Blog Post
Jun 25, 2026
Will Pakistan’s Balancing Strategy Crumble?
The Saudi-Pakistani defense pact has been tested with the Iran war, as Pakistan seeks to maintain the fragile status quo in the neighborhood.
Jun 24, 2026
Qatar’s National Team Mirrors the State
Qatar's first World Cup point, earned through a goalkeeper of Palestinian descent, reveals how the emirate has turned a tiny citizenry, migration, and naturalization into an instrument of statecraft and where that instrument meets its limits.
Jun 23, 2026
Digital Risks in the Strait of Hormuz Present New Challenges
Iran’s threats involving undersea internet cables and digital infrastructure in the Strait of Hormuz have transformed the crisis from an energy chokepoint into a hybrid risk for Gulf Arab economies.
Jun 22, 2026
Connectivity Without Transformation in the Middle East
A misreading of the Belt and Road Initiative has prompted a regional scramble to develop economic corridors ahead of the more foundational development of integrated manufacturing and intraregional trade.
Jun 18, 2026
Saudi Economic Outlook Positive If U.S.-Iran Deal Holds
If the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran holds, the Saudi economy will grow strongly in the second half of 2026 and into 2027.
Jun 16, 2026
Will “Hormuz” be the American “Suez”?
The Trump administration has positioned the United States at a crossroads between a new regime of containment against Iran or a historic drawdown of U.S. influence in the Gulf and broader Middle East.
Jun 15, 2026
A Multipolar Foreign Policy: The Houthi Bid for International Recognition
The Houthi movement is looking to Moscow and Beijing for the international standing Washington denies it.
Jun 9, 2026
The Landlord Question: What Petro-Compute Actually Buys Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is eyeing the growth of a sovereign compute exchange model that, like OPEC for crude, would let it shape and stabilize long-term compute costs.