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MENASource

Oct 21, 2019

Egypt’s latest protests are an alarm bell for Sisi

By Alessia Melcangi and Giuseppe Dentice

Other waves of protests could create serious consequences for the economic sector and for political stability. This is the main challenge for the president, but it is also an important testing ground for the resilience of this peculiar stratocratic system.

Corruption Macroeconomics
Turkish flag with Twitter logo superimposed

MENASource

Oct 17, 2019

Digital Forensic Research Lab explores disinformation campaigns in the Middle East

By MENASource

Online information and disinformation has been playing a pivotal role in shaping public opinion throughout the Middle East and North Africa for over a decade. In the past week alone, Atlantic Council researchers with the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) have published four articles examining the origins of various MENA-based disinformation campaigns and the tell-tale […]

Disinformation Middle East

MENASource

Oct 17, 2019

Protests in Iraq may unseat the government

By Rend al-Rahim

The sudden outbreak of protests in Iraq on October 1 was part of a pattern the country has witnessed in recent years. Understanding this context as well as the grievances driving the protestors helps explain the latest unrest. As it stands now, Iraq is in precarious moment in which bold, concrete action from the government […]

Civil Society Corruption

MENASource

Oct 16, 2019

Winning the humanitarian war in Yemen

By Hadi Fathallah

While Saudi Arabia came into Yemen very sensitive of the regional Iranian challenge and Houthi threat, its war strategy and foreign policy lacks any awareness of the looming and ongoing environmental and humanitarian war that will affect the overall outcome of the peace in Yemen.

Conflict Middle East

MENASource

Oct 10, 2019

Iraqi IDPs amid US-Iranian tensions

By Leah Hickert

As Iraq protests in the past week escalated and settled down, real grievances issued by Iraqi citizens—related to crumbling infrastructure, high unemployment, and lack of services—need to be resolved by the government to destabilize the situation. However, there are additional issues concerning the internally displaced people (IDPs) in Iraq who may lack the agency or […]

Economy & Business Human Rights

MENASource

Oct 7, 2019

Trump withdraws US troops from northern Syria

By Middle East experts

An October 6 phone call between US President Donald J. Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan resulted in a partial withdrawal of US troops from northern Syria and Trump’s endorsement of Turkish plans to send their own military forces into the region.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

MENASource

Oct 3, 2019

Iraq protests: How should the government and the US respond?

By C. Anthony Pfaff

This week Iraq has experienced the largest protests to date against Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi’s government, if not any Iraqi government since the fall of former President Saddam Hussein.

Economy & Business Iraq

MENASource

Sep 27, 2019

Teachers’ protest challenges Jordanian status quo

By Tuqa Nusairat

Teachers in Jordan are starting the third week of one of the longest strikes by educators in the region’s history. Negotiations with the government have stalled, and there is no end in sight.

Civil Society Economy & Business

MENASource

Sep 25, 2019

The democratic dilemma of the early Tunisian presidential elections

By Haykel Ben Mahfoudh

Cataclysm, atypical, and rupture are a few words to describe the situation in Tunisia after the exit poll results in the first round of the early presidential elections organized on September 15, 2019. People expressed mixed feelings about the candidates’ performances, but also voiced serious concerns regarding the long-term political outcomes of the electoral process. […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

MENASource

Sep 20, 2019

To deal, or not to deal: Iran remains divided on the United States

By Sara Bazoobandi

The Iranian leadership has been unable to find a consensus on when the negotiations should begin, or what a final agreement should achieve.

Economic Sanctions Iran