Middle East Program
Providing fresh analysis of the drives of change in the Middle East
The CSIS Middle East Program provides fresh analysis of the drivers of change in the Middle East to decision makers and thought leaders in the United States and abroad.
The Middle East Program is a source for new ideas that go beyond the conventional wisdom, disseminated through written scholarship, events, and commentary in leading news outlets.
Follow us on Twitter @CSISMidEast and like us on Facebook.
Dr. Alterman serves as the director of the Middle East Program, a position he has held since 2002. Under his leadership, the Middle East Program has launched a biweekly podcast and numerous miniseries, convened events with many of the top thinkers in the field, and conducted innovative research on the Middle East including work on the Chinese influence, sustainability, and cultural shifts in the region.
Contact Information
- Daniel Sharp
- Associate Director and Associate Fellow, Middle East Program
- 202.775.3179
- DSharp@csis.org
Media Queries
- H. Andrew Schwartz
- Chief Communications Officer
- 202.775.3242
- aschwartz@csis.org
- Paige Montfort
- Media Relations Manager, External Relations
- 202.775.3173
- pmontfort@csis.org
Featured Analysis

Photo: VLADIMIR SIMICEK/AFP/Getty Images
What Did Saudi Arabia Just Do?
Dr. Jon Alterman, Ben Cahill, and Dr. Joseph Majkut note key questions arising from the recent decision by OPEC+ to decrease oil production and its impact on the United States’ relationship with Saudi Arabia.
Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman , Joseph Majkut , and Ben Cahill — October 6, 2022

Rescuing Aid in Syria
Report by Natasha Hall — February 14, 2022

Sustainable States: Environment, Governance, and the Future of the Middle East
Report by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Will Todman — May 18, 2021

Babel: U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East
Podcast Series by Jon B. Alterman

China Podcast Miniseries
Featured Projects
All content by Middle East Program
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U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East: Part Two
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman and Eliot A. Cohen — March 15, 2022

Russia Waged a Cheap War in Syria. Here’s What Those Tactics Might Look Like in Ukraine
Commentary by Natasha Hall and Will Todman — March 11, 2022

U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East: Part One
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — March 8, 2022

U.S. Power and Influence in the Middle East: Part One
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman — March 8, 2022

Jane Arraf: Not Your Mother's Iraq
Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Daniel Sharp — March 1, 2022

Ukraine, the Middle East, and Hedging
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — March 1, 2022

Hedging, Hunger, and Hostilities: The Middle East after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Critical Questions by Jon B. Alterman and Will Todman — February 25, 2022

When Our Middle East Friends Talk, They Talk about Hedging
Commentary by Jon B. Alterman — February 22, 2022


Algeria's Poorly Oiled Machine
Newsletter by William McChesney — February 22, 2022
