You are here
Middle East and North Africa
"By arguing that we should let Assad finish the job, we are essentially telegraphing to other authoritarian leaders that it is ok to kill and displace tens of thousands of civilians, as long as they don’t use chemical weapons. We are also not addressing the grievances that enabled IS to find fertile ground in Syria. "
Syria—it’s time to launch a diplomatic war
In The News, 18 April 2018 Tags: United States, Russia, Syria, France, UK, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
"“When British peers and Christian clergy have been to Damascus in the past, they were rightly condemned as presenting an image of appeasement to Assad’s regime, and showing him as some sort of protector of Christians, as though Syrian Muslims mattered for nought,” HA Hellyer, senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Royal United Services Institute in London, said. "
British peers and priests met with Syrian officials hours after UK airstrike
In The News, 15 April 2018 Tags: Syria, UK, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabriz on the Iran Nuclear Deal
In The News, 12 April 2018
Tags: Iran, Middle East and North Africa
From Homs to Aleppo: A Journey Through the Destruction of the Syrian War: Part 2: Aleppo
RUSI Journal, 6 April 2018
Susan Schulman
Part II of this two-part series surveys the conflict’s impact on Aleppo.
Tags: Syria, Resilience, Middle East and North Africa
Psychological Occupation and Resistance in Mosul
Multimedia, 6 April 2018
Mike Stevens on a new study published by RUSI that tells the extraordinary story of how resistance activists and fighters in Mosul ‘punctured Daesh’s image of invincibility’ leading to the city’s liberation in 2017.
Tags: Iraq, Middle East and North Africa
Spring Goes to Winter: A Very Twenty-First Century Revolution in the Middle East
Newsbrief, 6 April 2018
Rucheka Jain
The Arab Spring of 2011, a time of hope and optimism especially for the region’s young people, has become an Arab Winter. To turn the tide, young people must rally behind a unifying cause and not be discouraged by incremental, imperfect reforms.
Tags: Middle East and North AfricaPages
Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Anti-Terrorism Effort: A Coalition of the Willing or an Anti-Iran Front?
Commentary, 6 December 2017Kamal Alam and Wajahat S Khan
Saudi Arabia’s new Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition has been hailed as an historic organisation which will not only serve a military purpose but also take the ideological fight against those who use terror in the name of Islam.
The Gulf Region, Terrorism, Middle East and North Africa
Israel and Saudi Arabia: The Best of ‘Frenemies’
Commentary, 21 November 2017Joseph Millis
Saudi Arabia and Israel appear to be putting aside decades of enmity due to a fear of Iran's nuclear ambitions and its actions in the region. Is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
The Gulf Region, Israel, Middle East and North Africa
Lebanon: The Return of Pax Syriana?
Commentary, 10 November 2017Kamal Alam
As Saudi Arabia yesterday ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon, Syria seems to be reasserting its historic control over its western neighbour.
Syria, Lebanon, Middle East and North Africa
Turkey Seeks to Expand its Influence in Syria
Commentary, 24 October 2017Ali Özkök and Ömer Özkizilcik
Ankara is using its military presence in northern Syria to prevent Kurdish independence and have more of a say in a post-Assad future of the country. The problem is, its main allies, Iran and Russia, are pro-Assad.
Turkey, Syria, Europe, Middle East and North Africa
Iran and Paraskevidekatriaphobia
Commentary, 16 October 2017Sir Simon Gass
President Donald Trump’s choice of Friday the 13th for his long-awaited statement on Iran may prove prophetic.
Iran's Nuclear Programme, Iran, Proliferation and Nuclear Policy, Middle East and North AfricaPages
Psychological Occupation and Resistance in Mosul
Multimedia, 6 April 2018Mike Stevens on a new study published by RUSI that tells the extraordinary story of how resistance activists and fighters in Mosul ‘punctured Daesh’s image of invincibility’ leading to the city’s...
Tags: Iraq, Middle East and North Africa
The Iran Protests
Multimedia, 5 January 2018 Tags: Iran, International Security Studies, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Understanding Unpredictability in the Middle East in 2018
Multimedia, 4 January 2018Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi outlines priorities for analysts will be to understand the impact and unpredictability of US policy in the Middle East.
Tags: Iran, International Security Studies, Middle East and North Africa
The Legacy of Hashemi Rafsanjani
Multimedia, 9 January 2017RUSI Research Fellow Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi discusses on AlJazeera English the legacy and significance of Iranian leader Hashemi Rafsanjani as he passes away.
Tags: Iran, International Security Studies, Middle East and North Africa
International power dynamics in 2017
Multimedia, 21 December 2016RUSI International Security Studies Director, Raffaello Pantucci, predicts that 2017 will be a year of change as major powers reconsider their international roles and non-states such as Daesh are...
Tags: China, International Security Studies, Middle East and North AfricaPages
Spring Goes to Winter: A Very Twenty-First Century Revolution in the Middle East
Newsbrief, 6 April 2018Rucheka Jain
The Arab Spring of 2011, a time of hope and optimism especially for the region’s young people, has become an Arab Winter. To turn the tide, young people must rally behind a unifying cause and not be...
