السياسة العربية والإسلامية

As post-revolutionary Egypt slowly shapes a new political landscape, it faces a resurgent security challenge from extremist groups. David Schenker examines recent incidents, security force capabilities, and the extent to which Islamist political blocs might influence the country's domestic and regional security posture. The following is a summary of the

The Syrian government's fluid relationships with terrorist groups such as Hizballah and Hamas have been further complicated by the ongoing popular uprising against Bashar al-Assad. This article dissects several of these key relationships, documenting how they evolved before and during the uprising and forecasting how they might change upon Assad's

Yet another dimension of the Syrian imbroglio is the role of the Kurdish population.

Iran sees itself in a strong position relative to the West and therefore believes it has little reason to be forthcoming in nuclear negotiations.

The United States must strongly support Turkey even at the cost of diplomatic cooperation with Russia.

On Wednesday night, thousands of demonstrators descended onto Tahrir Square to demand an end to military rule. It was the twentieth straight night of these protests, and the Muslim Brotherhood marked the occasion by calling on its hundreds of thousands of members nationwide to join an open-ended Tahrir Square sit-in

On June 15, 2012, the newly elected head of the Syrian National Council (SNC), Abdulbaset Sieda, gave Fikra Forum his first extended Western media interview since assuming the post on June 10. The interview was conducted by Skype, in Arabic, by Fikra Forum editor Lauren Emerson and contributors Maya Gebeily and Jehad Saleh. Key points include: 1. Sieda asserts that the SNC does not lead the FSA, and that this could lead to the "disorganized and haphazard use of weapons" and an "uncontrollable … security coup," as he says has occurred in Libya. 2. He says it would be fine to "coordinate" with the Kurdish opposition and others, rather than try and bring them back into the SNC. 3. He says there could be dialogue with regime elements "with no blood on their hands,” but only concerning "the timing and process of the fall of the regime." 4. He denies that the SNC should do anything to demonstrate its independence from the MB, which is "an essential faction of the Syrian opposition."

Washington woke on Saturday to the news of the death of Crown Prince Nayef, who was next in line for the Saudi throne. The collective sigh of relief by senior U.S. officials was almost audible -- even though, within hours, President Barack Obama issued a statement about his "great regret"

Policymakers must prepare for the likelihood that Egyptian instability will continue for some time, rendering Cairo unable to continue its historic role as a major U.S. strategic partner.