John Calabrese
Contributor
John Calabrese teaches international relations at American University in Washington, DC. He is the book review editor of The Middle East Journal and a non-resident senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. He previously served as director of MEI’s Middle East-Asia Project.
Analysis
The Gulf’s Shift to Layered Security
Gulf states are combining military modernization, diplomacy, diversified external partnerships, and domestic resilience into a new framework for regional security.
The Gulf’s Iran Problem Isn’t Solved
Operation Epic Fury has delivered tactical gains without a viable strategic end state. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, Iran’s leadership has reorganized, and the diplomatic track has fractured.
The Saudi-Turkish Pragmatic Realignment
February talks between Saudi Arabia and Turkey signaled the emergence of a pragmatic regional order grounded in economic complementarity, defense cooperation, and shared anxieties about instability.
Recasting Syria After Assad: Saudi Arabia’s Bid to Shape a Gulf-Led Regional Order
Saudi Arabia’s early, front-loaded engagement in Syria is part of a preemptive strategy to shape conditions before rival actors can fill the vacuum.
Kurdistan at a Crossroads Ahead of Iraq’s November 11 Elections
The durability of recent peace gestures, energy deals, and revenue-sharing agreements will hinge on political consensus and restraint, both within Kurdistan and across Iraq’s fractured national landscape.
Oman’s Hydrogen Horizon: Linking Local Industry to Global Decarbonization
By linking domestic renewable energy capacity with industrial-scale production and export corridors, Oman is building a framework to transform its hydrogen ambitions into a sustainable and globally relevant industry.
