News

Water Wars in Yemen

By Natalie Hettle

Yemen’s water crisis is the worst in the Middle East. Yemen is located on a dry, semi-arid portion of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen has no rivers unlike Syria, Egypt, Iraq…

A War Among Friends

By Alex Rand

The age-old adage goes “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. However, the United States now finds itself in a situation of “the enemy of my friend is still my friend”. In the…

Recent Israeli-Palestinian Relations: Intransigence Worsens, Despite Continued Efforts

By Tophie FIsher

As one of the most iconic and perpetual conflicts in the past century, Israeli-Palestinian relations in 2016 remain mired in the same caustic struggle that characterized…

The Suez Canal: A Route for Economic Stability in Egypt?

By: Taylor Giordullo

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the nationalization of the Suez Canal, a landmark feat for Egypt that defined it as an independent nation. On July 26,…

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…