There was a high level of public interest when Kuwaiti voters went to the polls on Dec. 5 to elect a new National Assembly, reflected in voter turnout of more than 60 percent, despite initial concerns that the coronavirus pandemic would suppress participation. Incumbent lawmakers fared poorly, with 24 of the 43 who were up for reelection losing their seats, as voters registered their dissatisfaction with the previous parliament. But while many commentators have described the results as a win for the opposition, which appeared to boost its numbers, the direction the new National Assembly will take remains to be [...]
Editor’s Note: Every Monday, Managing Editor Frederick Deknatel highlights a major unfolding story in the Middle East, while curating some of the best news and analysis from the region. Subscribers can adjust their newsletter settings to receive Middle East Memo by email every week. The United Arab Emirates got armed Reaper drones and the coveted F-35, becoming the first Arab county to fly the most advanced U.S. fighter jet, despite Israel’s initial objections. Sudan got much-needed economic aid and the promise of being removed from Washington’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, freeing up billions of dollars in more international [...]
Many world leaders, dismayed by four years of Donald Trump, are hoping that President-elect Joe Biden will return to an American foreign policy that is more pragmatic and balanced, less fickle and pettily punitive. One region crying out for an urgent recalibration in the U.S. approach is the Persian Gulf. Thanks to an emerging European initiative to help bring a modicum of calm to the tense region, Biden will have the opportunity to do a lot of good early in his term without having to invest too much political capital. Ever since the 1979 Iranian revolution, tensions between Iran and [...]
