth pangs of democracy,” the results have become clear.

The Lessons of the Israel-Hezbollah War

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Middle East Notes and Comment: Freedom Agenda, Take Three

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

It is, perhaps, surprising how much President George W. Bush has talked about democracy and freedom in the Middle East. Last weekend in Abu Dhabi, he delivered his third speech dedicated largely to that topic, which is three more than any previous U.S. president had done.

Security and Stability in the Greater Middle East

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0500

The attached briefing provides an overview of the major security problems facing the Middle East.