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Democracy & Reform

Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

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Brief Analysis
Tunisia’s Female Jihadists
An unprecedented attack by a female bomber should not come as a surprise considering the spike in women’s jihadist activism since 2011.
Oct 31, 2018
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  • Aaron Y. Zelin
Articles & Testimony
U.S. Must Impose a Price on Saudis, But One With a Clear Purpose
Rather than limiting itself to half-measures, Washington should suspend the delivery of offensive weapons and take other steps that convince Riyadh to change the way it operates.
Oct 30, 2018
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  • Dennis Ross
Brief Analysis
Iran’s Economy Is Stagnating Even Before New U.S. Sanctions Hit
The impact of imminent sanctions will be magnified by the economy’s recent struggles, and Tehran’s bad financial policies will only make matters worse.
Oct 29, 2018
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  • Patrick Clawson
Articles & Testimony
A Window of Opportunity Has Just Opened in Iraq. Will the U.S. Act?
The triumvirate of leaders to emerge from this year’s elections are strongly associated with nonsectarian, pragmatic government.
Oct 27, 2018
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  • Bilal Wahab
A banner of Iran's former Supreme leader Khomeini
Brief Analysis
Iran’s Anti-Western ‘Blueprint’ for the Next Fifty Years
Khamenei’s latest guidelines for Iranian culture and governance focus on resisting any efforts to reform the regime’s decisionmaking tendencies.
Oct 24, 2018
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  • Mehdi Khalaji
Brief Analysis
What Does Khashoggi’s Murder Tell Us About the Saudi Power Structure?
The prospect of MbS ruling for decades was once thought to portend stability for the kingdom, but that judgment now seems premature.
Oct 22, 2018
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  • Simon Henderson
Brief Analysis
Why Does Hezbollah Want Lebanon’s Health Ministry?
Iran’s economic problems have reportedly decreased the flow of financial patronage to the group, forcing it to seek another slush fund at home.
Oct 19, 2018
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  • Hanin Ghaddar
Articles & Testimony
Khashoggi Case Could Be Death of U.S.-Saudi Friendship
The crisis casts doubt on whether Western officials can continue excusing the crown prince’s domestic authoritarianism.
Oct 15, 2018
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  • Simon Henderson
Articles & Testimony
Saudi Arabia’s Ruler Should Understand That the Ends Don’t Justify the Means
Invoking the Magnitsky Act would send a clear signal that some actions are irreconcilable with global norms and Riyadh’s own transformative vision.
Oct 11, 2018
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  • Dennis Ross
Articles & Testimony
Saudi Journalist’s Disappearance Developing Into Diplomatic Mess
Rumors of murder squads, jet identification numbers, and other ominous details will likely exacerbate regional rivalries.
Oct 9, 2018
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  • Simon Henderson
Articles & Testimony
The Worrisome Mystery of a Saudi Journalist’s Whereabouts
If Riyadh did in fact order Khashoggi’s detention, it may be miscalculating the likely negative impact on U.S. diplomacy and Western investment.
Oct 3, 2018
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  • Simon Henderson
Brief Analysis
One Down, Two to Go: Iraq’s New Government Shaping Up
An abrupt realignment of partners has moved the government formation process forward, but the next step could be messy, given intra-Kurdish feuding.
Sep 21, 2018
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  • Bilal Wahab
  • Barbara A. Leaf
Brief Analysis
The Smart Way to Sanction Iranian-Backed Militias in Iraq
Timing is everything, so Washington should coordinate its designations with Baghdad to avoid upsetting the government formation process or throwing Iran a lifeline.
Sep 17, 2018
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  • Michael Knights
  • Barbara A. Leaf
  • Matthew Levitt
  • Phillip Smyth
Tunisian police guard the site of a terrorist attack - soucre: Reuters
Articles & Testimony
Tunisian Jihadism Five Years After Ansar al-Sharia
While the government should be commended for putting a lid on attacks, it needs to move beyond a security-only approach and reintegrate less-hardened jihadis.
Sep 16, 2018
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  • Aaron Y. Zelin
Articles & Testimony
Reshaping U.S. Aid to the Palestinians
Plenty of good actors remain on both sides of the Green Line, and by partnering with them, Washington can build on what has worked since Oslo and discard what has failed.
Sep 13, 2018
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  • Dennis Ross
  • Dave Harden
  • David Makovsky
In-Depth Reports
Egypt's New Realism: Challenges Under Sisi
When Abdul Fattah al-Sisi became president in 2014, Egyptians were clamoring for stability after the chaos of the post–Arab Spring years and the failed leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood government. Emblematic of this stability, Sisi was at one point so highly regarded that his face adorned chocolate bars. Although he
Sep 11, 2018
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  • Barak Barfi
Brief Analysis
UNRWA Funding Cutoff: What Next?
Despite the attendant risks and public outcry, Washington’s decision to halt all aid to the agency could spur some reform without drastically affecting its core humanitarian services.
Sep 6, 2018
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  • James G. Lindsay
Brief Analysis
Taking It Slow at Jordan’s Nasib Border Crossing with Syria
Besides raising security concerns, rushing to reopen the crossing would yield far fewer economic benefits than implementing recommended IMF reforms.
Aug 30, 2018
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  • Ben Fishman
Brief Analysis
Iran’s Response to Sanctions? Ignore Them
The current Iranian narrative—that economic problems stem from domestic mistakes rather than foreign pressure—complicates the U.S. policy of using sanctions to force change.
Aug 29, 2018
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  • Patrick Clawson
Brief Analysis
Breaking the Stalemate in the Egypt-Ethiopia Dam Dispute
Cairo needs Washington's help to avoid a drastic, potentially destabilizing water shortage while advancing the negotiations with Ethiopia.
Aug 28, 2018
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  • Barak Barfi

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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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Featured experts

Catherine Cleveland
Catherine Cleveland
Catherine Cleveland is The Washington Institute's Croft-Wagner Family Senior Fellow and managing editor of Fikra Forum.
Ben Fishman
Ben Fishman
Ben Fishman is the Steven D. Levy Senior Fellow in the Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute, where he focuses on North Africa.
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