Editor’s Note   Donald Trump’s first month in office has been a whirlwind of disruption, both domestically and internationally. From attacks on the administrative state—targeting agencies like USAID—to protectionist economic policies and a freeze on international financial assistance, his administration has put the world on notice that the next four years will be anything but business… Continue reading The Art of Disruption: How Trump’s Foreign Policy is Impacting the MENA

Since 1997, the U.S. State Department has compiled a catalog of organizations it considers foreign terrorists. The FTO list, as it is known, has become a powerful tool in Washington’s “war on terror,” by subjecting parties on the list to the weight of American delegitimization and economic sanctions. Moreover, the qualification and threshold for being… Continue reading Will Trump Remove Syria’s New Rulers from America’s Foreign Terrorist List?

On January 17, the presidents of Iran and Russia met in Moscow to sign a 20-year “comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.” The agreement, which focuses primarily on enhancing trade and security cooperation, comes as each country indirectly confronts the United States in conflicts with Ukraine and Israel, and on the heels of the abrupt toppling of… Continue reading Could the Russia-Iran Comprehensive Partnership Treaty Challenge Gulf Security?