LATEST ANALYSIS:
Hardliners Ride High In The Middle East – Analysis
On Eurasia Review, James M. Dorsey analyses a recent Lebanese public opinion poll that suggests that there may be limits to Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah’s restraint in confronting Israel
Saudi Arabia And Israel Drive A Hard Bargain For Normalization
The US wants Israel and Saudi Arabia to establish formal diplomatic relations. All three nations are wary of Iran, which has a nuclear program and threatens traffic in the Persian Gulf. Both Israel and Saudi Arabia want security concessions out of the United States in exchange for the deal. It remains to be seen how much they can ask. James M. Dorsey explains.
Bin Salman Toys With Religious Reform
Will Bin Salman reform religion in Saudi Arabia? And who would support it? James M. Dorsey investigates.
French rioters and Palestinian gunmen send similar messages.
At first, comparing Palestinian gunmen in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to rioting youth in France may resemble likening apples to pears. James M. Dorsey explores the similarities and differences of the concurrent crises, in the Turbulent World.
Middle East LGBTQ emerges as a litmus test for limits of Saudi reforms
What does Saudi Arabia’s decision on the new Spider-Man movie reveal about US-Saudi relations? James M. Dorsey explains, in Modern Diplomacy.
Gulf States Test the Boundaries of Their Agency
More than three years after burying the war hatchet, erstwhile Gulf rivals are moving in separate ways as they maneuver big power competition… but are they still dependant on an external security guarantor? James M. Dorsey explores, in The Turbulent World.
Are Muslim Religious Conservatism and Political Islam Making a Comeback?
A decade on from the devastating defeat of the Muslim Brotherhood at the hands of the Egyptian President Sisi’s military coup, is Political Islam making a comeback? James M. Dorsey investigates.
Sudan tests the limits of Middle Eastern de-escalation.
With Saudi-hosted talks to end Sudan fighting producing minimal results and Arab states supporting rival forces, de-escalation in the Middle East faces a major test. James M. Dorsey writes in The Turbulent World.
Syrian President Al-Assad Plays a Strong Hand in Diplomatic Poker.
A winning hand for President al-Assad? Despite years of isolation and a poverty-stricken population, the Syrian regime has strong diplomatic cards to play… James M. Dorsey explains.
Shaping a 21st-century world order: The nation-state vs the civilizational state
US President Joe Biden positions the Ukraine war as a battle between autocracy and democracy, but that reduces what is at stake in the war: the nature of the state. And Putin isn’t the only civilizational leader out there… James M. Dorsey explores.
The Fallacy of a US Withdrawal from the Middle East
Amid recent Chinese diplomatic developments, Washington’s role as the most powerful external military actor remains unchanged. James M. Dorsey unravels the contemporary state of play in The Turbulent World.
Putting Hindu Nationalists on the Spot
As Hindu nationalists in government announce themselves at war against an ‘enemy within’, the Supreme Court and Indian Muslims call for an end to hate speech. Meanwhile, international Muslim civil society organisation Nahdlatul Ulama mulls over its approach… James M. Dorsey for the South Asia Journal.
Unleashing an Iranian tiger
As Saudi Arabia-Iran relations thaw, what are the economic implications? If an Iranian rise and the end of US sanctions is inevitable, what role will Riadh play? James M. Dorsey explains for the South Asia Post.
Jihadists target Africa and Afghanistan, but also eye China and Russia
As the locus of Islamist militancy shifts to the African Sahel and Afghanistan in Central Asia, Russia and China find themselves in the crosshairs… James M. Dorsey explores in the Times of Israel.
India Could be the New China of the 2020s
The Russia-Ukraine War, China’s intransigent rise, American fixation with China and Russia and other new geopolitical developments present a unique opportunity for India to step up in an emerging multipolar world. James M. Dorsey explores for Fair Observer.
A US Trump Card in Gulf Geopolitics: Capacity-Enhancing Security Cooperation
As Saudi Arabia strays toward China and Russia, security cooperation could be the American trump card. James M. Dorsey explores in The Turbulent World.
What the Ukraine Invasion Means for the Middle East
Turkey, Israel and Syria have been playing a complex tightrope act balancing their international ties and commitments, while keeping a wary eye on Russia’s imperialistic designs. James M. Dorsey writes for the Globalist.
Afghanistan may be a bellwether for Saudi-Iranian rivalry
In an ironic twist, the Islamic Republic and the Saudi kingdom could both end up backing the Taliban if it comes to power in Kabul. James M. Dorsey explains, in Jewish News Syndicate.