Democracy & Reform

Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

Brief Analysis

Helping the Dust Settle: Why Washington Cannot Cut Aid to Egypt

Cutting aid to Egypt would only hurt U.S. interests there without helping democracy, stability, or any other cause.

Sep 5, 2013

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David Pollock

Brief Analysis

Egypt's Political Transition on Track

With the transition plan forging ahead after recent turbulence, Egypt's focus has turned to the upcoming constitutional referendum, which will be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections that may favor emerging centrist movement al-Tayyar al-Hor.

Aug 29, 2013

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Adel El-Adawy

Brief Analysis

Tunisia Designates Ansar al-Sharia

Despite its longstanding reputation as a pro-extremist faction, Tunisia's governing an-Nahda party may finally be breaking with the radical fringe.

Aug 28, 2013

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Aaron Y. Zelin
Vish Sakthivel

Who's Who in the Syrian Regime?

Published in conjunction with PolicyWatch 2122, this graphic depicts the hierarchical structure of the Syrian regime.

Aug 23, 2013

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Grace Abuhamad
Andrew J. Tabler

Brief Analysis

All the Tyrant's Men: Chipping Away at the Assad Regime's Core

The regime's cadres have held together through two years of war, and they will likely continue doing so unless Washington and its allies present them with a stark choice: leave and live, or stay and die.

Aug 23, 2013

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Grace Abuhamad
Andrew J. Tabler

Articles & Testimony

In Egypt, US Is Better Off Doing Nothing

Given the administration's reluctance to act in Syria and other hotspots, President Obama is wise not to diminish US influence further by cutting ties with the Egyptian military.

Aug 22, 2013

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Robert Satloff

Articles & Testimony

The Day After Assad Wins: The Hard Truths About Post-War Syria

If the regime wins, as seems increasingly likely, post-war Syria will be a more brutal and anarchic place than ever before.

Aug 21, 2013

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Andrew J. Tabler

Articles & Testimony

Useful Leverage, in the Right Circumstances

Saudi Arabia has been one of the most important allies of the United States. But it has also staunchly supported opposition to reform and democracy in the Gulf, and now may offer aid to the Egyptian military that could dwarf what America provides. Should the United States continue to view

Aug 21, 2013

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Dennis Ross

Brief Analysis

Egypt's Crackdown and ElBaradei's Resignation

Despite the vice president's resignation, the dispersal of pro-Morsi protests has received strong support among the security forces and political elite, signaling the potential for more violence in the coming days.

Aug 19, 2013

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Adel El-Adawy

Articles & Testimony

The Islamic Insurgency That Could Soon Hit Egypt

By disorganizing Egypt's most cohesive Islamist group, the generals have turned hundreds of thousands of deeply ideological Muslim Brothers into free radicals who may no longer listen to their typically cautious leaders.

Aug 19, 2013

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

'DanielGate' Sparks Moroccan Political Unrest

The Moroccan royal pardon of Spanish pedophile Daniel Galvan Vina has had a litany of political implications.

Aug 16, 2013

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Vish Sakthivel

The Truth About Egypt

Michael Totten, a contributing editor for World Affairs, interviews Dr. Trager regarding the direction of Egypt's political dynamics since Morsi's ouster.

Aug 15, 2013

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Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

Bahrain's Planned Day of Rebellion

Tension is peaking in Bahrain, where some opposition groups have called for huge protests that could turn violent.

Aug 13, 2013

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Simon Henderson

Articles & Testimony

Libya's Jihadists Beyond Benghazi

The government's total failure to deliver security or basic services has given Ansar al-Sharia in Libya ample room to recover from the backlash that followed last year's consulate attack.

Aug 12, 2013

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Aaron Y. Zelin

Brief Analysis

Are Morocco's Political Salafists Committed to Peace?

Despite apparent strategic shifts among Moroccan Salafists and the king's "wait and see" policy toward them, it remains unclear whether they will truly moderate as part of the political integration process.

Aug 12, 2013

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Vish Sakthivel

Articles & Testimony

Making the Most of Limited U.S. Leverage in Egypt

Although Washington cannot dispel the existential fight between the military and the Brotherhood, it can exert influence in other ways.

Aug 12, 2013

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Eric Trager

Brief Analysis

Imminent Crackdown in Egypt: Potential Consequences

Although aggressive military action could yield stability in the short term, the long-term consequences may not bode well for meaningful democratic transition.

Aug 9, 2013

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Adel El-Adawy

Brief Analysis

Al-Qaeda's Resiliency in Yemen

Although counterterrorism operations are essential to defeating al-Qaeda, they must be complemented by a low-cost, low-visibility campaign to help the Yemeni government extend its reach in the provinces.

Aug 7, 2013

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Daniel Green

Articles & Testimony

Portrait of the General as a Not-So-Young Grad Student

Egypt's army chief is not an Islamist -- in fact, his work at the U.S. Army War College suggests he may be a Mubarak clone.

Aug 7, 2013

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Eric Trager

Articles & Testimony

If I Were in Charge of Egypt

The Guardian website recently launched a new feature asking readers to weigh in on current affairs, then having an expert respond to them. In this edition, the editors asked Washington Institute fellow Eric Trager to assess the viability of a detailed plan (submitted by reader "2cents") for putting Egypt on

Aug 5, 2013

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Eric Trager

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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Catherine Cleveland

Catherine Cleveland is The Washington Institute's Croft-Wagner Family Senior Fellow and managing editor of Fikra Forum.

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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Policy Analysis on Democracy & Reform

Project Fikra: Defeating Extremism through the Power of Ideas

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