Middle East

Will Decentralization in Yemen Marginalize Citizens?

By Rafat Al-Akhali

With the National Dialogue Conference (NDC) in Yemen concluded on 25 January 2014, the constitution-drafting period will focus on incorporating the outcomes of the NDC discussions into the new national charter. A close examination of the outcomes of the NDC may help address any shortcomings in the NDC agreements during the constitution-drafting process.

Egypt’s Military: Protecting its Sprawling Economic Empire

By Safa Joudeh

With the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces giving the nod of approval for a possible presidential bid by Defense Minister Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, his candidacy is looking more likely by the day. Despite overwhelming popular support of Sisi, in this highly polarized political atmosphere, demobilizing the anti-military component of the Egyptian electorate sets the […]

Can Mehdi Jomaa Fix Tunisia’s Economy?

By Svetlana Milbert

Months of political stalemate finally came to an end as Tunisia’s Islamist-led government resigned transferring power to caretaker Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa.

Syria in The State Of The Union Address

By Frederic C. Hof

In Syria, we’ll support the opposition that rejects the agenda of terrorist networks… American diplomacy, backed by the threat of force, is why Syria’s chemical weapons are being eliminated, and we will continue to work with the international community to usher in the future the Syrian people deserve—a future free of dictatorship, terror and fear.

Making Sense of the Geneva II Syria Peace Talks

Following the rancorous opening of the Geneva II peace talks, and amid competing proposals and counter-proposals by the delegations of the Syrian government and the opposition, the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East convened a panel of experts on January 28, 2014 to parse the talks to date and to forecast possible outcomes. Ambassador […]

US Should Challenge European Allies with ‘Frank Talk’ about Defense

By Clemens Wergin, International New York Times

In recent decades, many European states have largely outsourced their security to the United States, which provided a defensive umbrella and protected global trade routes vital for European commerce and energy supplies.

The Collapse of the Phrase ‘Constitutional Pragmatism’

By Amr Hamzawy

Some of the political groups, parties and public personalities that raised the banner of democracy and supported the constitutional draft issued by the appointed Committee of 50 worked to encourage participation in the recent referendum, calling on citizens to vote ‘yes.’ As part of this campaign, they employed a hollow and misleading phrase: ‘constitutional pragmatism.’

Yemen Faces Fresh Challenges as National Dialogue Ends

By Danya Greenfield

Amidst troubling reports of setbacks in the Arab awakening countries – ongoing militia violence in Libya and repressive measures in Egypt by the military-backed government – Yemen offers an inspiring and hopeful example with the recent completion of its National Dialogue Conference (NDC).

Egypt’s Descent in Media Freedoms: How Far Can it Go?

By Miriam Berger

The terms “banned” and “terrorist” are once again affixed to mention of the Muslim Brotherhood in nearly all Egyptian media. State and private media alike tout the military-backed government’s lines. Newspapers and talk shows on TV, Egypt’s most popular medium, extol the military for reclaiming the revolution and sinisterly warn against traitors who dissent. All […]