The Gulf

The Middle East Program, Energy Security and Climate Change Program, International Security Program, Transnational Threats Project, Burke Chair in Strategy, and Emeritus Chair in Strategy study the evolving political, economic, and security context of the GCC states, Iraq, Iran, and Yemen.

Recent Analysis

Nicolas Pelham: Morocco's Missing King

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicolas Pelham of The Economist about the Moroccan monarchy and King Mohammed VI’s unusual friendship with a German kickboxer.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Daniel Sharp — May 30, 2023

See all analysis on the Gulf

Recent Events

See all events on the Gulf

Related Programs

Experts

Jon B. Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Senior Vice President, Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy, and Director, Middle East Program
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

Senior Vice President; Harold Brown Chair; and Director, International Security Program
Will Todman

Will Todman

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

All content on The Gulf

Filter by

1 - 10 of 430 results
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Nicolas Pelham: Morocco's Missing King

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Nicolas Pelham of The Economist about the Moroccan monarchy and King Mohammed VI’s unusual friendship with a German kickboxer.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Daniel Sharp — May 30, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Hafsa Halawa: Egypt's Economic Turmoil

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Hafsa Halawa of the Middle East Institute and author of a new paper entitled Gulf Investment in Egypt, A balance of mutual need. They talk about the economic crisis that has plagued Egypt, shedding light on the factors that have contributed to its tumultuous state.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Lubna Yousef — May 16, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Power Plays

Suffering from a debilitating electricity and water shortage crisis, some communities in Libya resort to "power plays" and acts of intimidation to ensure their access to basic services.

Podcast Episode — May 9, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Killian Clarke: Egypt's Counterrevolution and the Return to Tyranny

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Prof. Killian Clarke of Georgetown's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service about his forthcoming book tentatively entitled The Return of Tyranny: How Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Lubna Yousef — May 2, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: An Uphill Battle

GCC countries are beginning to tackle their obesity problem, but structural and cultural challenges to improving fitness abound.

Podcast Episode — April 25, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Ayham Kamel: The Gulf's Regional Diplomacy

This week on Babel, Jon Alterman speaks with Ayham Kamel of the Eurasia Group. They talk about the current diplomatic landscape in the Gulf, how leaders perceive their security interests, their views on the U.S. staying in power in the region, and how they are responding to the U.S. retrenchment from the Middle East.

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Will Todman , and Daniel Sharp — April 18, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Help Wanted, But Not Found

What started as a job advertisement for a sandwich maker in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) quickly landed one firm in hot water last December. As the UAE pushes for companies in the private sector to hire more Emiratis, they're finding that there are some jobs that Emiratis don't want.

Podcast Episode — April 11, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

Ali Vaez: Iran's Regional Policy

Jon Alterman speaks with Ali Vaez about the Saudi-Iranian agreement to resume diplomatic ties and Iran's wider approach to the region. 

Podcast Episode by Jon B. Alterman , Natasha Hall , and Caleb Harper — April 4, 2023

CSIS Babel
Babel: Translating the Middle East

A Mezze: Saudi Arabia's New Anime Journey

Imported entertainment options have flourished under MBS, helping erode the Saudi state’s ability to shape public culture. But now, Saudi state-owned firms are using the growing popularity of anime to shape their own narrative, at home and abroad. A new Mezze from the CSIS Middle East Program.

Podcast Episode — March 28, 2023

CSIS Babel