Dr. Salem AlKetbi

Iran between contiguous geography and fragmented polity

Iran today stands before a choice that involves not just the fate of the regime, but also the very structure of the state. Opinion.

View from the UAE:

Drying up Hormuz: How weaponized geography backfires

An entire maritime gateway is planned for outside the potential chokepoint at the strait, redirecting a growing share of energy exports and trade away from the direct line of threat. Opinion.

Why is the UAE reappraising its alliances?

Sentimental alliances, which governed a large share of Arab politics for decades, seem to have collapsed. Anyone seeking a stable relationship with the UAE must now offer more than displays of solidarity or the expectation of routine financial support. Opinion.

A regional scramble to borrow from Iran’s playbook

Iran's weakening leaves a vacuum. Will its role be filled by countries waiting to emulate its use of proxies, armament and pressure to sow chaos and increase their own power, or by a different view leading to prosperity and peace in the region? Opinion.

View from the UAE:

Gulf security begins at the Strait of Hormuz

'Countries in complex security situations must rely on alliances that protect stability and secure vital passages rather than emotions or ideology,' says the writer. Read carefully to fill in the names of those forces not identified by name.

Washington’s endgame for the Iranian threat

The most dangerous shift has not been the rising level of rhetoric or the pace of military maneuvers. It lies in the nature of the targets that Tehran has chosen to bring into the theater of threats - and that the US cannot allow. Opinion.

From the Emirates:

Tom Barrack’s remarks: A close reading of their connotations

Preventing the Arab-Israel conflict from sliding into a religious war is the greatest challenge facing the Middle East today. Opinon.

A new wave of Israeli legislation

The ghost of terrorism will not recede without penalties that have maximum impact, decisive punishments that can finally end the cycle of impunity. And there are other issues that demand similar moves.

Bagram, once more in play

How will Afghanistan react to Trump's effort to reassert American influence after the humiliating 2021 withdrawal - and what will be the consequences of the methods the US president employs? Opinion.

Targeted strikes:

No immunity for Israel’s enemies

Real deterrence can only be achieved through a strict policy that makes every terrorist leader feel sentenced to death, however long it takes or however far they may run. Opinion.

View from the UAE:

The Zangezur Corridor: Where caravans and cannons may collide

What will the future bring? Either the caravans of development will cross the corridor in broad daylight, or the winds of conflict will blow over it in the darkness of politics. Opinion.

Will Israel dare strike Iran now?

Diplomacy has failed to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Instead, Tehran has used negotiations as cover and as a way to gain time to advance its capabilities, as many feared would happen. What now? Opinion.

Confessions: Peace or war with Israel

A rare audio recording recently circulating across Arab media outlets between Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi exposes shocking truths long hidden behind flowery rhetoric and fiery speeches. Op-ed.

The word from Dubai:

Confronting the extremist threat on American campuses

Exploiting America’s openness to push radical ideologies is not new. It stems from the nation’s commitment to freedom. Yet, growing recognition of this danger, coupled with political resolve, marks a shift. Opinion.

Will Ahmed Al-Sharaa be assassinated?

Ahmed Al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammadal-Julani, boasted about his organization's ability to provide him necessary protection. One must question what abilities Al-Sharaa relies upon. Opinion

Iran’s terror militia era draws to a close

Israel’s current strategy appears to have been highly effective. It combines targeting both leadership and infrastructure of Iranian-backed militias. Opinion.

Will Iran’s response be nuclear?

Does the Iranian regime favor tactical silence and temporary disengagement while concentrating on accelerating its nuclear program’s militarization? Opinion.

The Iranian regime: suicide or poisonous chalice?

The Iranian regime realizes that it faces the most dangerous war entrapment in its history. Op-ed.

Raisi’s helicopter crash: fog or plot?

It is evident that the Iranian regime has been extremely keen to avoid raising doubts about the incident from its very onset. But that does not rule out analysis and conjecture. Opinion.

The "Hate the UAE Syndrome"

UAE is attacked for its principles but stands firm. Opinion.

Will Iran allow its proxies to be destroyed? Op-ed.

The Iranians are well aware of the extent of Israeli superiority in the field of intelligence and information and that assassination attempts could be directed against key Iranian leaders at a time when Iran is weak internally. Op-ed.

The fate of the Ukraine war

Neither side is making any military breakthroughs, the war is stagnating and it seems that the only breakthrough that can resolve the situation lies in a political and diplomatic movement, not a military one. Op-ed.

The relationship between Iran and its proxies

We followed how Ismail Haniyeh, one of the leaders of the terrorist Hamas, visited Tehran after the October 7th massacre. Opinion.

The disaster of Iran's proxy wars

The Arab countries of the Middle East and Israel are all paying the price of Western negligence in confronting the Iranian threat. Opinion.

Op-ed:

The Middle East is in the hands of Iran - for now

Iran has cornered everyone in a critical corner, and we, as observers, believe that it is seeking to ignite a regional or world war.

Iran’s role in Hamas’ attack on Israel

Iran not only supplied Hamas with essential components and technology, it played a role in training Hamas engineers and technicians.Op-ed.

Beyond the absence of China at the G20 Summit

The world is in a state of increasing polarization and struggles for leadership. China's message is that it is in the fight. Op-ed.

Prigozhin’s enigma and Putin's plans

Western confusion plays right into Putin's hands, as his Wagner Group continues to help Russia reach its foreign policy objectives. Op-ed.

