[wanabidii] Saudi Succession; Iran's IS Policy; Libya

View in browser   |   Send to colleague PROGRAMME NEWSLETTER Middle East and North Africa Programme Dear Colleague, This month, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Programme examines the implications for Saudi succession following the death of King Abdullah. Jane Kinninmont also considers possible changes in Western policy towards the MENA region after the Paris attacks. Dr Chris Phillips evaluates Russia's policy towards Syria, and in the latest edition of International Affairs, Dina Esfandiary and Ariane Tabatabai examine Iran's Islamic State policy. Also, our latest Libya Working Group summary looks at the current struggle for power in Libya. In a forthcoming event, we will be launching a major Chatham House report on future trends in the GCC. Visit the event page to register your interest. Finally, we would like to announce the appointment of Dr Neil Quilliam as the new Acting Head of Programme, with Dr Claire Spencer assuming a new role as Senior Research Fellow. Many thanks for your support. Kind Regards, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House Five Things You Need to Know About Saudi Arabia's Future   King Abdullah's death raises questions about Saudi's internal politics, regional role and continued relations with the West. Jane Kinninmont assesses how the ruling family will deal with this period of transition. Read the op-ed > Paris Attacks May Distort Western Policy Focus Following the terror attacks in France, Western governments should avoid the temptation to see relations with the MENA region solely through the lens of counterterrorism, argues Jane Kinninmont in her expert comment piece. Read the expert comment > Libya: Armed Politics and Regional Escalation This paper is a summary of discussions that took place during a Libya Working Group meeting in December 2014. The discussion reflected on the struggle for power in Libya and the role played by domestic, regional and international actors in the country. Read the summary > Syria: The View From Moscow Chris Phillips argues that a weaker economy and the threat of Islamic State may limit some tools available to Russia, but are unlikely to alter Moscow's overall view and strategy in Syria. Read the expert comment > Iran's ISIS Policy This International Affairs article examines Iran's strategy in dealing with Islamic State. The article investigates three likely scenarios affecting the developments in Iraq and Iran's possible response to them as the events in the Middle East unfold. Download the article > Future Trends in the GCC Thursday 19 February | 13:00 - 14:00 Jane Kinninmont, Deputy Head and Senior Research Fellow, MENA Programme Further speakers TBC More information > Contact Saad Aldouri Administrator +44 (0)20 7957 5703 saldouri@chathamhouse.org Connect Forward this email | Unsubscribe