Middle East The lights that failed Why the cause of liberal democracy collapsed in the Middle East. By John Jenkins
Why have the other Gulf states severed ties with Qatar? For those of us who have watched the region for decades, this crisis did not come out of nowhere. By John Jenkins
Were the US strikes payback against the Assad regime – or Barack Obama? The attack on the airbase was exactly the action we expected to see from the Obama administration in August… By John Jenkins
A multitude of rivals Unless Donald Trump is able to master geopolitical complexity, the trouble in the Middle East will get far worse. By John Jenkins
Syria’s world war: how the West allowed Russian and Iran to take control As the civil war rages on, Syria has become a theatre for great-power rivalry, with Russia and Iran turning… By John Jenkins
Behind Saudi Arabia’s bluster is a country that feels under grave threat A letter from Bahrain. By John Jenkins
No one knows what they’re doing in Syria – but standing back is not an option Ultimately this is a question about the world in which we want to live. By John Jenkins
The Islamist zero hour The unique threat posed by Isis has been analysed in depth. But how should the West respond in practice? By John Jenkins