Analysis

15 November 2013 By Burgan Hobbs WASHINGTON D.C.  - With the Saudi-U.S. rift, rapprochement with Iran, and the ongoing conflict in Syria dominating the current discourse on Middle East affairs it is easy to lose sight of other issues.…

4 November 2013 By Daniel Morillo Washington DC- A quiet partnership is emerging in the Middle East that has the potential to alter the future of the region if their mistress-like relationship goes public. Israel and Saudi Arabia who…

By Burgan Hobbs Washington - On Thursday Saudi Arabia won, for the first time, a highly coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council despite protest from human rights groups regarding Saudi abysmal human rights record. Saudi…

By Daniel Morillo 14 October 2013 Washington DC- Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are separated by the narrow Mandeb Strait dividing Horn of Africa and Yemen. Though both are endorsed and supported by a weakened Al…

By Burgan Hobbs October 10, 2013 Washington DC - Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, may be seeking to end hostilities with the U.S. through a charm offensive of statements and tweets. The new president is trying to break the deadlock on…

Over the past three years, the Arab uprisings have sown a land of feast and famine in the Middle East.· Across the region, the downfall of old regimes and power structures has unhinged traditional geopolitical relationships and has allowed…

Gulf Weekly Review, August 4-11 Persian Gulf, Oil After producing record oil outputs at close to 10 million barrels a day, Saudi Arabia, along with OPEC announced plans to decrease the amount of oil they’re outputting. However, it…

The Gulf, Weekly Analysis July 14-20 Saudi Arabia Former Ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, has replaced intelligence chief Prince Murqrin bin Abdulaziz who possibly has cancer. According to the royal…

The Gulf, Weekly Analysis July 7-13 Oman Oman has continued its crackdown on activists by sentencing four pro-reform activists to jail for defaming Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. The sentencing is the latest following a…

SYRIAAn al-Qaeda styled militia fraction, al-Nusra, claimed responsibility for the attack and murders at a pro-regime television station last week. The presence of this and possibly other al-Qaeda-esq groups in Syria could harpoon the…