Democracy & Reform

The Bahrain crisis reveals that the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are no longer on the same page: Riyadh perceives the White House as demanding universal freedoms from its friends, but not from its adversaries like Iran.

On March 14, the Saudis dispatched military forces to Bahrain, marking a major step in the troubles that have wracked the Gulf state for the last month. Although clearly intended to help the government in Manama reduce unrest, the move also increases the risk that Iran will come to the

Israel has been watching the ongoing upheaval in the Arab world with steadily growing concern. While they hope to see a happy, democratic end to the popular eruptions of protest and discontent against dictatorial regimes, Israelis are bracing themselves for a series of less optimistic outcomes. A different Middle East

MEMO To: The Muslim Brotherhood From: A Fellow Muslim Dear Brother, As you prepare to run in Egypt's first free elections -- Inshallah, you will win -- I am writing to make recommendations for your success, drawing from the Turkish model. Do not get me wrong; I am not referring

With coup allegations, the arrest of the government's opponents, and an ongoing media crackdown, an independent media is crucial to Turkey's democracy.

The Obama administration should move quickly to impose a no-fly zone and support Libyans seeking to drive the Qadhafi regime from power.

Being less violent than al-Qaeda is not enough: Washington should demand that potential partners in post-despotic Middle Eastern states demonstrate acceptance of civil society, liberal values, and international agreements and borders.

In PolicyWatch #1768, Jeffrey White highlighted the possibility for a prolonged struggle in Libya's civil war due to the lack of offensive capability demonstrated by both sides. The following article explores the reasons why strategic geography in Libya reinforces the potential for stalemate and underlines the need for international intervention

Although few serious analysts of Saudi Arabia believe that politics in the kingdom could play out as dramatically as recent events in North Africa, it remains to be seen whether the Saudi people will continue to quietly accept the royal family's succession chess game.