Since 2012, the Week in Review keeps you ahead of the curve with in-depth analysis of the trends in the region, based on AL-MONITOR’s world class reporting.
Putin not waiting for Trump to press advantage in Syria
Russian president seeks gains in Syria in the final weeks of the Obama administration; Saudi Arabia encouraged by Trump’s take on Iran; Liberman as gatekeeper between Trump and Netanyahu.
Would Trump back Turkish military escalation in Iraq, Syria?
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan weighs risks and benefits of military interventions as Donald Trump transition signals possible Turkish tilt; Will Iraq's Baathists return after liberation of Mosul?
Should Iran fear a Trump presidency?
New US sanctions could end up isolating Washington, not Tehran, as Iran gains ground in the region; Obama’s decision to target Jabhat al-Nusra leaders could lead to breakthrough on Aleppo.
Can Lebanon’s Old Guard forge new social contract?
Lebanese citizens hope for greater accountability, independence and distance from foreign conflicts after Michel Aoun engineers breakthrough by forming a new government.
Hariri reverses political slide by backing Aoun presidency
Saad Hariri’s success as prime minister will depend on new compact with Michel Aoun and Hezbollah, less so on Saudi Arabia; Al-Monitor breaks news of Russian draft plan for Syrian Kurdish autonomy; United States seeks ground force to isolate Raqqa.
Did Putin give green light to Turkish attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds?
Kurds again in crosshairs as Turkey weighs options in Mosul.
Erdogan not backing down on Turkish role in Mosul
Turkey’s demand seen as challenge to United States and Iran, as well as Iraq; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls Hillary Clinton a "political novice" for remarks on Syrian Kurds; ultranationalist group dominates Turkish security services.
UN Syria envoy: Jabhat al-Nusra holding Aleppo ‘hostage’
De Mistura calls on Jabhat al-Nusra, Russia and Syria to end fighting in Aleppo; why is Erdogan mostly mum on Aleppo?
Is Peres’ peace legacy turning to ashes?
Akiva Eldar and Daoud Kuttab reflect on the legacy of former Israeli president Shimon Peres, who Eldar says offered a "bit of hope" for peace; Al-Monitor credited for breaking news on delisting of Iranian banks.
Iran capitalizes on collapse of US-Russia cease-fire deal
The Kerry-Lavrov cessation of hostilities for Syria unravels.
Iran-linked militias seek to draw Iraq into regional war
“Iran’s logic is the logic of war,” a Gulf regional official tells Al-Monitor.
Zaidi’s test in Tehran
Less than 24 hours after Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi returned from Tehran on Thursday, Iraqi Kurdistan again came under attack.
Five explosive drones were intercepted over Erbil by US-led coalition air defenses, triggering explosions and smoke near the airport that hosts coalition forces and sits adjacent to the US consulate. While Iraq’s Kurdistan region is no stranger to attacks by Iran and its proxies, the timing was hard to ignore. For Tehran, despite the arrival of a new Iraqi prime minister promising a different path, it appears to be business as usual.
US banking on Iraqi turnaround with nomination of Zaidi as new PM
Trump signals hope for a "tremendous new chapter” in US-Iraq ties with the nomination of Ali Al-Zaidi as prime minister.
Iraq's Sudani: US troop withdrawal does not mean end of security relationship
At an event hosted by Al-Monitor and the US Chamber of Commerce, the prime minister discussed Iraq’s plan to achieve energy independence by 2030 and his desire to drawdown the US military presence in the country.
