James M. Dorsey
ARTICLES BY: James M. Dorsey
US Middle East Policy Misses the Mark
The Biden administration excels in scoring its own goals, especially in the Middle East. Missed in the hype of Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent visit to...
Qatar Punctures FIFA’s Political Fantasy
If the Qatar World Cup proved anything, it’s that sports and politics are inseparable Siamese twins joined at the hip. Politics popped up at every twist...
Protests Are a Mixed Blessing for World Cup Host Qatar
Protest on the soccer pitch has proven to be a mixed blessing for Qatar, exposing double standards in the Gulf state’s position as well as...
The Qatar World Cup: Soccer Upsets, Politics, and Sensitive Situations
Barely out of the starting blocks, the Qatar World Cup has already produced a fair share of upsets, as well as politically and personally sensitive...
Biden Tries to Make Peace with the Saudis, Partly to Counter Iran
Recent Saudi efforts to appease the Biden administration in the wake of the kingdom’s backing of last month’s OPEC+ oil production cut take on added...
The Qatari World Cup: Soccer for Soft Power
Former Qatari emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the father of the Gulf state's current ruler, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, learned a lesson from...
The Battle for a Moderate Islam
Proponents of a moderate Islam that embraces tolerance, diversity, and pluralism, may be betting on the wrong horse by supporting Muslim scholars who serve in...
Saudi Crown Prince Shifts Into High Gear on Multiple Fronts
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is simultaneously speed dating and playing on multiple diplomatic, religious, and economic chessboards. The latest feather in his crown,...
Do Autocratic Rulers Have a Future in the Middle East?
Several recent public opinion surveys send a mixed message to autocratic reformers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, which hosts the World...
With Friends Like These, Does Turkey Need Enemies?
Turkey’s reconciliation with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel is doing little to return the country to its “zero problems with our neighbours”...
Gulf Security Is Perilous With or Without a Revived Iran Nuclear Deal
Prospects for greater security and stability in the Middle East are meager with or without a new Iran nuclear deal. Undoubtedly, the region will be better...
Qatari World Cup: An Unintended Boon for the UAE
Qatar's 2022 World Cup promises to benefit not only itself but also to provide an unintended economic, political, and religious soft power boon for its...
Revival of Iran Nuclear Deal Would Test Middle Eastern Detente
A potential revival of the Iran nuclear accord would likely test the sustainability of Middle Eastern efforts to dial down tensions and manage differences by...
Turkish Attempt to Reconcile with Assad in Syria: Pulling a Rabbit Out of a Hat
At first glance, there is little that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an Islamist and nationalist, has in common with Dogu Perincek, a maverick socialist,...
