[ originally published on DAWN ] Every war the West has fought in the post-9/11 "War on Terror" era has ended in some form of stalemate or outright defeat. Tactical battlefield successes never consolidated into sustainable strategic outcomes of security and stability — neither for America nor the region. While the U.S.-led coalition toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003 quickly, it lost the war in the subsequent quagmire, fighting violent non-state actors across a spe

From Abu Dhabi to Riyadh, regional states must take steps to shape their own destinies, rather than being pawns in the Israeli-US agenda On Saturday morning, the departure board at Dubai’s main airport began to stack up with delays. Over the water, pale arcs rose, flared and vanished - interceptors, officials later said - leaving chalk traces in a sky turning white.  Similar scenes occurred in Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama and Kuwait City. Then, in the afternoon, both the Dubai air

Donald Trump has boxed himself in by promising to ‘help’ Iran’s protesters. But he has few good options for military operations that he can control. [published on Al Jazeera originally ] Illiberal systems often look most permanent just before they change. But moments of upheaval can also produce a different illusion: That the system is one dramatic external blow away from collapse. With Iran convulsed by unprecedented protests against the country’s leadership, it is tempting

The Iranian and Israeli attacks on Qatar in June and September this year, respectively, signify a profound shift in the Gulf's security...

As Trump enters a volatile phase of his second-term foreign policy, his erratic leadership style casts doubt on his ability to manage potential war in the Middle East. What resembles madman theory is, in reality, impulsive chaos lacking discipline or control.

Israel’s surprise strike on Iran isn’t just military—it’s a political ambush aimed at derailing Trump’s MAGA diplomacy

This piece was originally published by the Arab Center Washington, DC The iconic red MAGA hat has arrived in the Gulf. It is quite...

Emirates would prefer to keep its options open, but Trump might make that impossible During President Donald Trump’s second term, due to...