Maxwell School News and Commentary
Filtered by: Middle East & North Africa
Haq Article on US Airstrikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites Published on MSNBC
“The president is wagering that sending in the U.S. Air Force will once and for all end Iran’s nuclear threat,” says Nayyera Haq, assistant dean for Maxwell's Washington programs.
Khalil Discusses the Israel-Iran Conflict and US Airstrikes With KTVU and LocalSYR
The situation is escalating in ways we have not seen before, says Professor of History Osamah Khalil. With Israeli airstrikes, rising tensions in Gaza, and now a strong U.S. military response, the risks are higher than ever. He warns Iran may try to disrupt global oil supply chains, which could have a domino effect. “If that’s the case, we could very rapidly see the global economy collapse.”
Murrett Speaks With CBS News, 570 WSYR About the Israel-Iran Conflict and the US
Haq Article on the Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan Published on MSNBC
“It’s the humanitarian crisis that almost no one wants to talk about despite several global powers exacerbating the civil war and trying to use Sudan for their own advantages,” says Nayyera Haq, assistant dean for Maxwell's Washington programs.
Koch Talks to franceinfo About Gulf Sports
“Apart from during the 2022 World Cup, you haven't seen massive ‘Visit Qatar’ campaigns. The country doesn't need to attract tourists, its 200,000 citizens are wealthy and all the infrastructure already exists,” says Natalie Koch, professor of geography and the environment. “It's very different from Saudi Arabia where a large part of the population suffers from poverty.”
See related: Government, International Affairs, Middle East & North Africa
Khalil Speaks With CBS News About the New Gaza Humanitarian Aid System
“The director [of the new aid group] has already resigned and there's an interim director in place. And the director who resigned said it was because the attempts to deliver aid could not be done so with a humanitarian purpose, and that shouldn't be surprising. The United Nations is the only major organization on the ground, as well as several other NGOs, that can provide the necessary aid,” says Osamah Khalil, chair of the International Relations Undergraduate Program.
Timur Hammond’s ‘Placing Islam’ Receives Journal’s Honorable Mention
The 2025 International Journal of Islamic Architecture lauded the book for its “evocative storytelling.”
See related: Awards & Honors, Middle East & North Africa, Religion
Khalil Speaks With Clarín About Trump’s Meeting With the President of Syria
The meeting between Trump and al-Sharaa “represents a remarkable shift in U.S. policy toward al-Qaeda and its affiliates. More than 23 years after the 9/11 attacks and the declaration of the Global War on Terror, the United States is developing relations with a former leader of the organization who now declares himself a moderate,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history.
Khalil Speaks With CBS News About US Strikes on Yemen, Nuclear Talks Between the US and Iran
“Now the Trump administration is claiming this is an attempt to pressure Iran but it's unclear to me, quite frankly, by bombing a port, killing paramedics and port workers, is somehow going to pressure Iran in negotiations,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history. “If the United States wants to neotiate with Iran, it should negotiate with Iran. There's no reason to be bombing Yemen to do that.”
Khalil Discusses the Gaza Ceasefire With Clarín, The Hill and Reuters
“The same terms that were agreed to by Hamas and Israel were available at least eight months ago and likely a similar deal could have been achieved late last year...Instead, the Biden administration’s vociferous support for Israel’s 15-month military campaign has had a profound impact on America’s standing in the world,” says Osamah Khalil, professor of history.