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Good Evening,

Welcome to The Evening CSIS \u2014my daily guide to key insights CSIS brings to the events of the day plus HIGHLY RECOMMENDED content from around the world. To subscribe, please click here [ http://CSIS.informz.net/CSIS/profile.asp?fid=3087 ] and if you want to view this in your browser, click here [ http://CSIS.informz.net/InformzDataService/OnlineVersion/Individual?mailingInstanceId=5261945&subscriberId=1062005454 ] .

Saudi-Iranian Tensions
Saudi Arabia said today that its feud with Iran would not interfere with Syrian peace talks scheduled to begin later this month, signaling an easing of the tensions that erupted after the kingdom\u2019s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, as the Washington Pos t\u2019s Liz Sly and Karen DeYoung report [ http://wapo.st/1S2FgUJ ] .

But, as the Wall Street Journal \u2019s Yaroslav Trofimov writes [ http://on.wsj.com/1S2FIlY ] , Saudi Arabia\u2019s escalating crisis with Iran, sparked by the execution of a leading Shiite Saudi cleric, is as much about domestic politics in both nations as it is about their regional tussle for domination of the Middle East.


And, Israel\u2019s former head of military intelligence says the reverberations from the diplomatic crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran will be felt around the region, as the Jerusalem Post reports [ http://bit.ly/1S2G8ce ] .

Dive Deeper: CSIS\u2019s Anthony Cordesman published a new commentary today, \u201cThe [New-Old] Crises and Instability in the Middle East and North Africa in 2016 [ http://bit.ly/1S2GrDD ] \u201d

Iran Shows Off
Iran unveiled a new underground missile depot today, with state television showing weapons in store that the United States says are capable of carrying nuclear warheads, as Vice News\u2019s Avi Asher-Schapiro reports [ http://bit.ly/1S2HhAi ] .

Dive Deeper: CSIS\u2019s Anthony Cordesman published a commentary on Iran\u2019s strong signals about its missile program in early December, \u201cIran, Missiles, and Nuclear Weapons [ http://bit.ly/1S2HrrF ] .\u201d

Even deeper reading by Dr. Cordesman about Iran\u2019s missile program can be accessed by downloading his seminal report \u201cIran\u2019s Rocket and Missile Forces and Strategic Options [ http://bit.ly/1LMfYsn ] .\u201d

China's Wild Ride
US stocks steadied today after turmoil in China\u2019s market as the Wall Street Journal reports [ http://on.wsj.com/1S2IveQ ] .

Dive Deeper: CSIS\u2019s Scott Kennedy published a new essay [ http://bit.ly/1S2IKqi ] for China File saying the overall picture for the economy and economic policy for China in 2016 looks as hazy as Beijing\u2019s air.

In that Number
5
Saudi Arabia will run out of cash in five years if oil stays below $50 a barrel.
Source: CNN [ http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/05/news/economy/saudi-arabia-oil-budget-gas/index.html ] .

Critical Quote
\u201cWhen the sectarian flag goes up in the eastern province [of Saudi Arabia], people on both the Sunni side and the Shiite side pay attention.\u201d
\u2014Jon Alterman, director of the CSIS Middle East Program, on the recent tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Source: I [ http://www.ibtimes.com/could-saudi-iran-tensions-destabilize-bahrain-unrest-sparks-protests-sectarian-2248342 ] tern [ http://www.ibtimes.com/could-saudi-iran-tensions-destabilize-bahrain-unrest-sparks-protests-sectarian-2248342 ] ational Bus [ http://www.ibtimes.com/could-saudi-iran-tensions-destabilize-bahrain-unrest-sparks-protests-sectarian-2248342 ] [ http://www.ibtimes.com/could-saudi-iran-tensions-destabilize-bahrain-unrest-sparks-protests-sectarian-2248342 ] ness Times [ http://www.ibtimes.com/could-saudi-iran-tensions-destabilize-bahrain-unrest-sparks-protests-sectarian-2248342 ] .

One to Watch


( Photo Credit: Instagram [ https://www.instagram.com/mitchprothero ] . )
Mitchell Prothero (@mitchprothero [ https://twitter.com/mitchprothero ] ) is Buzzfeed\u2019s new Michael Hastings National Security Fellow. Mitchell has earned a fantastic reputation for his Middle East work, most recently reporting for McClatchy from Iraq\u2019s Kurdish region. For the latest news on the Middle East, Mitchell is one to watch.

Optics
Reuters has compiled a photo essay [ http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/civilians-emerge-from-ramadi-ruins?articleId=USRTX21617 ] from the embattled streets of Ramadi, where civilians have been caught up in the government\u2019s fight to retake the city from ISIS.

Highly Recommended
James Rosen\u2019s Foxhole interview [ http://fxn.ws/1S2EF5q ] : William McCants on ISIS, the Koran, and the future of the caliphate.

This Town Tomorrow
Join the Wilson Center tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for a discussion with US trade representative Michael Froman to hear his perspectives on the benefits of the TPP to the US economy. You can RSVP here. [ http://pages.wilsoncenter.org/01.13.16FromanandTPP_DirectorsForumEvent.html ]

CSIS on Demand
As 2016 begins, watch leading scholars [ http://csis.org/event/reflections-global-history-20th-century-towards-new-vision-21st-century ] of global history discuss the legacies of the last century and how to build a more stable and prosperous order in future years.

Sounds
Catch the latest on the CSIS podcast [ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-csis-podcast/id214886950?mt=2 ] as the global powers\u2014the United States, Russia, and China\u2014vie for supremacy in one of the last frontiers of foreign policy: space.

I Like It Like That
Eye-catching things in CSIS's orbit


Over the next few days, CFR will count down the top five developments in cyber policy of 2015 [ http://on.cfr.org/1PIT9Ee ] .

Smiles
Encore for the fantastic Jeff Lynne and his Electric Light Orchestra. ELO is revived, relevant (released a new record in November), and is breathing new life into their classics. Like this one, \u201cLivin\u2019 Thing [ http://bit.ly/1kJFS3c ] ,\u201d captured live in November at London\u2019s Porchester Hall. The audience is singing along with every word. I love it, what a smile.

Feedback
I always welcome and benefit from your feedback. Please drop me a line at aschwartz@csis.org.


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