Iraq’s relationship with the Gulf has been tense for two decades, riven by sectarian conflict and a foreign policy closely aligned with Iran. While recent efforts to mend ties have shown promise, can they advance under the new Prime Minister in Baghdad?

Ranj Alaaldin

ME Council's experts survey the region’s socio-political and economic landscape and offer their outlooks for the year ahead.

The arrival of Chinese President Xi Jinping in Saudi Arabia marks an important moment in the historical relationship between the two countries and their respective regions. While the United States has recently been eager to drive a wedge between its partners in the Persian Gulf and its rival to the East, heads of state from… Continue reading China’s Xi travels to Saudi Arabia as Asia-GCC relations reach new heights 

Adel Abdel Ghafar, Hana El Shehaby

The elections held in the United States on November 8 were billed as the most crucial midterms in a generation. In a country deeply divided along ideological and party lines, the implications of such polls go well beyond domestic affairs. Polarization at home is seeping into Washington’s policy abroad, meaning that even congressional polls, once… Continue reading For Nations Abroad, U.S. Midterm Elections Are of Increasing Importance

Omar H. Rahman