Beyond the conflict in Ukraine

It appears there is a firm Western, particularly American, stance committed to the strategic defeat of Russia. Op-ed.

Key outcomes of the Jeddah Summit

The Jeddah meeting marks a significant strategic milestone that reflects Saudi Arabia’s new direction. Op-ed.

Has US policy turned around in the Gulf?

The Gulf countries are trying to counter Iran by teaming up with it, due to the weak, hesitant US stance against Iranian threats. Op-ed.

Ignore the Wagner Group at your peril

A prognosis for the Wagner Group which has evolved into a pillar of Russian foreign policy, particularly in Africa and the Mideast. Op-ed.

How does the West want to see Russia?

The aspiration of the US to neutralize Russia in case of clash with China is in contrast to its fears of a broken Russia.Op-ed.

National armies fighting non-state adversaries

What is unfolding in Sudan follows a pattern witnessed in other Arab countries - a no-win, destructive inter-Arab conflict.Op-ed.

Is the Sudan agreement worth the paper on which it is written?

The parties pledged to protect civilians and ensure their safe passage out of conflict areas.. But there is no supervision mechanism. Op-ed.

What about the Ukraine crisis? Ho hum

Diminishing media attention for the Ukraine crisis is an anomaly compared to other global crises as it is a priority amonng leaders.Op-ed.

France sets sights on ‘Third Pole’ agenda

France is advocating for Europe to be a “third pole” independent of Washington and Beijing - and is meeting resistance. Op-ed

Will the Saudi-Iranian Pact stand the Test of Time?

Iran is eager to outmaneuver Israel, working to forge a regional coalition, but it needs internal consensus for its plans to work. Op-ed.

China’s initiative may be the chance to end the Ukraine war

Newsweek magazine confirmed that the Chinese have a plan to end the long and drawn out war in Ukraine. Op-ed.

Why is NATO turning to East Asia?

NATO is mulling the possibility of Russia achieving its goals in Ukraine and China taking a similar military step towards Taiwan. Op-ed.

What it means to supply Ukraine with Western tanks

The acquisition of Western tanks by Ukraine has a symbolic significance that outweighs their operational impact. Op-ed.

Op-ed:

The Iran nuclear deal goes down

Biden is no longer interested in an agreement that gives Iran a political victory and deepens rifts between the US and its Mid-East allies,.

European democracy is in deep water

An unprecedented political and parliamentary scandal undermines the credibility of the entire European parliamentary establishment. Op-ed.

Israel bombs in Syria, but who will protect Iraq from Iran?

The Iraqi leadership is fully aware of the reality of what Iran is doing to their country, but can do nothing about it. Op-ed.

Will Iran's morality police be abolished or not?

The ceiling of protests has risen and gone beyond the demand for the abolition of the vice police and the rejection of its practices. Op-ed.

A dangerous Iranian move in Iraq that must be thwarted

Via the UN,Tehran is creating a cover for a broad military intervention in Iraq, ostensibly to pursue Kurdish militias. Op-ed.

Iran's hypersonic missiles - are they for real?

Iran has achieved qualitative breakthroughs in its strategy of moving the battle beyond its borders, both in weaponry and subversion.Op-ed.

EU Diplomat: Europe is a "garden" and the world a "jungle"

Borell divides the world into gardens and jungles, with all the hostility that this means for the idea of international cooperation. Op-ed.

The Abraham agreement and Iran: stating the obvious

Forced linkage of the Abraham peace agreement with the Iran nuclear deal is directly informed by Iranian propaganda, Op-ed.

Why do Europeans doubt Iran’s intentions?

The skepticism from the European side is long overdue. But the fuel issue gets in the way. Op-ed.

Op-ed:

Why is everyone in a stew over the nuclear deal?

The deal itself is not what worries the Gulf States and Israel. It is what has happened to US strategic resolve.

Maneuvering back to the old nuclear deal

Understanding how both sides, Iranian and US, are fighting to portray the signing of the agreement as a political victory at home. Op-ed.

Impact of the Russian gas crisis on Europe’s future

Talk of an energy crisis in Europe is no longer just speculation, but reality. Russia refuses payment in euros. Op-ed.

The Taliban is back in hot water

Zawahiri’s death and the unveiling of his presence in Kabul certainly put the Afghan movement under the spotlight. Op-ed.

Iran is just one political step away from nuclear weapons

Iran has a much larger nuclear program than it had in 2015. This growth is not only quantitative, but also qualitative.Op-ed.

Op-ed:

Interpreting the Jerusalem Declaration - how the UAE sees it

Biden's visit to Israel and Saudi Arabia seen through UAE eyes accentuating the positive, worried about Putin's planned visit to Iran.Op-ed.

Our priorities for Biden's Middle East visit

It’s not about making a comeback in the region, but about correcting US policy errors, from the signing of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Op-ed

Iran is already out of control

Dealing with the Iranian threat will only succeed if the regime senses the threat of a military strike or a popular overthrow. Op-ed.

Are fossil fuels in with 'climate change' out?

Behind the trend is necessity, but also the close correlation between energy prices and the popularity of politicians in ballot boxes. Op-ed

Can we build a culture of coexistence in the Middle East?

The UAE cannot completely disengage from the Palestinian Arab conflict with Israel, but it views it from a realistic perspective. Op-ed.