Newsbrief, Middle East and North Africa
From Homs to Aleppo: A Journey Through the Destruction of the Syrian War: Part 2: Aleppo
RUSI Journal, 6 April 2018Susan Schulman
Part II of this two-part series surveys the conflict’s impact on Aleppo.
RUSI Journal, Syria, Resilience, Middle East and North Africa
From Homs to Aleppo: A Journey Through the Destruction of the Syrian War: Part 1: Homs
RUSI Journal, 13 February 2018Susan Schulman
Part 1 of this two-part series shows how Homs is being rebuilt after years of violence.
RUSI Journal, Syria, Resilience, Middle East and North Africa
Why Have Three Gulf States Introduced the Draft? Bucking the Trend on Conscription in Arabia
RUSI Journal, 17 January 2018Zoltan Barany
Politics, economics and security help to explain why some Gulf countries have adopted conscription.
RUSI Journal, The Gulf Region, Military Personnel, Middle East and North Africa
A New State in the Middle East? From the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to the Republic of Kurdistan
Briefing Papers, 19 September 2017Gareth Stansfield
The likely result of the upcoming referendum in the Kurdish areas of Iraq will create a dilemma for the Iraqi state and foreign powers.
Briefing Papers, Iraq, Defence Policy, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North AfricaPages
Book Launch – The Merchant of Syria
Events, 30 April 2018Diana Darke will give an illustrated talk on The Merchant of Syria, her newest book, the result of four years’ research into the socio-economic history of Syria through the life of one man, a textile...
RUSI International, Syria, Middle East and North Africa
Roundtable: The State of Turkish-Israeli Relations
Events, 26 April 2018A round table discussion on Turkish-Israeli relations and their impact on the region.
RUSI International, Israel, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Ending the Suffering in Yemen: What Can Be Done?
Events, 17 April 2018This joint event with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) will look at the drivers of the conflict, the humanitarian impact and the view from the West.
RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Middle East and North Africa
A Conversation with Jaffar Hagi, Deputy Speaker of Kurdistan Parliament–Iraq
Events, 15 March 2018Since the referendum on Kurdish independence in September 2017 and the subsequent loss of territory to the Federal Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq has been placed in a...
RUSI International, Iraq, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Saudi Arabia’s Reforms: Countering Extremism in a Changing Kingdom
Events, 8 March 2018A discussion on how Saudi Arabia’s social reforms will impact the Kingdom and its continued cooperation with the UK on counter-extremism.
RUSI International, The Gulf Region, Middle East and North AfricaPages
"By arguing that we should let Assad finish the job, we are essentially telegraphing to other authoritarian leaders that it is ok to kill and displace tens of thousands of civilians, as long as they don’t use chemical weapons. We are also not addressing the grievances that enabled IS to find fertile ground in Syria."
Syria—it’s time to launch a diplomatic war
In The News, 18 April 2018 Tags: United States, Russia, Syria, France, UK, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
"“When British peers and Christian clergy have been to Damascus in the past, they were rightly condemned as presenting an image of appeasement to Assad’s regime, and showing him as some sort of protector of Christians, as though Syrian Muslims mattered for nought,” HA Hellyer, senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Royal United Services Institute in London, said."
British peers and priests met with Syrian officials hours after UK airstrike
In The News, 15 April 2018 Tags: Syria, UK, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
Dr Aniseh Bassiri Tabriz on the Iran Nuclear Deal
In The News, 12 April 2018 Tags: Iran, Middle East and North Africa
"Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, a Middle East security expert at London's Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), said the deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), is "on life support"."The likelihood that a waiver on the US sanctions will not be renewed on May 12 has increased quite a lot," Tabrizi told Al Jazeera. She said that right after Tillerson was removed in favour of Pompeo, European diplomats turned from being "optimistic" in finding a solution to Trump's demands, to "preparing for contingency plans to defend their interests" in the deal."
Iran senses nuclear deal's last gasps in Pompeo, Bolton picks
In The News, 5 April 2018 Tags: United States, Iran, International Security Studies, Global Security Issues, Middle East and North Africa
""The Saudis maintained that the missile did not down the jet, which it claimed returned to base. The Houthis claimed they downed the jet. Saudi fighter jets likely have decoys and defensive measures on board. But Bronk said, 'I would be reasonably surprised if a fast jet could emit that amount of fire on impact and get home'.""
Video shows Houthi rebels in Yemen using a jury-rigged Russian fighter-jet missile to take on an F-15
In The News, 23 March 2018 Tags: Aerospace, The Gulf Region, Military Sciences, Middle East and North Africa
Could Russian S-400s Protect Syria Against Cruise Missiles?
How Can Social Media Companies Stop the Spread of Fake News?
Syria and Salisbury: The Continuing Battle to Maintain Trust in Evidence of Illegal Use of Chemical Weapons