I wrote this for the Anti-War Report, an initiative by Toby Jones. Does the Gulf need a hegemon?

Does the Gulf need a hegemon?

The case for a centre of gravity

open.substack.com

“What I think Saudi Arabia wants to see in this war is a weakened Iran, but not a regime change…a weakened Iran that does not threaten Saudi Arabia, but not weak enough to be a threat of chaos,” said @aalodah.bsky.social. Watch our panel on US-Gulf state relations: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXQD...

Don't miss today! Starting online in 30 minutes, 10 AM ET. @aalodah.bsky.social, @miraalhussein.bsky.social, @hamidrezaaz.bsky.social, Annelle Sheline, Omar Shakir will discuss how the war on Iran is affecting U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council relations. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: The Evolution of U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Relations: How the War with Iran Could Be a Catalyst for Change in the Middle East. After registering, you wi...

The Israel/U.S. war on Iran has upended the core tenet of U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) relations for decades – a U.S. security blanket for the GCC states in exchange for advanced American milit...

us06web.zoom.us

DAWN@dawnmenaorg.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Join us online tomorrow, Thurs., April 16, 10 AM ET: US-Gulf Cooperation Council Relations - How the War with Iran Could Be a Catalyst for Change With: @aalodah.bsky.social, @miraalhussein.bsky.social, @hamidrezaaz.bsky.social, Annelle Sheline, Omar Shakir Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Join us online tomorrow, Thurs., April 16, 10 AM ET: US-Gulf Cooperation Council Relations - How the War with Iran Could Be a Catalyst for Change With: @aalodah.bsky.social, @miraalhussein.bsky.social, @hamidrezaaz.bsky.social, Annelle Sheline, Omar Shakir Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

“The change in Saudi Arabia seems to be from killing journalists behind closed doors to executing them in plain sight.” — Abdullah Alaoudh (@aalodah.bsky.social), Senior Director for Countering Authoritarianism at @mideastdc.org

“It's a tragic irony that while Saudi Arabia carries out a record number of executions — including prominent journalist Turki al-Jasser, just a few months ago — MBS comes to Washington for his first visit since his regime’s ruthless murder of Jamal Khashoggi.” — @aalodah.bsky.social, @mideastdc.org

Today, 1 PM ET: Don't miss this DAWN and @mideastdc.org online event: Rightsizing the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Relationship: What to Make of Mohammed bin Salman's Washington Visit With @aalodah.bsky.social, Hala Aldosari, and @sarahleah1.bsky.social Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Join DAWN and @mideastdc.org Monday, Nov. 17, 1 PM ET: Rightsizing the US-Saudi Arabia Relationship: What to Make of Mohammed bin Salman's Washington Visit With MEDC's @aalodah.bsky.social, DAWN fellow Hala Aldosari, and DAWN's @sarahleah1.bsky.social Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Stand-up comedians like Dave Chappelle, Jimmy Carr and Bill Burr face criticism for taking part in Saudi Arabia's comedy festival. Saudi dissident @aalodah.bsky.social told @theworld.org he wishes they'd stand up for Saudis silenced by a regime that can't "take a joke." theworld.org/segments/202...

A Saudi dissident weighs in on comedy festival controversy - The World from PRX

This week is supposed to be all laughs in Saudi Arabia’s capital, where the Riyadh Comedy Festival is entering its second week. It’s billing itself as “the world’s biggest comedy festival” — and big n...

theworld.org

🚨 Saudi Arabia executed a prominent journalist who exposed corruption. The world should act before other dissidents are next. Read our commentary on the shocking execution of Turki Al-Jasser by @aalodah.bsky.social, @sethbinder.bsky.social, Sheridan Cole & Haydn Welch: mideastdc.org/publication/...

Saudi Arabia Executed a Prominent Journalist who Exposed Corruption. The World Should Act Before Other Dissidents are Next.  - MEDC

mideastdc.org

#SaudiArabia executed Turki al-Jasser last week, the 1st high-profile killing of a journalist since #JamalKhashoggi. Al-Jasser had 2 Twitter accounts, including an anonymous account that "was in the crosshairs of the Saudi government,” @aalodah.bsky.social said: www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

A Saudi journalist tweeted against the government – and was executed for ‘high treason’

The death of Turki al-Jasser was the first high-profile killing of a journalist since the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi

theguardian.com

📢 Join us on Monday, June 16 at 10AM ET for a timely conversation on #SaudiArabia’s growing regional influence, US-Saudi relations, & the sidelining of human rights. Register here: mideastdc.org/events/from-...

