Balancing the competing interests of regional and global stakeholders is no easy task. Can the president keep Syria from becoming an arena for regional conflict?

Al-Zaidi's push to take arms out of militias' hands and bring them under state control is exposing deep political divisions and challenging the government's authority at home and abroad

Syria's new post-Assad leadership is working to sever Iran's reach by shoring up its borders with Lebanon and Iraq, and by closing in on cells operating in the country

Despite losing its dominant position in Syria, Moscow still sees opportunities in oil, military cooperation, and access to Africa

Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan is the latest example among many of the growing appeal of democratic socialism and the changing politics of the American left

The appointments show how Tehran is drawing lessons from successive wars and preparing for a prolonged period of insecurity

When US forces withdrew from Afghanistan five years ago, Syrian rebels drew inspiration from the Taliban. Today, the roles are reversed.

Al Majalla offers political and economic analysis about how we got here and what the future may hold

The US is betting that a sustained blockade can force Iran to make concessions on Hormuz. Iran is betting that rising economic pressure from the strait's closure will force the US to blink first.

A bit of both. It enabled its rise as a regional power, then helped weaken it, and may now help prevent its complete defeat.