Recent Posts

SDF Deceiving Donors to Channel Funds to the PKK

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continue to deceive their donor organizations. Supposedly, the group is providing for families living in the camps and trying to coordinate with several Western European countries to increase material support. A delegation even visited France and was scheduled to visit several other countries, including the …

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What Did the Biden-Putin Summit Mean for Syria ?

Analysts cannot offer any definitive indications about the fate of the Syrian issue after the summit between president Joe Biden, and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Reports hinted, however, at the possibility of cooperation between the two countries. Some reports described the Biden-Putin meeting as a pragmatic summit, while other …

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In Yemen, Competitors Lay the Ground for the Long Haul

Peace in Yemen does not mean a reversion to the status quo ante; competing external powers must determine what peace terms they can tolerate. When Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in the spring of 2015, Riyadh expected a decisive campaign in which its air force would blaze a path for …

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Russia and the US: The ‘Red Lines’ Summit

US President Biden skilfully managed the summit with his Russian counterpart, and succeeded in passing on to Moscow some key messages. But that won’t make US–Russia relations more predictable. After a week of hugs and back-patting from the US’s closest allies in the G7, NATO and the EU, US President …

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A Renaissance for Strategy? The NATO Summit 2021

NATO countries must undergo a renaissance in the way they collectively develop and execute strategy. The forthcoming Alliance summit is the right venue to start. The heads of state and government of NATO countries are coming together in Brussels early next week to take the Alliance forward in the face …

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It’s Now or Never: Lebanon Policy Conference Key Takeaways

Over the course of two weeks in May and June, the Middle East Institute hosted its inaugural Lebanon policy conference in collaboration with the American Task Force on Lebanon (ATFL) and LIFE. This series of events brought together leading diplomats, policymakers, economists, development practitioners, and think tank professionals from the …

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