Hold on to your hat; it’s going to be an exciting (mostly not in a good way) year in the Middle East, including the following:
1. Lebanon: Will the Israelis invade? (I’ve been predicting that for years, but it hasn’t happened yet; Netanyahu appears to want the US to solve his Hezbollah problem for him by going to war with Iran. This could be the year, though.)
2. Israel: Will Netanyahu survive his legal issues? (Don’t know) Will the government continue its slow march to a one-state “solution?” (Yes.)
3. Egypt: Will the government get a better handle on terrorism? (No.) Will it liberalize? (No.)
4. Saudi Arabia: Will the MBS reforms survive, or will they be overwhelmed by a backlash? (The latter, but it may not be in 2018)
5. Yemen: Will the parties be driven to negotiations by misery and exhaustion? (Maybe)
6. Iran: War with the US? (Yes.)
7. Iraq: Can the government figure out a way to get the Kurds, Sunnis, and Shiites to work together? (Doubtful.)
8. Syria: Can an acceptable political solution be reached? (Doubtful.)