Category: Middle East / Asia
Asia’s Fuel Lifeline Is Fraying — And The Warning Signs Are Already Here
Asia’s growth model rests on a fragile assumption: that energy will remain available, affordable and uninterrupted. That assumption is now being tested by the conflict in Iran…
Trump’s Iran Ultimatum Raises Questions He Can’t Answer
Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Iran reflects an aggressive but unclear strategy, with shifting demands around nuclear concessions and military pressure that lack a coherent endgame…
Syria Is Not Libya, But It Could Become One If The World Looks Away
While Syria’s conflict differs from Libya’s in origins and structure, it faces similar risks of fragmentation, weak governance, and competing armed factions if international engagement fades…
After Maduro’s Ouster, Tough New Truths About US Foreign Policy
President Trump’s decisive action in Venezuela signals the consolidation of a foreign-policy doctrine that is blunt, transactional and unapologetic about the use of force — with five hard truths for the U.S. and the world…
Smarter Finance Needed To Rebuild Post-Conflict Middle East
Traditional model — grand pledging conferences followed by sluggish bilateral transfers — is obsolete and must be left behind…
Middle East Debt Deals Hang in Limbo as Washington Sets the Clock
Gulf stock markets rallied in September, following the Federal Reserve’s rate cut and renewed optimism that further rate cuts were to come. Behind the cheer lies a more complicated reality: debt issuance across the Middle East — sovereign, corporate and family-owned — is being delayed, restructured or burdened by high U.S.-imported borrowing costs…
Islamic Equity Investors Face A Difficult Choice
Islamic finance has made much progress over the past two decades across banking, asset management and capital markets. There are now some $5tn of Islamic finance assets in an industry grounded in faith-based principles, according to estimates from the LSEG’s Islamic Finance Development Indicator. But Islamic finance — and in particular equity investing — needs further conversation about how to balance ethical integrity with the financial complexity of today’s world…
Donald Trump Now A Serious Nobel Peace Prize Bet
By Alfred Nobel’s original intent, the Peace Prize should go to those who actually end wars, not those who merely talk about it. In 2025, Trump has brokered real agreements between sworn enemies and stepped directly into the world’s most dangerous conflicts…
6 Months In, Trump’s Unorthodox Foreign Policy Is Rewriting The Rules
President Trump’s return to office has marked a fundamental departure from conventional foreign policy approaches that have dominated Washington for decades. His first six months demonstrate how unorthodox methods — transactional negotiations, direct pressure and strategic leverage — can achieve breakthroughs that traditional diplomatic playbooks consistently failed to deliver…
