The Islamic State’s regional strategy
How worried should neighbouring states be about the Islamic State’s expansionist rhetoric?
Syria / Iraq / Lebanon
Iraq’s response to the challenge of the Islamic State
Following the Islamic State’s dramatic advances in Iraq the country’s future now hangs in the balance with the prospect of protracted sectarian conflict and break-up looming large
Turkey: under pressure to take a definitive stance
Turkey stands apart from regional players by refusing to commit to combat missions against the Islamic State
The Islamic State in the Jewish state’s wing mirror
The biggest danger for Israel, as it is for some of its neighbours, is that the “Islamic State metastasising threat narrative” could become a self-fulfilling prophecy
Divided Kurds fight the Islamic State
The Islamic State is deepening Kurdish reliance on external powers and is also having a significant impact on intra-Kurdish rivalries, strengthening the hand of the PKK
A Saudi view on the Islamic State
Saudi Arabia is adamant that it has the unique knowledge, expertise, and legitimacy to effectively lead the effort to defeat the Islamic State
Qatar’s risky balancing act
Qatar has been plagued by accusations that of all the forces backing Syrian insurgents it is the most responsible for funding finding its way to the Islamic State
The Islamic State and the struggle for control in Syria
Both Assad and his rebel opponents hope to leverage the US fight against the Islamic State to help them win the civil war
Confronting the Islamic State: Lebanon’s tenuous success amidst growing threats
A shift in trajectory away from confrontation to unprecedented co-operation among domestic actors geared towards combating the threat of extremism has helped Lebanon manage the threat posed by the Islamic State
Kuwait: the crisis in Syria comes home
With a broad spectrum of Sunnis in Kuwait expressing sympathy for the Islamic State and the country serving as a hub for private donors backing the group few countries are more concerned by the rise of the Islamic State