Saudi Arabia

The visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to Washington last week was intended by both sides to reinforce the Saudi-U.S. alliance in a new era of international relations in the Gulf region, with a new emphasis on economic and security considerations. Salman was noticeably absent from the Camp David Summit in May, but it...

The Arab intervention in Yemen has reached a critical point. The loss of 45 Emirati, 10 Saudi and five Bahraini soldiers in rebel attacks only underscores how high the stakes have become. It will surely redouble the commitment to restore stability and political legitimacy to Yemen. But it’s essential that the Arab states proceed with...

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz will meet with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss regional security, including the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) reached between Iran and world powers over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. More specifically, the leaders will discuss “steps to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region,” White House...

Governments generally make bad loan customers, as seizing territory is generally not possible for banks trying to collect unpaid loans. Governments, it turns out, do go bankrupt. Just ask Argentina’s creditors, or the European Central Bank on its Greek exposure. The Arab Gulf states have generally been creditors to other states, not borrowers; but that...

Relations between Kuwait and Iran have undergone serious diplomatic turmoil over the past decade, yet the two countries have still been able to put aside their differences and work on areas of mutual interest. Recently, debate has been focused on the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1. But the real issue for Kuwait and...

As expected, the Iran nuclear deal is reshaping the strategic landscape of the Middle East. This article originally appeared in The National.

Faced with the dual challenge of confronting an Iran emerging from under the shadow of international sanctions and an “Islamic state” solidifying on their borders, several Gulf states are reconciling their relations with the Muslim Brotherhood and other activist Sunni Islamist movements. Outreach to Muslim Brotherhood affiliates – led by Saudi Arabia – is already...

WASHINGTON — If the Iran nuclear deal was an earthquake shaking the Middle East’s strategic landscape, one of the most dramatic aftershocks was the surprising arrival last month in Saudi Arabia of a high-level delegation from Hamas. The visit by the Islamist organization that rules Gaza is the latest sign of an about-face in Saudi...