The Caravan

Discussing her new book, The Perils of Non-Violent Islamism (Telos Press), Elham Manea describes her experience of a tolerant Islam in Morocco, the traditionalism of Yemen, and her own encounter with Islamist indoctrination. She explores the nuanced relationship between the politics of Islamism and its selective reading of religious traditions, and she comments on current French policies against I...

Under Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has undergone a dramatic transformation as it pursues unprecedented economic diversification and social liberalization. It has also moved toward greater authoritarianism and political repression. What is the outlook for these changes? How stable is the kingdom today? And how will the Biden administration handle the relationship with Saudi Arabia...

The Survey, conducted by YouGov and Arab News, shows how the Arab public was disappointed with Obama era policies. This result cautions against the Biden administration returning to them, especially with regard to Iran. Trump received greater support in the Gulf and the Levant than in North Africa. High on the list of aspirations in the region is the empowerment of young people, which ranks on par...

In Syria, American foreign policy faces an enormous humanitarian crisis and a political challenge to implement UN Security Resolution 2254, against the backdrop of competition from both Russia and Iran. A US return to "the Iran Deal" is likely to exacerbate conditions in Syria, while continued American support for the Kurdish YPG in Northeast Syria raises human rights concerns. The Syria file is o...

In late February the United States and the Taliban reached an agreement over the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. The Taliban has pledged not to host al-Qaida or allow it to use Afghan soil "to threaten the security of the United States and its allies." The reaction in the world of jihadism has been mixed, ranging from celebration to condemnation. Is the deal a victory for al-Qaida or a...