Democracy & Reform

Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

The KRG Turns Thirty: The Future of U.S.-Kurdish Relations in Iraq

On the anniversary of the Kurdish region’s first election, three experts take stock of the bilateral relationship and internal political and economic challenges.

May 23, 2022

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Bilal Wahab
Amberin Zaman
Vance Serchuk

◆ The KRG Turns Thirty

Video

Brief Analysis

Hezbollah-Shia Dynamics and Lebanon's Election: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications

On the eve of the election, two Lebanese experts joined a former U.S. official to discuss the prospects for widening the cracks in Hezbollah’s core Shia constituency.

May 18, 2022

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Hanin Ghaddar
Bashshar Haydar
David Schenker

A Lebanese protester holds a sign denouncing Iranian influence

Brief Analysis

What Hezbollah’s Parliamentary Loss Means for Lebanon

The voting results provide even more hope for change than meets the eye, though the winners will need international help to prevent Hezbollah from obstructing the next steps.

May 16, 2022

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Hanin Ghaddar

Brief Analysis

Dethroning Lebanon’s “King of Captagon”

A major international drug smuggler with close ties to Hezbollah has continued threatening Lebanese residents and helping the Assad regime next door, giving Washington ample cause to intervene.

May 9, 2022

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Lauren Fredericks

Maps & Graphics

In-Depth Reports

The Age of Political Jihadism:

A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

The Syria-based group now functions more like a government than a nonstate actor, portending a reorientation for the larger jihadist movement.

May 9, 2022

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Articles & Testimony

We Can’t Face Down Putin Alone

Some potential allies in the Middle East may not be democracies, but they're not revisionist states either, so the United States cannot afford to write them off.

May 6, 2022

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Dennis Ross

A supporter of Tunisia's Islamist Ennahda Party protests against the Tunisian president's 2022 coup - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Promoting Stability and Reform in Tunisia

A frozen democratic transition and widening economic uncertainty mark the ongoing national crisis, so Washington will need to make careful use of sticks and carrots in supporting open governance.

May 3, 2022

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Sabina Henneberg

Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein

Brief Analysis

A Longer and Stronger Deal for Jordan

The kingdom can only transition from its crisis footing to a period of sustained economic growth if it receives more assistance over the coming period.

Apr 27, 2022

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Ben Fishman

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at a cabinet meeting in 2022 - source: Reuters

Brief Analysis

Political Tempest in Israel: Can Bennett Right the Ship?

His coalition is just one lost seat from being legislatively hobbled or even ousted altogether, leaving him and his allies in Washington with little time for essential damage control.

Apr 11, 2022

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David Makovsky

Pakistani men watch a televised address by Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 31, 2022 - source: Reuters

Articles & Testimony

The Clock Runs Out on Imran Khan as Pakistan’s Prime Minister

Things to watch going forward include Islamabad’s relationship with traditional cash source Saudi Arabia and its geopolitical posture toward Iran and Afghanistan.

Apr 11, 2022

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Kurdish Infighting Could Undermine a Sovereign Iraqi Government

Shortsighted squabbles between the KDP and PUK may soon wind up sending the country back to elections—and the threat of Iranian political domination.

Apr 5, 2022

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David Schenker

Brief Analysis

Ukraine Invasion Ushers in Algeria’s Return

Although the wave of Western overtures is understandable, Algeria is unlikely to make up for Europe’s energy supply gaps or take other actions that give the appearance of choosing sides.

Mar 28, 2022

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Geoff Porter

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaking

Brief Analysis

Khamenei Declares His New Year’s Resolutions for Iran

His Nowruz speech largely sidestepped foreign policy and the nuclear negotiations, instead focusing on his vision for making the country more self-reliant via a knowledge-based economy.

Mar 22, 2022

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Omer Carmi

Brief Analysis

The Baghdad-Kurdistan Energy Arena: Policy Opportunities

Washington has many good options for avoiding a Kurdish economic meltdown and turning Iraq’s internal energy dispute into a net win for all players, but it must pursue them quickly.

Mar 22, 2022

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Michael Knights

Brief Analysis

U.S. Public Diplomacy in Iran: Cutting Costs, Improving Impact

A more effective (and cost-effective) approach would give Iranians the tools they need to bypass regime monitoring, pare down low-impact television programming, and emphasize popular mobile apps.

Mar 21, 2022

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Arash Aalaei
Mehdi Khalaji

Photo of Turkish and Taliban officials meeting in Ankara, October 2021.

Brief Analysis

Turkey Calls for Recognition of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate

Ankara has taken a leading role in rehabilitating the group’s image, but many other countries have reached out as well, making eventual recognition a fait accompli.

Mar 17, 2022

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Map illustrating strategies for preserving autonomy in northeast Syria.

Brief Analysis

How to Preserve the Autonomy of Northeast Syria

To offset the destabilizing measures coming from Turkey and the Assad axis, Western governments need to offer more development assistance—but in a targeted way that reassures local authorities and minimizes mismanagement.

Mar 15, 2022

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Fabrice Balanche

Articles & Testimony

Can Turkey and the UAE Help Break Libya’s Deadlock?

Finding a compromise timeline for elections will be delicate, but the recent thaw in relations between Ankara and Abu Dhabi removes a significant external impediment to progress.

Mar 14, 2022

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Ben Fishman

Brief Analysis

A British Trip to Secure Extra Saudi Oil?

Boris Johnson’s expected visit reflects both the urgency of the crisis and the chill between Riyadh and the White House.

Mar 14, 2022

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Simon Henderson

Arab Spring Tunisia Yemen Bahrain Egypt Libya Syria

Audio

In-Depth Reports

No Going Back

Activists Reflect a Decade After the Arab Spring

Interviews with thirteen activists reveal a deep sense of disappointment but also a shared conviction that a new reform movement will eventually rise and deliver lasting change to the region.

Mar 7, 2022

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Roy Gutman

◆ Reform, Protest, Change

Supported by the

Project Fikra: Defeating Extremism through the Power of Ideas

Fikra n. [Arabic] "Idea"

The Washington Institute's Project Fikra is a multiyear program of research, publication, and network-building designed to generate policy ideas for promoting positive change and countering the spread of extremism in the Middle East.

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Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

Project Fikra: Defeating Extremism through the Power of Ideas

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Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

Project Fikra: Defeating Extremism through the Power of Ideas

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