The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan signifies an important shift in great power competition, with China poised to fill the power vacuum and the U.S. refocused.

This article aims to analyze the intervention and abandonment of Afghanistan by U.S. forces while assessing new developments following the collapse of the government. The author makes policy recommendations for the international and U.S. response to the conflict.

The Najaf clerical establishment’s influence on Iraq’s political development is undeniable, requiring the United States to consider how Najaf perceives its actions.

Therefore, American foreign policy vis-à-vis Iraq should eschew militarization and instead focus on building Iraq’s governance capacity, a policy palatable to Iraq’s clerical establishment.

The Suez bottleneck demonstrated global fragility. America must learn and strengthen alternative routes, while supporting democratic values.

Clerical rule in Iran faces insurmountable challenges in sustaining its legitimacy and will find itself at a critical juncture with the inevitable death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The United States should acknowledge and act on this development to weaken the Islamic Republic’s model of clerical politics.

Tunisia made remarkable democratic strides during the Arab Spring, but several key issues will hinder the country’s further development if not addressed.

Expanding jihadist groups and regional insecurity make the Sahel a risky environment for Western aid workers.

As Iraq reaches the one-year anniversary of its momentous October Revolution, the country is still plagued by corruption, sectarian violence, and citizen discontent.

The United States has taken to covert operations against the Islamic Republic, an implicit admission that its maximum pressure policy has failed.

Egypt cannot afford to lose its lifeblood.