Middle East

This Week in South Asia: July 26 – August 1

By Nameerah Hameed and Fahad Ahsan

Commentary from the South Asia Center on the most relevant news from the region, and suggested “must-read” analyses from the week. IndiaUS Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in India on Wednesday for an annual strategic dialogue, the first with Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s new government. The purpose of the visit is to address deep […]

Not Too Late To Save Libya

By Richard Northern and Jason Pack

Libyans, who experienced such high hopes after their country’s liberation in 2011, now face escalating violence and a growing humanitarian crisis in Benghazi and Tripoli. Many are fleeing. The implications may be as serious as the conflict in Gaza. Yet there is no concerted effort to mediate a ceasefire.

Libya’s Downward Spiral

Libya stands today at the precipice as inter-militia fighting threatens to derail an already fragile transition in a tumultuous region.

Salam Fayyad: To Halt Gaza’s War, Offer the Palestinians a Future

Former Palestinian Prime Minister Speaks at Atlantic Council As Gaza’s agony deepens amid the warfare between Hamas and Israel, US and other diplomats are groping for some way to stop the bloodshed. But the only chance to achieve even the most basic cease-fire will be with some agreement that revives for Palestinians at least a […]

Shifting Political Alliances: Are Gains from Yemen’s National Dialogue Slipping?

Three years after Yemen adopted the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative, the country is slowly moving forward with its transition process. However, internal and external factors threaten to impede the country’s progress. On Wednesday, July 31, 2014, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East hosted Mohammed Almaitami, chairman of the Khobara Center […]

Hearing Reveals US State Department has not Adapted to New Egypt Realities

By Elissa Miller

Civil society organizations and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) in Egypt are in a crisis. In late June, the Ministry of Solidarity presented a restrictive new NGO draft law that would severely restrict the formation, activities, and funding of NGOs. Egypt’s repressive climate for NGOs, however, is not new. In December 2011, the Egyptian authorities, objecting to […]