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Arab & Islamic Politics

Policy Analysis on Arab & Islamic Politics

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Brief Analysis
Turkish Political Disarray:
Why Now? What Next?
Simmering political problems in Turkey reached a boil following the resignation of the deputy prime minister this week, throwing into doubt both the health of the Ecevit government and Turkey's critical negotiations with the European Union (EU). The current situation, which is fluid and unpredictable, will also have ramifications for
Jul 10, 2002
Brief Analysis
Assessing Yasir Arafat's One-Hundred-Day Plan for Reform
As President George W. Bush was offering his vision for a post-Yasir Arafat Palestinian state two weeks ago, the Palestinian leader's cabinet was itself unveiling a "100-day plan" for reforming the Palestinian Authority (PA). This plan was clearly designed to both respond to popular demands to fix the PA's broken
Jul 8, 2002
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  • Robert Satloff
Brief Analysis
Turkish-Syrian Rapprochement:
Causes and Consequences
Since October 1998, Turkey has moved from the brink of war with Syria to the brink of signing a military cooperation agreement: Syrian chief of staff Gen. Hassan al-Turkomani will pay an official visit to Turkey on June 19, the first such visit by a Syrian chief of staff. The
Jun 21, 2002
Brief Analysis
Where Reform and Peace Collide:
Assessing the Palestinian Basic Law and Draft Constitution
With this week's dispatch to the Middle East of Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns, the Bush administration has put its toe into the water of Palestinian reform. Success in this vital effort will require avoiding the trap of
May 31, 2002
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  • Robert Satloff
Brief Analysis
Iran's Burgeoning Discontent
On May 22, 2002, Iranians demonstrated in the heart of Tehran, chanting antigovernment slogans. Riot police clashed with protestors on Vali Asr Avenue, the city's main thoroughfare. The protest came five days after security services sealed off the streets leading to Arak University, where student protestors had barricaded themselves. On
May 30, 2002
Articles & Testimony
Don't Engage the Mullahs
On June 10, European Union foreign ministers may send a deathblow to Iran's reformers. On the table is a trade and cooperation pact with the Islamic Republic. Prominent EU bureaucrats such as External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten strongly support the measure, arguing, "there is absolutely no dispute on the importance
May 28, 2002
Articles & Testimony
In Bad Company:
Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein
When I taught history in an Iraqi university last year, I had several students from single-parent homes. The problem was not divorce, but rather politics. Some of my student's parents had supported opposition political figures, so Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had them shot. Some professors were widowed for the same
May 2, 2002
Brief Analysis
Demographic Dynamics in the Middle East:
A View from the United Nations
There is no doubt that demographics and population are linked to political stability. Although water and food resources are topics of great concern in the Middle East, there is another vital resource that deserves attention: young people. Today, growing unrest and perceptions of inequality and injustice pervade the region. Although
May 1, 2002
Articles & Testimony
Khatami and the Myth of Reform in Iran
On May 26, 1997, Iranians overwhelmingly elected Muhammad Khatami to be the fifth president of the Islamic Republic. Khatami won nearly 70 percent of the vote in elections marked by 80 percent turnout. The New York Times was euphoric, declaring in an editorial that same day that Khatami was "dedicated
May 1, 2002
In-Depth Reports
Arabs, Muslims, and America, Post-September 11
At the turn of the century, terrorism emerged as a formidable threat to civil societies, casting its long shadow over the present reality and the vision of years to come. Terrorism, of course, is not a new phenomenon. It has manifested itself throughout history in various embodiments on behalf of
Apr 9, 2002
Articles & Testimony
More Floggings and Inflation:
The Fruits of Reform in Iran
Now that Tony Blair has returned from Texas, he faces criticism over his support of "regime change" in Iraq. Just two decades ago, the West supported Saddam Hussein, seeing the Iraqi president as a force for moderation in the Middle East. Yet, while statesmen focus on what to do in
Apr 9, 2002
In-Depth Reports
War on Terror:
The Middle East Dimension
