Middle East

Women and Yemen’s Transition: Overcoming Obstacles

As Yemen prepares for the start of its National Dialogue conference, the Rafik Hariri Center and the US Institute of Peace hosted a discussion with former Yemeni Minister of Human Rights Amat Al Alim Alsoswa on January 30 to discuss the role of Yemeni women as the country continues its transition process.

Syria: Transitional Government and US Choices

By Frederic C. Hof

The prospect of the Syrian opposition forming a provisional or transitional government brings to the fore fundamental decisions for the United States: decisions that would have to be taken or openly reaffirmed before Syrian Opposition Coalition President Moaz al-Khatib visits Washington sometime in February. Washington’s enthusiasm for the emergence of a government offering an alternative […]

Yet Another Reason National Reconciliation in Libya Cannot Wait

By Karim Mezran

The famous Egyptian analyst and writer Mohamed Hassanein Heikal recently revived an old theory in an interview on Egyptian television: Egypt can claim a right to the fertile and oil-rich lands of the eastern Libyan provinces since millions of Egyptians are descendant from Libyan tribes that once lived on the Egyptian-Libyan border. Heikal also implied […]

Syria: Strategy for What?

By Frederic C. Hof

There has been no shortage of editorializing commentary laying out recommended strategies for the Obama administration to deal with the Syrian crisis since it began nearly two years ago. Although often well-written and soundly reasoned, many of these essays skirt the most pertinent definition of the word “strategy” offered by Webster’s: “the art of devising […]

Jordan’s electoral environment and prospects for change

By Danya Greenfield

The Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East is pleased to release a new issue brief, “Jordan’s Electoral Environment and Prospects for Change.” Deputy director Danya Greenfield evaluates the current political climate in Jordan ahead of parliamentary elections on January 23rd, and offers insight as to why elections will not ameliorate the growing political and […]

Syria: Is It Too Late?

By Frederic C. Hof

Syria is dying. Bashar al-Assad has made it clear that the price of his removal is the death of the nation. A growing extremist minority in the armed opposition has made it clear that a Syria of citizenship and civil society is, in its view, an abomination to be killed. And those in the middle […]