Middle East

As the center of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths; the world's main source of petroleum; and a religious, political, and ethnic tinderbox, the Middle East plays a considerable role in world affairs. RAND research on the region covers a wide range of cultural, economic, educational, military, and political topics, including in-depth examinations of Qatar, Palestine, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Israel.

Research conducted by: RAND National Security Research Division; Center for Middle East Public Policy; RAND-Qatar Policy Institute; RAND Project AIR FORCE; RAND Health; RAND Justice, Infrastructure, and Environment

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The RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy

The RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy (CMEPP) provides expertise on the Middle East. CMEPP analysts are in touch with political, social, economic, and technological developments in and around the region. Through research and analysis, CMEPP helps public and private decision makers solve problems, tackle challenges, and identify ways to make society safer, smarter, and more prosperous.

All Items (1145)

Report

Rouhani's Election: Regime Retrenchment in the Face of Pressure — Jun 18, 2013

People voting in 2013 Iran's election

Iran's foreign policy may be ultimately controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, and it will not change dramatically. But newly elected president Hassan Rouhani will nevertheless have an opportunity to reshape Iran's position on the nuclear program, as he will appoint Iran's nuclear negotiator and other key figures.

Commentary

Rouhani's Win in Iran Could be Reason for Optimism — Jun 17, 2013

Hassan Rouhani

Iran's unelected institutions—the deep state—remain more powerful than any other force. At the same time, Rouhani's election may mean that Khamenei realizes the extent of Iran's crisis and is willing to let Rouhani pave a way forward.

Commentary

Putting the Spring in the Arab Spring — Jun 16, 2013

a couple salsa dancing

Qatar has a salsa scene. Dubai hosted the big international Fujairah Latin Festival. The Oman Salsa Festival took place in March. Jordan and Cairo both have a salsa scene. What makes this so conversation-worthy is that it is indicative of a growing cultural openness in parts of the Middle East.

Commentary

Turkey's Perfect Storm — Jun 14, 2013

Protestors clash with Turkish riot policemen on the way to Taksim Square in Istanbul on June 5, 2013

The spontaneous protests in Turkey, which began in Istanbul and have spread to over 70 Turkish cities, have raised serious questions about Turkey's political stability and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership, writes F. Stephen Larrabee.

Commentary

How to Keep Our Embassies Safe — Jun 12, 2013

 Marines stand vigilant at U.S. embassy in Haiti

The best way to safeguard U.S. diplomatic missions abroad is to think hard up front about the purpose of the mission and to constantly reassess it in light of changing conditions, writes William Young.

Blog

In Iran, a New President, Same Leader — Jun 12, 2013

Election 2005 candidates in a Tehran newspaper

The Iranian electorate goes to the polls to select a new president this weekend, but no matter who carries the vote Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will continue to call the shots in Tehran, say Alireza Nader and Dalia Dassa Kaye.

Multimedia

Media Conference Call on Iran Presidential Election — Jun 11, 2013

RAND Middle East experts Alireza Nader and Dalia Dassa Kaye hosted a news media conference call to discuss the June 2013 Iranian presidential elections, their potential influence on the Middle East, and how the results could affect U.S.-Iran relations. Media Relations Officer Joe Dougherty moderated the call.

Blog

Previewing the Iranian Election — Jun 11, 2013

identity checks in the 2009 Iranian election

The Iranian regime seeks to produce a 2013 election that at least appears to be popular and legitimate; but more importantly, Khamenei desires a president who will act as his prime minister, rather than as an independent power.

Report

Iran's 2013 Presidential Election — Its Meaning and Implications — Jun 5, 2013

ap_photo_2009_iran_election_protests_PE109

Iran's June 14, 2013, election occurs in the shadow of the 2009 election, after which Iran witnessed the largest protests since the 1979 revolution. RAND examines the implications for the United States, especially concerning Iran's nuclear program.

Report

Knowledge-Based Economies and Basing Economies on Knowledge: Skills a Missing Link in GCC Countries — Jun 4, 2013

Assesses the development of Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the various dimensions of a knowledge-based economy.

Commentary

How to Negotiate Like a Pashtun — Jun 3, 2013

Ambassador Munter Attends Pashtun Tribal Jirga in Quetta in 2011

Fortunately, the rules by which Afghans (and particularly Pashtuns) forge durable pacts may be difficult to master, but they are quite comprehensible, writes Jonah Blank.

Journal Article

Sexual Stigma, Psychological Well-Being and Social Engagement Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Beirut, Lebanon — Jun 1, 2013

Findings suggest that effective coping with both internal and external sexual stigma is central to the psychological well-being and social engagement of men who have sex with men in Beirut, much as has been found in Western gay communities.

Commentary

The War on Terror Must End — but Not Yet — May 31, 2013

U.S. Army soldier pulls security as coalition forces search Ala Say Valley, Afghanistan

While unending war is clearly bad for a republic and dangerous to U.S. security, the trickier task is defining the conditions that, when met, tell us that the war against al Qaeda is over, writes Paul Miller.

Commentary

The Supreme Leader's Revenge — May 30, 2013

Khamenei with Nasrallah

Iranian politics are personal, writes Alireza Nader. Indeed, the theocrats are decidedly earthly in their rivalries. But the 2013 election is particularly telling. It may be settling a score dating back a quarter century.

Commentary

Europe Keeps Its Options Open in Syria — May 30, 2013

Europeans with 'No Arms for Assad' signs

France and Britain say they are not planning any arms shipments at this time. The decision thus seems unlikely to have a significant impact on the ground in the near term, writes Christopher Chivvis.

Commentary

Preventing a Nuclear 'Great Game' — May 29, 2013

Nawaz Sharif billboard on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Headquarters

America's imminent withdrawal from Afghanistan raises the possibility of renewed tension between Pakistan and India. With this month's election of Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan's next prime minister, Islamabad and New Delhi have a fleeting window of opportunity to improve relations.

Commentary

Think Again: A Nuclear Iran — May 28, 2013

the Shrine of the Tomb of Imam Reza

When contemplating the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran, we should all be grateful that notions of martyrdom and apocalyptic beliefs don't have a significant pull on Iranian decision-making, writes Alireza Nader.

Report

Artists and the Arab Uprisings — May 28, 2013

Artists can play a positive role in shaping public debate and supporting democratic transition in the Middle East. This report explores challenges to artists after the Arab uprisings and how governments and nongovernmental actors can support them.

Past Event

Arab Spring — May 23, 2013

Anti and pro-Mubarak protesters clash at Tahrir square, Cairo, Egypt, February 2011

Two years after the revolutions that shook the political landscape of the Arab world, several countries in the region remain unsettled. Did the Arab Spring really change that much for the better, as hopes of democracy seem to have faded, or is it still too soon to tell?

Commentary

How to Arm Syria's Rebels — May 22, 2013

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What is required in Syria now is a program like the one the United States established in the mid-1990s to train and equip the armed forces of the Bosnian Federation, writes Angel Rabasa.

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