Michael Rubin is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum. A former Pentagon official, Dr. Rubin has lived in post-revolution Iran, Yemen, and both pre- and postwar Iraq. He also spent time with the Taliban before 9/11. For more than a decade, he taught classes at sea about the Horn of Africa and Middle East conflicts, culture, and terrorism, to deployed US Navy and Marine units. Dr. Rubin is the author, coauthor, and coeditor of several books exploring diplomacy, Iranian history, Arab culture, Kurdish studies, and Shi’ite politics.
Key Points and Summary – Dick Cheney’s death at 84 rekindles long-running disputes, but the record shows a leader defined by principle and steadiness....
Gaza’s Stabilization Force: Why Trump and Rubio Say “No” to the U.N. The International Stabilization Force for Gaza is beginning to come together, as...
Key Points and Summary – Turkish “peacekeepers” in Gaza would inflame conflict, given Ankara’s ties to Hamas and Ottoman-era baggage, and urges closing UNRWA...
Key Points and Summary – The Houthis won’t collapse if Iran’s regime falls. They are rooted in Yemen’s Zaydi politics, possess growing indigenous weapons...
Key Points and Summary – The Trump Administration is exploring a workaround to restore Turkey’s access to F-35s by deeming Ankara’s Russian S-400 “inoperable”...
Key Points and Summary – Hezbollah isn’t done. Despite leadership losses, its financing—diaspora-linked laundering and new backing from Turkey to offset Iran—remains resilient. -Unless...
Will Palestine Recognition Revitalize Separatist Movements in Scotland, Quebec, and Murrawarri? – On September 21, 2025, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia formally recognized...