🚨 BREAKING: Mohammed al-Rabiah is FREE! 🕊️ Al-Rabiah spent over 7 years in prison in #SaudiArabia solely for advocating for women’s rights. We are relieved that he can finally reunite with his loved ones. #Saudi authorities should free all others unjustly detained. #FreeThemNOW

After four years in prison in #SaudiArabia, Dr. Lina al-Sharif is FREE!🕊️ It's time for #Saudi authorities to free all others unjustly detained. #FreeThemNOW

The credulous headline here gives Trump way too much credit. Listen to @aalodah.bsky.social instead. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/w...

Trump’s Pledge to the Middle East: No More ‘Lectures on How to Live’

nytimes.com

MEDC's @aalodah.bsky.social told @washingtonpost.com that the Trump administration’s embrace of #SaudiArabia was an example of wealth & power winning out over human rights. “When you have such power and money, people will deal with you,” he said. www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...

Saudi Arabia emerges as key hub for Trump’s foreign policy ambitions

Saudi Arabia’s mediation of high-stakes negotiations promises to revive a relationship the president and crown prince cultivated during Trump’s first term.

washingtonpost.com

More than 30 dissidents, many jailed for social media posts, have been released since December in #SaudiArabia. MEDC's @aalodah.bsky.social welcomed the releases & hoped #Riyadh would end "arbitrary detention & the arrest of prisoners of conscience once & for all." www.france24.com/en/live-news...

Saudi Arabia frees prisoners in apparent easing of crackdown

Last year, Saudi teacher Asaad al-Ghamdi was given 20 years in prison for criticising the government online -- one of a wave of heavy sentences that drew international condemnation.

france24.com

BREAKING via CNN: “The Trump administration is expected to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a sweeping wartime authority, in the coming days. The move is designed to speed up the president’s mass deportation pledge.”

🚨 TODAY at 10:00AM ET: Join MEDC & @arabcenter-en.bsky.social for a critical discussion on the impact of US funding cuts across the MENA. Speakers: @yara-asi.bsky.social, Nidal Betare, Amy Hawthorne, @alaasayeg.bsky.social, & @arwashobaki.bsky.social. RSVP here: mideastdc.org/events/upend...

Upending Soft Power: The Human Cost of U.S. Funding Cuts in the MENA Region - MEDC

Billions of dollars in aid to the Middle East and North Africa have been put on hold as a result of the Trump administration’s abrupt freeze of all U.S. foreign assistance pending a 90-day review. Whi...

mideastdc.org

🚨 New MEDC Fact Sheet by @aalodah.bsky.social reveals how MBS captured Saudi courts by transferring prosecutorial powers to the Royal Court & installing loyalists. MBS blames judges for lack of progress on rights abuses, but he's the one holding all power. The facts: mideastdc.org/publication/...

Fact Sheet – Captured Courts: Mohammed bin Salman's Judicial Takeover in Saudi Arabia - MEDC

mideastdc.org

🚨 Bulgarian authorities should suspend any plans to deport Saudi human rights defender Abdulrahman al-Khalidi to #SaudiArabia, & should allow his resettlement to a third country. Read our joint statement with @hrw.org & 18 other organizations: mideastdc.org/publication/...

Last night State Department sent Freedom House notification of termination of a multi-year, multimillion dollar grant for work on transnational repression that I spent most of the last year developing and setting up.

Must-read today!: The Wannabe Putin in Saudi Arabia — the NYT by Nick Kristof “So where else are we making the same mistake, empowering a dictator instead of confronting him? My candidate for tomorrow’s Putin is MBS” https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/opinion/putin-mbs-saudi-arabia-biden.html

Opinion | The Wannabe Putin in Saudi Arabia

Why would Biden “reset” relations with a crown prince who seeks a nuclear program?

nytimes.com

ياجماعة استمتعوا بالجو شوي هنا قبل يجي الذباب 😂 كل عام وأنتم بخير وصحة وسلامة من العايدين الفايزين

For a few days I was at the UN with civil society representatives to discuss the abuse of counterterrorism by authoritarian regimes to stifle peaceful activism and opposition I spoke with officials about Saudi Arabia and its abusive system and laws

Abdullah Alaoudh عبدالله العودة@aalodah.bsky.social · 3y ago

لعدة أيام كنتُ في لقاءات في الأمم المتحدة في نيويورك حول كيف تستخدم حكومات الاستبداد "مكافحة الإرهاب" للقمع والاضطهاد وكبت المجتمع المدني والأصوات الحرة.. الحكومة السعودية نموذجاً.

لعدة أيام كنتُ في لقاءات في الأمم المتحدة في نيويورك حول كيف تستخدم حكومات الاستبداد "مكافحة الإرهاب" للقمع والاضطهاد وكبت المجتمع المدني والأصوات الحرة.. الحكومة السعودية نموذجاً.

بسم الله!

Hello Blue Sky folks This is my first post and I am still figuring this out