News
Financing Terrorism
by Gabriel Giddens
In March we held a symposium that addressed the complex issues associated with extremist jihadi groups in the Middle East. The entire symposium can be viewed here.…
Update on the Kurds in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran
by Gabriel Giddens
The following gives updates on the Kurds in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.
Iraq
Late last year, the Peshmerga forces of the Kurdistan Regional…
Saudi Blockade, Impact on Food and Water Insecurity in Yemen
by Gabriel Giddens, MESC Academic Intern
After consulting with Yemeni authorities in December 2015, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) issued a statement warning the…
Mosul Dam in Danger of Inundating Northern Iraq
The US Embassy in Baghdad issues a statement [1], including a fact sheet of the major concerns. Residents in the threatened areas are encouraged to move a minimum of 6 kilometers…
Update on Syrian Migration
By Gabriel Giddens
We posted on Syrian migration back in September, and hosted a conversation online. According to the UN, 50% of Syrians are now either internally…
Interview with the Director on Islamophobia, All Sides with Ann Fisher
Today the director of the Middle East Studies Center was interviewed along with Nathan Lean of Georgetown University's Bridge Initiative to discuss Islamophobia. You can listen to the entire…
Russia's role in Syria, World
Although US and Russia both are supposedly working toward the same goal of destroying ISIL, they have many divergent goals as well. If indeed targeting Da’esh/ISIL is what both of them…
Dangerous, Crowded Airspace in Syria, Diverse Alliances, Some with Cold War Roots
The Middle East is growing more dangerous each day with conflicts multiplying. With the crowded airspace in Syria, the chance of either Russia or the U.S. hitting unintentional targets of…
Event: Aftermath of the Arab Spring
Last night's event hosted by the Arab Student Union at the Ohio State University, "Aftermath of the Arab Spring," was enjoyable and thought-provoking. Four distinguished panelists…