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MECRA RESEARCH BLOG
The MECRA research blog is composed of short articles and may include outside contributions. The views expressed in these blogs and articles are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis editorial stance.
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MECRA
May 19, 20184 min read
Why did the KDP boycott the elections in Kirkuk?
By IRFAN AZEEZ AZEEZ In the wake of the Iraqi elections, there are still plenty of questions to answer, not least regarding the KDP’s...
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MECRA
May 19, 20184 min read
Understanding the Iraq election results
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The final results of the May 12 Iraq election have been released. They confirmed earlier results that showed Muqtada...
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MECRA
May 13, 20184 min read
How Iran overplayed its hand in Syria
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Iran’s drive to retaliate against Israel has led it to badly underestimate Jerusalem’s resolve and resulted in...
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MECRA
May 7, 20184 min read
Five sides of Lebanon as election results come in
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Lebanon had its first election in nine years on May 6. It went relatively smoothly. Turnout was low and many...
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MECRA
Apr 27, 20181 min read
Abadi hits the campaign trail
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is campaigning hard for the elections, even as he uses trips in late April to...
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MECRA
Apr 13, 20181 min read
Turkey's SADAT consultancy and strategy
A new piece by Jonathan Spyer looks at how Turkey is joining the list of countries that combine political strategy with military muscle,...
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MECRA
Mar 29, 20182 min read
The curious case of the Egyptian elections
By DONYA HANAFI A parade, a show of support, appreciation, gratitude, and admiration. This is what the current Egyptian elections are all...
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MECRA
Mar 21, 20183 min read
Thousands reported stranded after fleeing Afrin conflict
By LAURA KELLY Hundreds of thousands of civilians who fled the Turkish-offensive on the Syrian city of Afrin in the last few days are now...
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MECRA
Mar 14, 20185 min read
The Kurdistan Regional Government in 2018: A Q and A with Falah Mustafa
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The following questions were sent to the Kurdistan Regional Government in February. Falah Mustafa Bakir is the head...
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MECRA
Mar 10, 20181 min read
From Kosovo to Syria, how US policy went from humanitarian intervention to concerned non-interventio
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN In a new piece at The Hill I look at the trajectory of US policy from the era of George H.W Bush and his "new world...
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MECRA
Mar 4, 20181 min read
Interview with Princess Reema bin Bandar al-Saud
By Laura Kelly I sat down for an interview with Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud this week. The Saudi Princess spearheading the...
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MECRA
Feb 28, 20181 min read
After Deir ez-Zor battle only American determination will deter the Russians in Syria
By Alex Grinberg While Israel was involved in an incident three weeks ago in which an UAV penetrated the territory of the State of...
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MECRA
Feb 26, 20183 min read
The arrest of Saleh Muslim: test case for the Kurdish-western relationship
By JONATHAN SPYER The arrest of Saleh Muslim Mohammed, former leader of the Syrian Kurdish PYD (Democratic Union Party) in a Prague hotel...
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MECRA
Feb 25, 20181 min read
Afrin conflict: Between Damascus and Ankara
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN The conflict in Syria's Afrin province is entering its second month. After a month of battles between the Turkish...
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MECRA
Feb 23, 20181 min read
A guide to factions of the Syria conflict: 2018
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN As the Syrian conflict moves into its seventh year, a new guide to the factions in the conflict this year and...
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MECRA
Feb 22, 20181 min read
A Visit to the Jazeera Canton, Syria
By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi This exclusive report is based on the author’s trip in January 2018 to the Jazeera Canton area of the...
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MECRA
Feb 18, 20185 min read
Was Tillerson's MidEast tour successful?
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson toured the Middle East from February 12-16, meeting with his counterparts in...
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MECRA
Feb 9, 20181 min read
The Sochi Conference and Afrin: Interview with Mihrac Ural
By Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi I previously spoke with Mihrac Ural (Ali Kayali) when I profiled his group the Syrian Resistance (aka The...
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MECRA
Jan 30, 20181 min read
Turkey-Greece refugee crises revisited
In 2015 around one million refugees crossed into Greece from Turkey. Three years later the crises continues. Work in progress Design On...
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