Rumors began swirling last fall that al-Qaida chieftain Ayman al-Zawahiri had died of natural causes. With no confirmation, counterterrorism analysts and long-time al-Qaida watchers weighed in with various assessments of what it would mean for the terrorist organization if it had indeed lost its leader. Just last week, al-Qaida’s official …

As an American, watching the violence explode between Israel and Palestinians over the past two weeks has felt like awakening from a heavy narcotic sleep. The drug, in this instance, has been the willful and persistent denial embraced by American politicians and media alike about the grave crisis that, though …

Saudi Arabia and Iran recently confirmed that they are engaging in direct negotiations to lower tensions between the two rivals and eventually normalize diplomatic relations. Officials from both sides are sounding cautiously optimistic about the endeavor. “We have initiated some exploratory talks. They are at a very early stage but …

Right after last month’s general election in Israel, the fourth in two years, the remnants of the country’s center-left parties were unofficially absorbed into a newly formed political concoction called the “change bloc.” In politics, the term “change” is usually invoked to suggest a difference in policies or convictions from …

For more than three months, Turkey has been rocked by rolling protests centered in Istanbul. Following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s controversial appointment of businessman Melih Bulu as the new rector of Bogazici University in January, students and professors began holding rallies to denounce the pick. They see Bulu as an …

Michael O’Hanlon argues that to reduce tension with Russia, the United States should pursue a new security architecture for Europe whose core concept is “permanent non-alignment for countries of eastern Europe.” This piece originally appeared in USA Today. Four months into his term in office, President Joe Biden needs a …

As we near presidential “elections” in Syria, it is worth exploring what interests continue to drive Russia’s ongoing military intervention in that country, which has helped the Assad regime to not just avoid being overthrown (as it seemed on the verge of being in mid-2015), but also to regain control …

El-Sisi ordered taking “swift” action in all Palestinian files to achieve stability in the Palestinian territories Palestinian factions are set to meet in Cairo next week for a new round of National Palestinian Dialogue amid Egyptian endeavours to end the Palestinian division and achieve stability in the Palestinian territories. Palestinian …

Déjà liée avec le Mali par des accords de coopération militaire, la Russie peut-elle profiter de la situation politique et sécuritaire pour avancer ses pions à Bamako ? Une frange de l’opinion publique malienne l’appelle en tout cas de ses vœux. Ce mercredi 26 mai, la capitale malienne baigne encore …

Iraq focuses on preventing terrorist organizations from entering its territories, after they have used the border areas to conduct operations and move between Syria and Iraq. Iraqi security authorities announced at the beginning of May that they were digging a trench and employing advanced surveillance technologies along the border with …