MENASource brings you up-close to a region at the epicenter of geo-political headlines. It is the Atlantic Council’s hub for in-depth commentary about breaking news, key topics, and trends from our team of experts on the Middle East and North Africa.

The views expressed in MENASource are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Sisi: A New Nasser or a New Sadat?

MENASource
Jan 14, 2026

Voices from Iran: As rejection of government reaches all-time high, Iranians also wary of foreign intervention

If Trump is serious about peace, stability, and a lasting legacy, the path forward does not run through air strikes or transactional deals with a failing theocracy.

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Sisi: A New Nasser or a New Sadat?

MENASource
Jan 13, 2026

Eight questions (and expert answers) on the SDF’s withdrawal from Syria’s Aleppo

By
Atlantic Council experts

Our experts unpack why violence erupted, what it means for Kurdish safety and integration in Syria, and how Washington is engaging.

Civil Society
Conflict

Sisi: A New Nasser or a New Sadat?

MENASource
Jan 12, 2026

The Venezuela-Iran connection and what Maduro’s capture means for Tehran, explained 

By
Joze Pelayo, Kirsten Fontenrose, Ellie Sennett 

Our experts break down Iran’s ties to Venezuela and the impact Maduro’s capture could have on Tehran’s interests in and outside of its own borders. 

Iran
Oil and Gas

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Content

MENASource

May 22, 2014

Sisi: A New Nasser or a New Sadat?

By Tom Dale

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly been compared to former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser, but his own words suggest that the late president Anwar al-Sadat – who won popularity early in his tenure but ended his life unpopular and resented – may be the more instructive comparison.

Elections
North Africa

MENASource

May 22, 2014

Top News: US-Egypt Military Ties will Depend on Egypt’s Actions, says US General

By EgyptSource

The future of US military ties with Egypt will depend on the actions of the future government, the top US military officer said ahead of Egyptian elections next week.

MENASource

May 21, 2014

On Tutelage and Abolishing the Right of Citizens to Choose

By Amr Hamzawy

Tutelage refers to how parties in power that claim to hold a monopoly on the absolute truth aspire to set the standards of good and evil, right and wrong, principles and values that should be adhered to, the concepts to be held true, what knowledge should be acquired and the hopes and dreams that should […]

North Africa

MENASource

May 21, 2014

Top News: Thousands Rally for South Yemen Independence

By MENASource

Thousands of separatists rallied in Yemen’s main southern city Aden Wednesday demanding renewed independence for the region on the twentieth anniversary of a secession bid that was crushed by northern troops.

MENASource

May 21, 2014

Top News: Egyptian Court Sentences Ousted Leader Mubarak to Three Years in Jail

By EgyptSource

A Cairo court on Wednesday convicted ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak of embezzlement, sentencing him to three years in prison.

MENASource

May 21, 2014

The Sisi Effect on Political Parties in Egypt

By MENASource

With Egypt’s presidential elections around the corner, many observers fully expect the former defense minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to head the country. Comparisons of Sisi with Hosni Mubarak, however, ignore the massive political machinery that backed Mubarak’s policy and personnel decisions. Without such a mechanism, Sisi will have to work with coalitions and individuals clamoring […]

North Africa

MENASource

May 20, 2014

Ideological Distinction in the Coming Parliament

By Jayson Casper

Many have argued that Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s likely election as Egypt’s next president is an indication of a return to Hosni Mubarak-era policies. However apt the comparison may or may not be, the analysis overlooks one key advantage Sisi lacks. There is no longer a National Democratic Party (NDP), the party faithful to ousted president […]

Elections
North Africa

MENASource

May 20, 2014

Top News: As Expat Polls Close, Sisi Appears to be Big Winner

By EgyptSource

According to the Presidential Elections Committee, more than 315,000 Egyptians living outside the country voted in the Egypt’s presidential elections exceeding the number of those who voted in the 2012 poll.

MENASource

May 20, 2014

Top News: Libyan Special Forces Commander Says His Forces Join Renegade General

By MENASource

The Saiqa Special Forces in Benghazi has allied itself with retired General Khalifa Haftar in his campaign against militant Islamists. Citing the failure of the central government in Tripoli to assert its authority and the suffering members of his brigade have suffered at the hands of Islamists, Commander Wanis Bukhamada announced his forces will join […]

MENASource

May 20, 2014

Libya: Beyond the Islamist vs. non-Islamist Divide

By Karim Mezran

Over the weekend, Libya experienced some of the worst violence since the 2011 uprising. Headlines about inter-militia clashes, evacuating families, and a mounting death toll do little to paint a clear picture of the dynamics at play.

Libya
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