Special Reports

Iraq’s Sadrist movement, led by populist Shi’i cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, has been at the heart of Iraqi politics since 2003. The movement's political strategies have shifted dramatically during this time, encompassing militant insurgency, sectarian violence, electoral politics, and reform-oriented...

China’s COVID-19 outbreak has seen Beijing’s demand for natural gas stutter, after years of breakneck expansion. In February, China's natural gas demand was estimated to have fallen 17 percent year-on-year, and while there were some subsequent indications of recovery...

As the novel coronavirus (now classified as COVID-19) spreads around the world, Central Asia sits as a lonely region adjacent to the People’s Republic of China—the epicenter of the outbreak—with no known confirmed cases. As of early March, no...

Relations between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran relations are best understood as a tenuous partnership that oscillates between “strategic” and “tactical” cooperation on common security issues despite long-lasting mistrust, unmet expectations, and weak economic ties....

Since October 1 of last year, over 600 Iraqis have been killed and thousands injured in protests throughout the country. The accompanying political and social chaos has strengthened efforts by other nations to interfere in Iraq with deadly effects....

Download Narrowing Interests in the Middle East: Planning for Great Power Competition  The United States dramatically increased the commitment of troops and military equipment to a string of permanent bases in the Middle East after the collapse of the...

What happens in the Black Sea does not stay in the Black Sea. The region’s status as a crossroad linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East is its most important advantage—and its greatest risk. It is the region with...

Download Russian Private Military Companies: Continuity and Evolution of the Model  Executive Summary Russian private military companies or contractors (PMCs) have received much attention in recent years, but the Russian state has a long history in utilizing such groups....

Download Belarus-Russia: From a Strategic Deal to an Integration Ultimatum Executive Summary In the mid-1990s, Minsk signed several treaties and agreements with Moscow that prioritized a pro-Russian geopolitical orientation. These treaties culminated in the Treaty on the Creation of...

Download Transatlantic Trialogue: Turkey, the Syrian War, and the Future of the Transatlantic Alliance Tensions over Syria have negatively impacted the transatlantic alliance. The United States and Turkey, two NATO allies, have long debated how best to prosecute the...