Steven A. Cook

Steven A. Cook is a columnist at Foreign Policy and the Eni Enrico Mattei senior fellow for Middle East and Africa studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His latest book, The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present, and Future in the Middle East, will be published in June 2024.

Follow Steven A. Cook:
On X
Articles by Steven A. Cook
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrives for a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 3, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi arrives for a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 3, 2015 in Berlin, Germany.

Why Dictators Always Pretend to Love the Law

Analysis
Steven A. Cook
A police officer is silhouetted.
A police officer is silhouetted.

Unvaccinated Police Officers Could Become America’s Own Insurgents

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to address the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2021 in New York.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to address the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2021 in New York.

Erdogan Might Be Too Sick to Keep Leading Turkey

Argument
Steven A. Cook
The U.S. and Egyptian presidents ride to an event.
The U.S. and Egyptian presidents ride to an event.

Democracy Was Never Going to Stop Islamist Terrorism

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Naftali Bennett visits an army base in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights overlooking Syrian territory, on Nov. 24, 2019.
Naftali Bennett visits an army base in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights overlooking Syrian territory, on Nov. 24, 2019.

Netanyahu Is Gone. Netanyahu-ism Still Reigns.

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi listens as U.S. President Joe Biden speaks.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi listens as U.S. President Joe Biden speaks.

Iraq Is the Middle East’s New Power Broker

Argument
Steven A. Cook
People celebrate in the streets of Tunis after Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the suspension of parliament and the dismissal of the prime minister on July 25, 2021, after a day of nationwide protests.
People celebrate in the streets of Tunis after Tunisian President Kais Saied announced the suspension of parliament and the dismissal of the prime minister on July 25, 2021, after a day of nationwide protests.

How the West Misunderstood Tunisia

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to deliver a speech on June 24, 2018 in Istanbul.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to deliver a speech on June 24, 2018 in Istanbul.

Cracks Are Growing in the Erdogan Regime

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Speechwriter Ben Rhodes attends press briefing.
Speechwriter Ben Rhodes attends press briefing.

Generation X’s Short Arc of History

Review
Steven A. Cook
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrives at United Nations.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi arrives at United Nations.

How Sisi Beat Biden’s Human Rights Policy

Argument
Steven A. Cook
An Israeli woman holds a sign that reads "Palestine should be free" as she protest against Israel goverment's plan to annex parts of the West Bank on June 23, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel.
An Israeli woman holds a sign that reads "Palestine should be free" as she protest against Israel goverment's plan to annex parts of the West Bank on June 23, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Your Fix for the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Won’t Work

Argument
Steven A. Cook
Israeli soldiers looks on during clashes with Palestinian youth in the city center of the occupied West Bank town of Hebron on April 24, 2021.
Israeli soldiers looks on during clashes with Palestinian youth in the city center of the occupied West Bank town of Hebron on April 24, 2021.

Israel’s War Will Never End

Voice
Steven A. Cook
A protester carries a sign in the West Bank.
A protester carries a sign in the West Bank.

Israel’s Apartheid Doesn’t Make a Difference

Voice
Steven A. Cook
Bernie Sanders talks with Rand Paul as they head to the Senate Chamber for a vote on April 26, 2018 in Washington.
Bernie Sanders talks with Rand Paul as they head to the Senate Chamber for a vote on April 26, 2018 in Washington.

End the ‘Forever War’ Cliché

Voice
Steven A. Cook
Recep Tayyip Erdogan salutes his supporters during a rally at Istanbul's Yenikapi fairground to show solidarity with Palestinians after Israels aggression against Palestinian civilians on the Gaza border in Istanbul on May 18, 2018.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan salutes his supporters during a rally at Istanbul's Yenikapi fairground to show solidarity with Palestinians after Israels aggression against Palestinian civilians on the Gaza border in Istanbul on May 18, 2018.

How Erdogan Got His Groove Back

Voice
Steven A. Cook
Load more by Steven A. Cook Return to staff list

Latest

See All Stories

Trending

  1. 1
    Trump Maduro Venezuela Democracy Intervention
  2. 2
    Lucius Shepard Venezuela Trump Drugs War
  3. 3
    Tanzania Unrest Election Protest Hassan
  4. 4
    Hezbollah Lebanon Iran Israel Finance Weapons Terrorism Disarm
  5. 5
    The Desperate Search For Gaza Peacekeepers