INTRODUCTION It is an understatement to say that the attacks of September 11, 2001, were transformative events, both for how Americans view their own sense of security and for how America engages with the world. Osama bin Laden may have declared war on the United States years ago, but it
Apr 1, 2002
◆
  • Robert Satloff
Brief Analysis
From Beirut to Jerusalem:
The Arab Summit, Zinni, and Cheney
The Saudi initiative for Israeli-Palestinian peace—soon to be presented at the upcoming Arab Summit in Beirut—is in part a tool to address tensions in Saudi relations with the United States after the September 11 attacks. A more important motivation for the initiative, however, is that the Saudi ruling family is
Mar 26, 2002
◆
  • David Makovsky
  • Robert Satloff
Brief Analysis
Power to the People?
The Impact of Demography on Middle East Politics
In the year 1000, the Middle East had a population of approximately 30 million people, and it remained around that level until 1800. Between 1800 and 1900, however, the figure grew by 75 percent, and then by another 565 percent during the twentieth century, bringing the population to 386 million
Mar 25, 2002
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  • Patrick Clawson
  • Ellen Laipson
Brief Analysis
The Middle East and the World Bank, Post–September 11
Even prior to September 11, the World Bank emphasized the links between economic development, hopelessness, acts of desperation, and terrorism. To be sure, there is no one-to-one connection between poverty and terrorism, but surely poverty feeds hopelessness, which then creates an enabling environment for terrorism. Living in a society with
Mar 6, 2002
Brief Analysis
Human Rights in the Arab World:
The State Department's 2001 Country Reports
On March 6, Lorne W. Craner, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, will testify before Congress on the State Department's just-released "2001 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices" covering 195 countries. How the reports characterize human rights and influence U.S. policy in the Arab world is
Mar 5, 2002
Articles & Testimony
Yearning for Freedom:
Iranians Agree with Bush
State Department officials cringed when President Bush included Iran in the "Axis of Evil," while professors and commentators voiced righteous indignation. But ordinary Iranians overwhelmingly agree with Bush. He voiced what they have known for two decades. I lived in Iran for seven months in 1996 and 1999. One schoolteacher
Feb 11, 2002
Articles & Testimony
Deserted
As we walked along Timbuktu's sandy streets, past mud mosques and houses, warm winds from the Sahara whipped dust over the city, obscuring the sun and stinging my eyes. The wind did not bother my guide Muhammad, however. He wore sunglasses and a turban, shielding himself from sun, sand, and
Feb 11, 2002
Articles & Testimony
The Missing Link to Mideast Peace:
Arab Pressure
How to deal with Yasser Arafat is a serious issue, one that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Bush once again discussed in their meeting at the White House on Thursday. Sharon has publicly declared that he wants the U.S. to boycott Arafat because of the Palestinian leader's failure
Feb 8, 2002
◆
  • David Makovsky
Brief Analysis
Iran As Part of the Axis of Evil (Part I):
Reforms Stagnate
In his January 29 State of the Union address, President George Bush criticized Iran as one of three states (the other two being Iraq and North Korea) forming an 'axis of evil' and castigated its "unelected leaders" for denying the will of the majority. Indeed, the perennial conflict between Tehran's
Feb 4, 2002
◆
  • Ray Takeyh

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Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics

The Washington Institute's Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics focuses on social, political, and economic developments in the Arab world, with an emphasis on the Arab countries of the Levant.

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Featured experts

David Schenker
David Schenker
David Schenker is the Taube Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics. He is the former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs.
Ghaith al-Omari
Ghaith al-Omari
Ghaith al-Omari is the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Senior Fellow in The Washington Institute's Irwin Levy Family Program on the U.S.-Israel Strategic Relationship.
Hanin Ghaddar
Hanin Ghaddar
Hanin Ghaddar is the Friedmann Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute's Rubin Family Arab Politics Program, where she focuses on Shia politics throughout the Levant.
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab
Bilal Wahab was the Nathan and Esther K. Wagner Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute.
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