On September 28, the U.S. Congress handed President Barack Obama his first veto override while in office. But immediately after the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act passed, lawmakers began expressing regret and discussing the need for some remedy. On October 21, AGSIW hosted a panel discussion examining JASTA and its various impacts, as well as the international response and implications for U.S.-Saudi relations. Watch video. Read more
OPEC oil producers are reaping the rewards of their September 28 agreement in principle to reduce production levels, with oil prices rising to the highest levels in more than a year and now trading in a $50-52 per barrel (bbl) range. That’s a gain of around $5/bbl on average over the past three weeks or an extra $167 million a day, equal to a very significant $5 billion a month, based on the group’s September production of 33.4 million barrels per day (mb/d). Read more
As the battle to drive the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant out of Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, is waged by Iraqi government troops, supported by an array of Kurdish, Shia, and Sunni forces, concerns about growing Iranian influence in Iraq are rising. The countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Turkey, and the Kurdistan Regional Government are concerned about the role that the Iranian-backed Shia mobilization militias are playing in the campaign. Read more
A recent series of missile launches have threatened to expand the Yemen war into the key shipping choke point of the Bab el-Mandeb, where the Red Sea meets the Indian Ocean. The first blow was the October 1 missile strike against a high speed catamaran that was leased by the United Arab Emirates from the U.S. Navy and operated with a mostly foreign crew. Read more
On October 16, Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah dissolved Parliament, citing concerns about security and finances in an era of reduced oil revenue. There are a number of ironies in this latest political development in Kuwait. First, the Parliament was widely perceived to be more business friendly than was the case in previous electoral cycles (not always a given in domestic politics) and generally amenable to the regime’s political agenda. Recent changes in electoral laws had largely sidelined major opposition. New elections were expected in June 2017 but now have been scheduled for November 26. Read more
On September 22, AGSIW hosted an open house for students from the Gulf studying in the United States and U.S. students in the field of Gulf and Middle East studies, bringing all together for the program "Sharing Their Journey." During the event, AGSIW sat down with featured guests Hala Aldosari, a visiting scholar at AGSIW, Mohammed Al Hajji, a Saudi student and PhD candidate at Temple University, and Scott Weiner, who recently received his PhD from the George Washington University. The three scholars all have a strong presence on social media and in the blogosphere, and they shared their unique experiences with AGSIW. Read more
الآمال التي علقها بعض القادة الجمهوريين على أن يتسم أداء دونالد ترامب في المناظرة الثالثة والأخيرة ضد منافسته الديمقراطية هيلاري كلينتون ببعض الانضباط والجدية، على الأقل لوقف النزيف المستمر في حملته، وتمنياتهم بأن يحاول إقناع تلك الشريحة الضئيلة من الناخبين المترددين والذين لم يحسموا أمرهم بعد أن يصوتوا له، كلها انهارت خلال أقل من ساعتين من المناوشات والسجالات التي نضحت بعدائية سافرة اطلع على المزيد
With less than three weeks to go before the American presidential election, virtually all credible observers believe that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is now assured of victory. It’s therefore reasonable to begin to look at what a Clinton administration might mean for international relations, particularly from the point of view of the Gulf states. Read more
President Barack Obama had to deal with a dysfunctional state system and fraying civil societies, as well as blowback from George W. Bush’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet his own actions and inactions throughout two terms of office contributed significantly to the great unraveling of the Middle East. Read more
In the Media
Speaking with The Telegraph, AGSIW Non-Resident Fellow Fahad Nazer noted the significance of the Saudi government's decision to execute a prince charged with murder: “This ruling and execution was a strong message sent to the royals, young royals and to Saudis in general that no one is above the law.”
Outreach
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Kristin Smith Diwan presented on national identity and national projects in the Gulf Arab states at a seminar at the Gulf University for Science and Technology in Kuwait. Diwan also participated in the conference, "Young Arab Women Leaders: The Voice of the Future," sponsored by the Arab International Women's Forum and the Kuwaiti Ministry of State for Youth Affairs.
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Karen E. Young discussed the United Arab Emirates' role in investments in the Levant at a seminar on Gulf investments in the Middle East at St. Antony's College's Middle East Centre.
AGSIW Senior Resident Scholar Hussein Ibish spoke at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy panel, "Counter-Error: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Middle East," critiquing Martin Kramer's book, The War on Error: Israel, Islam, and the Middle East.
AGSIW Visiting Scholar Hala Aldosari and Non-Resident Fellow Fahad Nazer participated in the Middle East Institute panel, "Saudi Vision 2030: Opportunities and Challenges." Nazer commented on Saudi Arabia's economic and leadership changes that led to the implementation of Vision 2030 while Aldosari examined Vision 2030's response to health care and education.
AGSIW Executive Vice President Ambassador Stephen A. Seche participated in the Gulf Policy Working Group at the Atlantic Council, part of the Middle East Peace and Security Initiative.
Arabian Sights Film Festival
AGSIW is proud to sponsor the Cultural Ambassador Prize at the 2016 Arabian Sights Film Festival. The Cultural Ambassador Prize is a competition of selected films that deserve increased recognition.
DATE Sunday October 30, 2016 TIME 5:00 pm LOCATION AMC Mazza Gallerie
5300 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20015 SPEAKERS Lubna Bagsair, Amr El-Bayoumi, Assad Fouladkar, Raymond Karam, Anna Kipervaser, Theo Padnos, Vishwas RSVP
Position Title: Research and Program Intern Department/Team: Programs and Communication Period: January through May 2017 Location: Washington, DC
Job Summary: The Internship Program at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington (AGSIW) provides talented students and recent graduates with a three-month (or longer) unpaid training opportunity designed to encourage professional and personal development. As a newly established organization, we encourage out-of-the-box thinking and value fresh perspectives. AGSIW will provide interns with a transportation stipend for the duration of the internship. Read more
How Americans and Gulf Arabs See Each Other
