Andrew Bowen is Scholar for the Middle East at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. He regularly writes, teaches and consults on Middle Eastern politics and American foreign policy. His work primarily focuses on the regional and international politics of the Levant, but he frequently comments on the international relations of the Gulf and American national security policy. Follow Andrew on Twitter @abowen17

No Less Than an Act of War

[caption id="attachment_55243737" align="aligncenter" width="620"] US defense secretary Chuck Hagel (R) listens as Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen…

Descent into Chaos

[caption id="attachment_55233151" align="alignnone" width="548"] Rebels calling the assault on the capital 'Operation Damascus Volcano'[/caption] As…

A Thin Red Line

[caption id="attachment_55245048" align="aligncenter" width="620"] In this handout image provided by the U.S. Navy, The USS Barry launches a Tomahawk…

A Closing Window

[caption id="attachment_55245592" align="alignnone" width="620"] Russias President Vladimir Putin walks past US President Barack Obama as he arrives…

Put Everything on the Table

[caption id="attachment_55246183" align="alignnone" width="620"] Iran's and world powers' delegations sit prior the start of two days of closed-door…

Detours from Asia

[caption id="attachment_55247644" align="alignnone" width="620"] US President Barack Obama at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House…

Geneva’s Missing Piece

[caption id="attachment_55248097" align="alignnone" width="620"] A picture taken on January 20, 2014 in Montreux shows the place of the Iranian…

Small Steps after Geneva

[caption id="attachment_55248650" align="alignnone" width="620"] United States Secretary of State John Kerry (L) departs Montreux on January 23, 2014…

A Crimean Quid Pro Quo

[caption id="attachment_55248998" align="alignnone" width="620"] Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) greets US President Barack Obama during an…

A Window of Opportunity

[caption id="attachment_55249249" align="alignnone" width="620"] Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (C) meets Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad…