On January 12, AGSIW hosted a panel discussion, "The Saudi-Iranian Confrontation: What Lies Ahead?" featuring David Ottaway, Barbara Slavin, Randa Slim, and moderator Hussein Ibish. The panelists examined a wide range of issues arising from the flare-up between Saudi Arabia and Iran in the aftermath of the execution of a leading Saudi Shia dissident cleric, the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the severing of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Watch video
This serious escalation in tensions in what had already been extremely strained relations between the two regional powers could constrain the Obama administration’s options in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia’s more assertive foreign policy might compel the United States to take considerably firmer policy positions in the region’s many conflicts, something that the Obama administration is not known for. Maintaining the U.S.’ longstanding “partnership” with Saudi Arabia while trying to end the decades-long acrimonious relationship with Iran at the same time, will prove difficult if not mutually exclusive. Read more
Yemen’s war is a forgotten catastrophe. Peter Maurer, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, stated in August: “Yemen after five months looks like Syria after five years.” All too commonly, civilians are bearing the brunt of the violence in Yemen. According to the United Nations, more than 2,700 people have been killed and more than 5,000 wounded. Schools, hospitals, and roads have been destroyed by the Saudi-led air campaign. The Houthis and other fighting groups have attacked neighborhoods, recruited children, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians in different parts of the country. Conflict of this magnitude is new to Yemen, but Yemeni civilians have found ways to cope with the horrors they have had to endure. Read more
In the Media
AGSIW Executive Vice President Stephen Seche spoke with NPR about the ongoing crisis in Yemen. Seche discussed Washington's role in the conflict and the decision to support the Saudi-led air campaign. Read more
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish discussed President Obama's January 12 State of the Union address in an article for PBS News Hour, analyzing Obama's comments on U.S. standing in the Middle East, particularly among Gulf allies. Ibish also spoke with New York Times Middle East correspondent Robert Worth for Voice of America on January 15, where he discussed the implications of the breakdown of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Ibish was also quoted in Defense News, discussing the current tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the low price of oil. Ibish noted, "[Saudi Arabia's] economy is suffering considerably from the low cost of petroleum, which, for complex reasons, Riyadh itself is helping to maintain." Read more
Outreach
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Diwan spoke at an invitation-only workshop on the GCC social contract at Chatham House in London on January 12. Diwan discussed political compacts, constitutions, and parliaments, focusing on Kuwait and Bahrain.
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen Young co-chaired a workshop on January 12 in Abu Dhabi, hosted by the Middle East Centre of the London School of Economics and the UAE National Defense College. Ten researchers convened to present their work and explore linkages between the flow of people and ideas in the six GCC states.
