Articles & Multimedia

Showing 1-20 of 22 Publications

• Commentary
  • May 19, 2021
  Sharper: Israeli-Palestinian Diplomacy

  In recent days, Israel and Palestine have been overcome by the worst violence since the 2014 Gaza war. This flare-up poses the first real test to the Biden administration’s fo...

  By Anna Pederson, Dania Torres & Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • February 3, 2021
  Sharper: Iran

  While President Biden has publicly committed to reengaging Iran, his administration faces immediate challenges....

  By Kaleigh Thomas, Chris Estep & Cole Stevens

• Commentary
  • October 22, 2020
  Sharper: U.S. Strategy in the Middle East

  CNAS experts are sharpening the conversation surrounding the future of U.S. strategy in the Middle East....

  By Kaleigh Thomas, Chris Estep & Cole Stevens

• Commentary
  • Foreign Affairs
  • October 1, 2020
  On Iran, the Next Administration Must Break With the Past

  The United States can address its discord with Iran and calibrate a smart and clear-eyed policy for the Middle East....

  By Elisa Catalano Ewers, Ilan Goldenberg & Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • August 26, 2020
  Sharper: The Future of U.S. Sanctions Policy

  Sanctions are increasingly common in U.S. foreign policy and economic statecraft. But they are not a cure-all....

  By Kaleigh Thomas, Cole Stevens & Chris Estep

• Commentary
  • July 20, 2020
  Demilitarizing U.S. Policy in the Middle East

  The next NDS must detail a new approach to the Middle East....

  By Ilan Goldenberg & Kaleigh Thomas

• Podcast
  • July 14, 2020
  People Try to Put Us Down

  With Radha and Erin on the road, Loren invites Ashley Feng, research associate for the Energy, Economics, and Security program at the Center for a New American Security, Kalei...

  By Loren DeJonge Schulman, Kara Frederick, Ashley Feng & Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • Defense News
  • April 23, 2020
  How the US can learn from Israel to counter Iran

  During the COVID-19 crisis, one would have thought the United States and Iran would find ways to reduce tensions. Instead the Trump administration refuses to relax sanctions i...

  By Ilan Goldenberg & Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • Defense One
  • February 21, 2020
  The American Public Wants a Sustainable Middle East Policy

  After the U.S. strike on Qasem Soleimani, Americans feared the United States was on the brink of war with Iran. “World War III draft” memes circulated around the internet, and...

  By Kaleigh Thomas & Emma Moore

• Podcast
  • January 17, 2020
  US Targeted Killing of Qassem Soleimani: Strategic Implications

  Brian Katulis and Kaleigh Thomas discuss the political and strategic fallout from the US targeted killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Listen to the full conversation...

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • Defense One
  • January 17, 2020
  Sending Troops Back to the Middle East Won’t Stop Iran

  The Trump administration’s decision to kill Qassam Soleimani is the latest in an escalatory “maximum pressure” Iran strategy that is shifting American foreign policy attention...

  By Chris Dougherty & Kaleigh Thomas

• Podcast
  • January 7, 2020
  Pentagon: Iran attacked US military bases in Iraq

  The Pentagon said [yesterday] that Iran launched ballistic missiles targeting at least two Iraqi bases that were reportedly housing U.S. troops. The Iranian regime said in a s...

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Podcast
  • December 20, 2019
  Nicholas Heras and Kaleigh Thomas Discuss the Future of Iraq and Syria's Security

  The U.S. counter-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria was predicated on working by, with, and through local partners. Now the Trump administration has partially withdrawn troops fro...

  By Nicholas Heras & Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • The National Interest
  • November 7, 2019
  Trump Needs to Reestablish Deterrence with Iran

  The attack attributed to Iran on Saudi Aramco oil facilities is the latest in a series of Iranian escalations—the May 14 and June 13 tanker attacks, the June 20 downing of a U...

  By Kaleigh Thomas & Elisa Catalano Ewers

• Video
  • October 14, 2019
  Kaleigh Thomas on the Syrian conflict

  Middle East security expert Kaleigh Thomas discusses the latest on the Syrian-Turkish conflict. Listen to the full conversation and more on CTV News....

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Video
  • October 14, 2019
  Kaleigh Thomas on Trump's withdrawal from Syria

  Middle East security expert Kaleigh Thomas discusses the aftermath of President Trump withdrawing from Syria. Listen to the full conversation and more in CTV News....

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Commentary
  • Foreign Policy
  • September 25, 2019
  Trump’s Iran Policy Is a Failure

  This month’s attack on two Saudi Aramco oil facilities marked a stunning escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The scale, sophistication, and accuracy of the strikes all ...

  By Ilan Goldenberg & Kaleigh Thomas

• Podcast
  • May 14, 2019
  Trump administration hardliners push for sending 120,000 U.S. troops to Iran if necessary

  Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan released an updated military plan for Iran. It envisions sending 120,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks U.S. forces i...

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Video
  • May 13, 2019
  Is America Isolated on Its Approach to Iran Policy?

  Kaleigh Thomas joins View 360 on Voice of America (Urdu) to discuss the latest developments in the relationship between the United States and Iran. View the full conversation...

  By Kaleigh Thomas

• Podcast
  • May 1, 2019
  The Assad Dilemma

  The Assad regime has been in power in Syria since 1970. For many analysts, the Syrian state could not exist without the regime, and the regime could not exist without the lead...

  By Nicholas Heras, Kaleigh Thomas, Alexander Bick & Faysal Itani