It is not clear in the wake of Trump’s visit to the Middle East is whether his public statements are part of an overarching strategy, or what might be described as a reconnaissance mission.
Will US President Trump and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ride together to rule in the Middle East?
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Shared economic and security interests have kept Saudi Arabia and the US close over the decades despite dramatic differences in the way the two countries are governed.
The future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s reign lies with Vladimir Putin’s obstinacy and ability to withstand US pressure.
Reuters/Omar Sanadiki
To understand the complexities of the conflict in Syria and what might happen next, it helps to untangle the three layers of strife in the war-torn country.
In Yemen, the civil conflict will likely drag on in a stalemate between the Houthi movement in the north and the Hadi government in the south. The amphibious landing of Gulf Cooperation Council forces…
Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir will likely intensify the Washington charm offensive and continue to stress Saudi Arabia’s indispensability to regional security and terrorism matters.
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This year will continue to be a period of great uncertainty in Saudi Arabia. After a deterioration of relations with the United States under President Obama, the kingdom will be focused on strengthening…
Muslims from the Salafist tradition can often be seen as ‘radical.’ There is not much understanding of Salafism, its history and its diversity. Here’s what it means to be a Salafist.
Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon protest against the war in Yemen in October 2016.
Nabil Mounzer/EPA
Muslims everywhere were offended and psychologically shocked by the president-elect’s views. But Syria and Egypt think they can benefit from a Trump presidency.
World powers including Russia, the US and Turkey all have a stake in the Syrian conflict – but the networks they rely on for influence are constantly in flux.
Theresa May meets her Saudi counterparts.
EPA/Narendra Shrestha
Senior Research Fellow, Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at IUPUI and Journalist-fellow, Religion and Civic Culture Center, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences