Amb. Robert Ford and Charles Lister join host Paul Salem to discuss last week’s U.S. airstrikes in Syria in response to the Assad government’s ongoing use of chemical weapons, what the Trump administration is signaling about America’s plans there, and the escalating standoff between Israeli and Iranian forces in the country.

In provinces where ISIS eradicated political structures and liquidated political opponents, attempts to revive political involvement are still tainted by a lack of trust in potential partners from outside the region and a lack of certainty in the future.

Saudi-Russian relations have been underpinned by their need to keep global oil prices up, and recent statements by both countries suggest that their cooperation could expand. This should be alarming for the United States.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Charles Lister, Gonul Tol, Paul Salem, Alex Vatanka, and Marvin G. Weinbaum provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including the Syria strikes, Turkey's Assad paradox, the Arab League summit, EU's view of the Iran nuclear deal, and clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Iranian leaders blame neighboring countries’ water management policies, the presence of U.S. forces in the region, and climate changes for Iran’s growing environmental problems, yet they largely overlook corruption and mismanagement, as well as government policies responsible for the deteriorating crisis across the country, writes Ahmad Majidyar.

Amb. Robert Ford and Charles Lister join host Paul Salem to discuss last week’s U.S. airstrikes in Syria in response to the Assad government’s ongoing use of chemical weapons, what the Trump administration is signaling about America’s plans there, and the escalating standoff between Israeli and Iranian forces in the country.

In provinces where ISIS eradicated political structures and liquidated political opponents, attempts to revive political involvement are still tainted by a lack of trust in potential partners from outside the region and a lack of certainty in the future.

Saudi-Russian relations have been underpinned by their need to keep global oil prices up, and recent statements by both countries suggest that their cooperation could expand. This should be alarming for the United States.

In this week's Monday Briefing, MEI experts Charles Lister, Gonul Tol, Paul Salem, Alex Vatanka, and Marvin G. Weinbaum provide analysis on recent and upcoming events including the Syria strikes, Turkey's Assad paradox, the Arab League summit, EU's view of the Iran nuclear deal, and clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Iranian leaders blame neighboring countries’ water management policies, the presence of U.S. forces in the region, and climate changes for Iran’s growing environmental problems, yet they largely overlook corruption and mismanagement, as well as government policies responsible for the deteriorating crisis across the country, writes Ahmad Majidyar.