North Africa

Young Islamists are using Facebook to organize violent opposition.

By showing leadership in its response to the Russian intervention, Washington can open a new conversation with its regional allies regarding Syria, Iran, and Egypt.

The military chief has some strong assets and likely staying power, but he will still face great pressure if he is elected as anticipated, since the benchmark for success will be his ability to satisfy an Egyptian polity filled with unrealistically high socioeconomic expectations.

The Russian-Egyptian "2+2" meeting in Moscow does not signify a foreign policy realignment in Cairo.

The recent action highlights a central element in the battle for the global jihadist movement's future -- and could have important implications in the fight for Syria.

Washington should focus on shielding U.S. strategic interests in Egypt from the effects of persistent political instability, while also encouraging Cairo to address the root causes of this instability over time.

With Israeli acquiescence to de facto alterations of the 1979 peace treaty, Egypt has deployed substantial military forces into the Sinai to combat terrorists. But Israel remains hesitant about Cairo's inclination to increase pressure on Hamas in Gaza.

North African Shiites are growing in number, forming organizations, and mobilizing around Syria and other causes, refuting the popular belief that Morocco is removed from the dynamics of the Gulf and Levant.

Low Salafist turnout for this week's constitutional referendum could signal a broad base of support for growing jihadist violence against the post-Morsi government.