Although MBS comes to Washington as head of government rather than head of state, Trump will receive him with the full ceremony of a state…
Articles by Ali Shihabi
Ali Shihabi's articles and commentary on Middle Eastern affairs have appeared in leading international publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, and The National Interest. His writing focuses on Saudi Arabia, Gulf politics, regional security dynamics, and the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Arabian Peninsula. Drawing on his extensive background in both finance and Middle Eastern affairs, Shihabi provides insider analysis and thoughtful perspectives on the region's most pressing challenges.
When Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman makes his official visit to Washington—expected in the coming weeks—it will offer both countries a moment…
In 2014 I wrote a book, “The Saudi Kingdom,” that was, frankly, pessimistic about Saudi Arabia’s long-term prospects. After decades under a geriatric leadership class…
Formally backing a Palestinian state is no longer a symbolic gesture. It’s a strategic imperative. The world should wait no longer to formally recognize the…
Israel’s continued obsession with expansion stands in stark contrast to this reality. Its pursuit of more territory at the expense of the indigenous Palestinian population…
US President Donald Trump’s decision to make Riyadh his first foreign destination in his second term was not merely a gesture of diplomacy — it…
As President Donald Trump returns to Riyadh for his second official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—once again choosing it as his first foreign…
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the ultimate prize for those who want to topple the US-led order in Middle East To say that the…
There is a certain amount of confusion among observers about Saudi economic strategy. We can gain clarity on this if we look at the many…
As Iran and Israel enter an era of direct confrontation, a lot of attention is now being paid to the position of Saudi Arabia and…
Once the dust settles post-Hamas, it will be crucial for Israelis to confront the harsh reality of the attack on Oct. 7. The escapist impulse…
Today, U.S. influence on Saudi Arabia (KSA) is greatly diminished. This could change, however, if the United States were to formally extend its military umbrella…
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) today is a country working hard to be at peace with its neighbors, striving to bring stability to its…
US President Joe Biden in his presidential campaign would often say, “Don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.” And that is…
إن الاختلال في ميزان القوة للحد الذي يتعذر تجاوزه بين العرب والإسرائيليين، ناهيك عن الفلسطينيين والإسرائيليين، يفرض علينا إعادة التفكير بشكل جذري في نهج حل…
The immensity of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms in Saudi Arabia have not been adequately understood by outside observers. In a state three hundred…
A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. On the face of it, the recent photo of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman…
With Afghanistan back in the hands of the Taliban as we approach the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, it would be easy to conclude…
With the Afghanistan collapse, the time has come to revisit an ongoing obsession among Western politicians and pundits: the promotion of democracy in the Arab…
The recently announced Bantustan-like “deal of the century” and the basically insurmountable power imbalance between the Arabs and Israelis, let alone between the Palestinians and…
If the Persian language had a term for chutzpah, it should have been the title for Javad Zarif’s recent essay in The Atlantic. Written by Iran’s foreign minister and…
On Oct. 2, 2018, the Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. After his disappearance, politicians and pundits called on the…
Last week, the Saudi government expelled the Canadian ambassador from Riyadh, and canceled flights, educational exchanges, and trade and investment activities between the two countries. This…
Arab and Muslim leaders have just concluded a series of emergency summits in Mecca to discuss recent attacks on Saudi and Emirati territory which US officials…
Terrorism is a problem that we all still struggle to understand. That challenge only increases when partisan politics are injected into the mix. This is…
Since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s (MBS) 2016 announcement of Saudi Vision 2030, commentators and analysts have maligned the plan’s “unrealistic” goals and time lines.…
Saudi Arabia is undergoing a perilous, but essential transformation. Those wishing to safeguard one of the last bastions of Middle East stability should support Crown…
WASHINGTON – The killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi has left the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in its weakest diplomatic position since the horrific terror attacks…
Since 1979, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has seen itself as facing a radical, militaristic and expansionist Iran that leverages Shi’a disenfranchisement, local power vacuums…
As custodian of Islam’s holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, and as leader of the 41-nation Islamic coalition established to combat terror, Saudi Arabia is on…