Arab & Islamic Politics

The Israeli-Palestinian portion of President Obama's May 19 speech generated much more attention than his comments on trade, investment, and development initiatives to promote growth and opportunities across the Middle East. Yet without a strong and credible economic program, efforts to advance Washington's political and security agenda in the region

Within the Islamic Republic of Iran, both the democratic movement and internal conflict raise questions about the regime's stability. Should Ayatollah Ali Khamenei die -- or become unable to carry out his position as supreme leader -- the regime's stability rests on the peaceful transition of power.

Bashar al-Assad's June 20 speech at Damascus University was another disappointing attempt to quell three months of antiregime protests sweeping Syria.

The conflict in Libya is now dominated by deliberate offensive warfare conducted by the rebels and NATO, and both Muammar Qadhafi and his regime will likely be gone by the end of this phase. The confrontation has been, and will continue to be, a very dramatic event: a once-powerful and

Given the recent string of Saudi diplomatic failures, this year will be remembered as the moment when the world finally looked elsewhere for Gulf leadership.

Michael Singh, focusing on the current situation in Lebanon, cautions on the fragility of fledgling democracies.

Brothers and nephews of Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh with current status within the regime. Download high-resolution PDF. Copyright 2011 The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Islamist parties can moderate their platforms, but only with free elections and the checks of an independent media and strong opposition parties.

Turkey's tough new stance against the Asad regime's crackdown gives the West an opportunity to adopt a more assertive stance on Syria.